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APRIL 2021 THE JESUIT REVIEW OF FAITH AND CULTURE
PRIVACY:
OUR LEAST
UNDERSTOOD
VIRTUE Why do Americans
take it for granted?
Firmin DeBrabander
p 36
PLUS:
Stephanie Saldaña
Writes From the Garden
of Gethsemane
p 40
The Future of Pastoral
Formation Is Now
p22
James Keenan on
the Medical Ministry
of Paul Farmer
p 56
1 | AMERICAMAGAZINE.ORG
ANNOUNCING
LOYOLA CHICAGO’S
SESQUICENTENNIAL
CELEBRATION
LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO has become one of the world’s leading universities, built on a legacy
of education, leadership, civil discourse, and social justice. We invite you to join us in celebrating our
legacy with programing that will challenge the mind and enrich the spirit in the Jesuit tradition. For more
information on how you can join the celebration, please visit LUC.edu/150.
LUC.EDU/150
2|AMERICAMAGAZINE.ORG
A Family in Crisis
In the summer of 1999, after a hot Meghan and Harry claim have them- scintilla of truth in the former charge
and stuffy train trip from London, I selves been silenced. Just how they ex- and none in the latter.
boarded a hovercraft and crossed the pect those people to respond is murky. The lasting damage from this lat-
Solent, the strait that separates Great And while Harry and Meghan’s stated est sad affair will not be to the queen
Britain from the Isle of Wight. From intention to repair their relationships and the British monarchy, but to Eliz-
the dock in the island’s small town, I with the family seems sincere, this in- abeth Windsor and her children and
walked a half-mile to the River Medina, terview seemed like a strange way to go grandchildren. Can the obviously
which I crossed on one of the world’s about it. Did it widen the breach? strained and seemingly severed ties
few remaining chain ferries. I then The most shocking and painful among these brothers, fathers, sons
grabbed a cab for the two-mile ride to part of the interview was the duchess’s and daughters be repaired? Here I
a visitors’ station, where I climbed into account of her struggle with anxiety would like to think that the British
a horse-drawn cart and clip-clopped and depression and how these drove people will be patient, even sympa-
up a long, winding drive until Osborne her to contemplate suicide. One can thetic. After all, everyone has a family
House came fully into view. only imagine the hopelessness that that has had some painful history, and
I then realized why this was Queen must have driven her to such depths. few of us would want to tell Oprah and
Victoria’s favorite home, and it has a Our hearts quite rightly go out to her, the whole world about it.
lot to do with the great lengths I had and we can thank God that the couple At the moment, of course, recon-
taken to get there. In the 19th century, appear to have found some peace in ciliation appears pretty unlikely un-
it would have been even more difficult their new home. less the very human people involved
for the public or the press to travel to It was a dramatic and moving ac- are able to summon the courage to
Osborne, and that privacy is what made count. But talk of the interview as the forgive, to extend their mercy, to seek
the house a home. Until that day, I had force that will destroy the institution to understand one another. Let us
not really thought of the royal family as, misses the mark. The British mon- pray that God gives them the grace
well, a family. archy isn’t going anywhere. As diffi- they will surely need to do that diffi-
That visit was on my mind as I cult as it is to imagine in the press of cult work. For apart from the conso-
watched Oprah Winfrey’s interview the present news cycle, scandal and lation that reconciliation would bring
with Queen Victoria’s great-great- drama in the royal family are nothing to these people who purportedly love
great-great grandson, Prince Harry, new. There was Princess Diana’s ag- one another, imagine how powerful a
and his wife, Meghan Markle. More onizing Panorama interview, as well witness it would be—a living model of
than 17 million people watched as as other televised tell-alls by Prince a family who, through their love, ten-
Harry and Meghan dropped bomb- Charles and Sarah, Duchess of York, derness and mercy, were able to over-
shell after bombshell, including seri- in the 1990s. And the content would come their divisions—to transform
ous yet vague charges of racism among be familiar to students of history. their wounded hearts into hearts of
the royal family and their entourage. Queen Victoria spent many sleep- wounded healers.
The interview also yielded some less nights at Osborne, worried about “I long for our cheerful and un-
seeming contradictions. There was press intrusions and public charges palace-like rooms at Osborne,” Queen
the claim, for example, that the cou- leveled against her family. Her son, the Victoria wrote to her daughter during
ple felt tortured by their press cover- future Edward VII, was almost named one of the queen’s long stays at Wind-
age and also the claim that they don’t as an accomplice in an adultery and di- sor Castle. For her family, Victoria
follow their press coverage. They also vorce trial that was the talk of Britain. wrote, “It is impossible to imagine a
said that they had been silenced during Her grandson, Prince Albert Victor, prettier spot.”
their brief royal life together and that was implicated in a scandal involving
this was why they were now speaking a homosexual brothel in London and Matt Malone, S.J.
out. But they are speaking out about was even rumored to be the notori- Twitter: @americaeditor.
people—the royal family—whom ous Jack the Ripper. There was only a
APRIL 2021 AMERICA |3
THE ISSUE
GIVE AND TAKE
6
DISPATCHES
12
FEATURES
22
YOUR TAKE A SOUTH CAROLINA CATHOLIC STUDENTS TOGETHER,
Lessons from a year of pandemic; SCHOOL BUCKS A NATIONAL LEADERS TOGETHER
women in parish ministry TREND OF DECLINING A new vision of pastoral leadership is
ENROLLMENT slowly taking root in the U.S. church
8 Don Clemmer
OUR TAKE Catholic schools are hard hit during
Signs of hope, signs of resurrection year of Covid 28
LIVESTREAM LIFELINE
10 Church in Quebec accepts a The surprising benefits of attending
SHORT TAKE new mission Mass online
How the Equality Act could tip the Colleen Dulle
scales for abortion In Nigeria, a demand for security as
Erika Bachiochi priests are kidnapped and killed
POEMS
GoodNews: Archdiocese of New
Orleans and survivors of abuse team 39
up for better response CHICKS
Devon Balwit
55
DEATH OF METAPHOR
Mary Callistas
4 | AMERICAMAGAZINE.ORG
CNS photo/Paul Haring
Children wave Iraqi flags before Pope
Francis' arrival for a memorial prayer for
the victims of the war at Hosh al-Bieaa in
Mosul, Iraq, March 7.
Cover: iStock
FAITH & REASON JESUIT SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT THE WORD
36 48 62
PRIVACY: OUR LEAST ‘YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO Reflections for Sundays
UNDERSTOOD VIRTUE FORM THE HABIT OF WORK’ April 4, 11, 18 and 25
Examining our curious relationship How Brophy Prep prepares boys in Jaime L. Waters
to personal space Phoenix to be men for others
Firmin DeBrabander J.D. Long-García
LAST TAKE
FAITH IN FOCUS IDEAS IN REVIEW 66
JEREMY McLELLAN
40 50 When Lent meets Ramadan
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO KNOW RIDE FOR YOUR LIFE
A GARDEN? Bicycles are simpatico with Catholic
Lessons From Gethsemane social teaching
Stephanie Saldaña John W. Miller
44 BOOKS
My therapist was a faithful witness to Fever, Feuds and Diamonds; The
my pain and resurrection. Jakarta Method; Disorienting
Kat Dolan Neoliberalism; Constellations; The
Wax Pack; Having and Being Had
APRIL 2021 VOL. 224 NO. 4 WHOLE NO. 5260
YOUR TAKE
Lessons from a year of pandemic; women in parish ministry
‘What the Coronavirus Taught Us About Parish Life’ comment, “This is why I am glad you are in charge.” I had
As a Catholic in his 70’s, I very much miss going to Mass. I no idea of the stress and strain my previous pastor endured
don’t miss working or commuting to work or many other until I was appointed to this position. I must say, my days
activities reserved for the young. But Mass is a place are full and packed with everything from A to Z, but I
where you meet fellow travelers. We look forward to the wouldn’t trade it for the world.
liturgical year, the sacraments and greeting people we Cheryl Archibald
know. Afterwards we have our Knights’ pancake breakfast
and other times coffee and donuts. For many of us raised Elizabeth Simcoe’s simple story of just one day in her
in the Catholic Church, our oldest memories go back to life as a lay ecclesial minister running the Church of St.
childhood, when our parents first took us to church. Our Vincent in the Albany Diocese warms my heart. I find it
bishop has given us a dispensation for a while longer. We hard to imagine that the Holy Spirit is not trying to speak
will experience great joy to be vaccinated and reunited to us Catholics in these unsettled times through people like
with our fellow adherents. Elizabeth, and I hope we will eventually be able to decipher
Richard VandenBrul the message.
Sharon Koch
‘What the Coronavirus Taught Us About the American
Family’ This is a good example of what parishes can do in the face
Women are oftentimes caregivers, and their labor is not of the shortage of priests. May Elizabeth Simcoe’s work
valued and even frequently denigrated in structural ways inspire others.
by society’s outdated system of metrics. Gross Domestic Marian Chua
Product is a metric for a nation’s cumulative production of
goods and services. How will all the services alluded to in Elizabeth is one of about 200 people serving parishes in
this article (which are fairly tangible) be included in GDP? this role around the country. It’s a good model that meets
GDP is only one lens to use here. More than the tangibles, a need—perhaps in the future more bishops will be open to
how does society recognize the intangibles, the values using this model.
touched on? Michael Taylor
Andrew Di Liddo
This parish shimmers and shines with the vibrant light
‘What the Coronavirus Taught Us About Technology’ of Christ. Elizabeth is incredible, and the people of this
The availability of online church is a mixed blessing. I’m parish are a testament to living faith. I am privileged to
eager to return to my parish every Sunday, and I tend to know Elizabeth and many parishioners past and present.
stream its Mass on Sundays rather than another. Being We could all take a lesson from what happens here. I have
able to stream a Mass on weekdays is a treasure. A parish in been praying with this Scripture a lot recently and it seems
Massachusetts puts its daily Mass on YouTube very early appropriate here: “See, I am doing something new! Now it
in the morning and I’ve begun to spend my “coffee time” springs forth, do you not perceive it? In the wilderness I
virtually participating in this 20 minute Mass. No worries make a way…” (Is 43:19).
about snow, running late for work, etc., and much better Fran Rossi Szpylczyn
than browsing Facebook.
E. McLain
‘A Day in the Life of a Lay Catholic Woman Who Runs
a Parish’
I too am a parish life coordinator and must say you well
described a typical day for us, including the priest’s
6 | AMERICAMAGAZINE.ORG
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APRIL 2021 AMERICA |7
OUR TAKE
Signs of Resurrection, Signs of Hope
More than a year ago, the Covid-19 other for virtual learners. Many stu- their weddings. Others will finally get
pandemic changed the lives of every dents, particularly from lower-income to make that long-planned pilgrimage
human being on earth. The virus communities, have struggled. Educa- to the Holy Land or visit their rela-
has claimed more than 2.6 million tors and government leaders scram- tives in other countries where travel
lives, including more than 500,000 bled to provide internet connections restrictions have been prohibited.
in the United States. The U.S. and devices suitable to the new learn- It has been a long battle, but the
unemployment rate hit nearly 15 ing environment. pandemic will end eventually. Some
percent last spring, the highest since Yet Christians, despite death and economists are projecting a boom in
the Great Depression. suffering, know there is always reason jobs this year based on businesses re-
Many Covid victims died alone, to hope. Easter reminds the faithful of opening, a federal stimulus package
denied the presence of their loved ones our obligation to maintain hope in the providing a financial boost to strug-
at their side, and their funerals were darkest of times. And while our long gling families and consumers spend-
sparsely attended or not held at all. Lent may seem far from over, there ing the savings they accumulated
Many families are still waiting for per- are nevertheless signs of resurrection. during lockdown. They project the
mission to have funerals. The pandem- The speed at which researchers unemployment rate could drop below
ic taught us the phrase “social distanc- developed Covid-19 vaccines is a tes- 4 percent.
ing” and created a physical and often tament to the creative ingenuity that Many of us are now experienc-
emotional distance in our society. is possible when society works togeth- ing a greater appreciation of things
Grandparents have gone without er for the common good. As of this we previously took for granted—es-
hugs and kisses from their grandchil- writing, more than 60 million Ameri- pecially essential workers. We are
dren for months on end. Travel re- cans have received at least one dose of grateful for doctors, nurses, police
strictions and safety precautions put a Covid vaccine, as the nation quickly and firefighters, but have also discov-
dampers on family gatherings. Wed- approaches immunizing 20 percent of ered the essential work of those over-
dings and baptisms have been small. the population. looked in the past. We now recognize
A growing distrust of information and Hundreds of millions of vaccine the irreplaceable labor of food service
authority figures has spawned heated doses are expected to be available workers, agricultural laborers, main-
divisions among loved ones on a range within the next few months. On aver- tenance personnel and child care pro-
of pandemic-related issues, from the age, more than two million doses are viders, many of whom are part of our
need for mask-wearing to the efficacy being administered each day, accord- immigrant underclass.
and morality of Covid vaccinations. ing to the Centers for Disease Control Despite social distancing mea-
Social isolation has taken its toll and Prevention. President Biden has sures, there is a growing sense of con-
on everyone. Countless Catholics vowed to deliver enough vaccinations nectedness among fellow Americans
across the country have gone a year for every U.S. adult by the end of May. in lockdown. We now cherish simply
without attending Mass in person. A Most high school students could be being in public spaces, from parks and
number of crucial church outreach vaccinated this fall. beaches to grocery stores and mov-
initiatives, like prison ministry, have With immunization will come a ie theaters. In March, for example,
been on hiatus. The pandemic has in- return to many of the things society spring training baseball games wel-
flicted a mental toll on health workers, has gone without during the pandem- comed small crowds that observed
children and young adults. ic. For believers of all faiths, it will social distance guidelines, a welcome
Many children are still attending mean a return to in-person religious return to what has been an American
school virtually. From the onset of services for the first time in more than rite of passage for 150 years.
the pandemic, teachers had to adapt a year; for many Catholics, it will also The pandemic has called forth so-
quickly to online learning. Today, mark the return to access of the sacra- ciety’s generosity. People have stepped
many are charged with essentially ments. Some couples who have wait- forward to help those in need, includ-
teaching two classes simultaneously, ed until it would be possible to have a ing many who have never needed help
one for in-person students and the large gathering will finally celebrate before. Many have reorganized their
8 | AMERICAMAGAZINE.ORG
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Founded in 1909
President and Editor in Chief Matt Malone, S.J.
priorities, placing social connection at Deputy Editor in Chief Maurice Timothy Reidy
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the top. In a country that has always cel- Ashley McKinless
ebrated individualism, we are newly ap- Kerry Weber
Editor at Large James Martin, S.J.
preciating the value of community. Production Editor Robert C. Collins, S.J.
Indeed, the suffering of the pandem- Senior Editors Kevin Clarke
James T. Keane
ic has perhaps begun to dismantle the J.D. Long-García
American mirage of rugged individual- Sam Sawyer, S.J.
Robert David Sullivan
ism. As the disciples supported each oth- Creative Director Shawn Tripoli
er in the early days of Christianity, so too Graphic Designer
Poetry Editor
Alison Hamilton
Joe Hoover, S.J.
has the world joined together to face this Vatican Correspondent Gerard O’Connell
common threat. We now see how truly in- National Correspondent
Associate Editor
Michael J. O’Loughlin
Ricardo da Silva, S.J.
terdependent we are. Humanity shares a Associate Editor & Director of Audience
Engagement and Analytics Zachary Davis
common destiny. Our health and surviv- Audio Producer Maggi Van Dorn
al is interconnected with the health and Video Producer &
Director of Photography Deniz Demirer
survival of our neighbors. Our success in Assistant Producers Colleen Dulle, Kevin Jackson
struggling against the pandemic has been Assistant Editors Vivian Cabrera
Joseph McAuley
possible only because we have fought this Contributing Writers Nichole M. Flores
battle together. Cecilia González-Andrieu
Rachel Lu
Easter is also a time when new Chris- Eileen Markey
tians are welcomed into the church. Let Jim McDermott, S.J.
Kaya Oakes
us rejoice with them as they profess their Nathan Schneider
new faith in Christ, who overcame death. Eve Tushnet
Contributing Editors Ellen Boegel
And despite the death and suffering that Patrick Gilger, S.J.
we have endured, let us stand together in Maryann Cusimano Love
William McCormick, S.J.
the sure and certain hope of better things Paul McNelis, S.J.
to come—the hope so well expressed by
Regional Correspondents Dean Dettloff (Toronto)
Anthony Egan, S.J. (Johannesburg)
Gerard Manley Hopkins, S.J.: “Let him Jan-Albert Hootsen (Mexico City)
easter in us, be a dayspring to the dimness
Jim McDermott, S.J. (Los Angeles)
Melissa Vida (Brussels)
of us.” Special Contributors Jake Martin, S.J., Sean Salai, S.J.
Editor, The Jesuit Post Brian Strassburger, S.J.
Moderator, Catholic Book Club Kevin Spinale, S.J.
O'Hare Fellows Molly Cahill
Erika Rasmussen
Kevin Christopher Robles
Executive V.P. and
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APRIL 2021 AMERICA |9
SHORT TAKE
The Equality Act could be devastating for pregnant women in the workplace
The Equality Act, a bill that would ban in support of the P.D.A.: “Many wom- mean that an institution or individ-
discrimination on the basis of sexual en...may be discouraged from carry- ual that provides health care but not
orientation and gender identity, passed ing their pregnancy to term. To put abortion would be discriminating on
the U.S. House of Representatives in it bluntly, they will be encouraged to the basis of sex. And because religious
February and is now before the Senate. choose abortion as a means of surviv- exemptions generally afforded by the
There has been much discussion of ing economically.” Religious Freedom Restoration Act are
its requirement that the word sex The P.D.A. was passed to protect expressly disallowed, Catholic doctors
be understood throughout the Civil pregnant women from this sad fate. and hospitals would have no recourse
Rights Act of 1964 to include “sexual The ill-named Equality Act that Pres- to federal conscience protections.
orientation and gender identity,” ident Biden now enthusiastically sup- Requiring abortion to be fund-
which would invite those born as ports would invite it. ed by states and covered by insurers
male but now identifying as women Let me explain. In the wake of Roe, as “health care” would only further
onto women’s sports teams and other pro-choice legal thinkers—sensitive incentivize employers to prefer abor-
female-only spaces. Perhaps less to the poor legal reasoning of the 1973 tion for their pregnant employees over
noticed, the Equality Act’s sponsors decision based on “privacy”—sought to more costly accommodations for par-
also seem to be trying to retool the recharacterize abortion as necessary enting. Again, correcting the unyield-
Pregnancy Discrimination Act, added for women’s equality and, thus, abor- ing logic of the market was the whole
to the Civil Rights Act in 1978, so that tion restrictions as akin to sex discrim- purpose of the original P.D.A.
it is construed to require health care ination. The Supreme Court decision Clearly, those with caregiving re-
providers to perform abortions and Planned Parenthood v. Casey got ad- sponsibilities are far more costly to
states to fund them. vocates a bit closer to this goal, as the their employers than the unencum-
The P.D.A. prohibits employment 1992 decision was grounded in “equal- bered, and big business is increasingly
discrimination on the basis of preg- ity” reasoning. But Casey is no equality transparent about its economic incen-
nancy, childbirth or “related medical right: It allows a great deal more state tives. As Doreen Denny of Concerned
conditions.” Since the 1980s, the final regulation of abortion than Roe did and Women for America noted last year, of
clause has been understood to include also permits states to prefer childbirth the 100-plus chief executive officers
abortion: An employee cannot be dis- to abortion, as long as the “ultimate de- who took out a full-page ad in The
missed for obtaining one. But the text cision” remains the woman’s. New York Times “stand[ing] up for
itself ensures that it not be interpreted Since the high court is unlikely to reproductive health care,” only two of
to require employers to fund abortions protect abortion rights via the equal them are included among the top com-
(nor to prohibit them from doing so). protection clause, amending federal panies offering paid maternity leave.
Such abortion neutrality held together sex discrimination law is the next best More than anti-discrimination
the P.D.A.’s diverse coalition of support- thing for pro-choice advocates. Thus, law is needed to support pregnant
ers, but protecting pregnant employees the drafters of the Equality Act have women and their families today. But
so they might carry their pregnancies written into the bill a new, free-stand- the Equality Act takes us in exactly the
to term provided the raison d'être for ing prohibition on pregnancy discrim- wrong direction. It may be good for
the law in the first place. ination (shorn of the neutral language businesses’ bottom line, but it would
The expansive new abortion right found in the original P.D.A.) that would be devastating for women and their
that Roe v. Wade had created in 1973, require abortion to be treated no differ- families.
coupled with a 1976 Supreme Court ently than other physical conditions.
decision that permitted employers to The section reads: “pregnancy,
exclude pregnancy from insurance childbirth, or a related medical con- Erika Bachiochi is a fellow at the Ethics
and Public Policy Center. Her new book,
coverage, had amounted, for some dition shall not receive less favorable The Rights of Women: Reclaiming a Lost
women, to economic coercion in favor treatment than other physical condi- Vision, is scheduled for publication in July.
of abortion. Then-Senator Joe Biden tions.” Interpreting “related medical
understood this, saying in testimony condition” to include abortion would
10 | AMERICAMAGAZINE.ORGADVERTISEMENT
APRIL 2021 AMERICA | 11DISPATCHES
Photos courtesy of St. Joseph's School
Catholic school in the Bible Belt nearly
doubles enrollment, bucking national trend By J.D. Long-García
St. Joseph, a small Catholic school in Anderson, S.C., nearly contributing factor.
doubled its enrollment in 2020, leaping to 97 students But at St. Joseph, Ms. Giuliani said, the pandemic became
from 56. an opportunity to reintroduce itself to its small community.
“A lot of people from the public schools came because The population in Anderson is less than 27,000 people.
we [opened in-person classes] back in August, and [public Nationally, Catholic preschool enrollment dropped by
schools] were not going to be back until later,” Haymée around 45,000, making up about 40 percent of the overall
Giuliani, the school’s principal, told America. “The par- decline in Catholic school enrollment. At St. Joseph’s, 10
ents were working, so they just came over. Some of them preschool students were accepted through the state’s First
thought it was just going to be for a few months, but they’re Steps program, which supports children’s learning through
staying the full year. And it was a good experience for them age 5. St. Joseph now has a waiting list for preschool.
to see the school.” Annie Smith, N.C.E.A.’s director of data analysis, said
St. Joseph’s success bucks a discouraging national a number of Catholic schools in the United States also had
trend. The National Catholic Education Association re- wait lists, but that was owing to social distancing standards
ported that U.S. Catholic school enrollment dropped by that required reduced class sizes. She conducted a study
111,000 students last year, a 6.4 percent downturn, the larg- with 1,400 families who joined Catholic schools for the first
est decrease in 50 years. More than 200 Catholic schools time. As at St. Joseph, many families said in-person learn-
closed last year, compared with about 100 the year before. ing was a factor in their decision. “Families who have trans-
According to the N.C.E.A., the Covid-19 pandemic was a ferred have loved their experience,” she added.
12 | AMERICAMAGAZINE.ORGJoseph is on science, technology, religion, engineering, art
and math (or STREAM). Gardening is another key part
of the curriculum, with students growing vegetables and
maintaining an herb garden.
“Where we are, we have a large Hispanic population.
St. Joseph is so much more diverse and has a smaller class
size,” said Ms. Torres-Green, who is Puerto Rican. “Even
my 5-year-old, you know, he was like, ‘A little boy came in,
he can’t speak English.’ And so he’s asking me, ‘How do I
say this in Spanish?’ Because he wants to be able to com-
municate with this new child that came into class, versus,
you know, he kind of gets drowned out in a large setting.”
Ms. Giuliani, who immigrated from Mexico, teaches
the Spanish class. And a number of staff members at the
school also speak Spanish. She became a principal, in part,
María Torres-Green’s two boys are now at St. Joseph. because she wanted to reach out to the Latino community.
Her family has been at the parish for a while, but before Some of the new students, Ms. Giuliani said, had dis-
that the kids were in public school. Ms. Torres-Green, who ciplinary issues in their previous school. But some of their
works as an advocate for victims of human trafficking, in- problems had to do with language and cultural differences,
vited Ms. Giuliani to give the opening prayer at a local Mar- she said. Now their Spanish-speaking parents have a direct
tin Luther King breakfast last year. relationship with the principal.
“I just fell in love with her and her spirit and her passion,” “They know better now because before, the kids would
Ms. Torres-Green said. “She invited me to see the school, and be the ones translating for the parents to tell them what
it brought back those memories of when I went to Catholic was going on,” she said.
school.” She thought, “Yeah, this is what school is.” The local Knights of Columbus council is affiliated
Her husband visited St. Joseph the next month and with the two Catholic parishes in Anderson—St. Joseph
also fell in love with it. Ms. Giuliani helped them find finan- and St. Mary of the Angels, which is also a small parish.
cial assistance—most students at the school get some kind The two communities have come together to support the
of tuition help—and the couple volunteer at the school. school, Ms. Giuliani said.
“Everything fell into place,” she said. “We thought [our Another ingredient in their success, according to Ms.
kids] were doing great in public school, but then we real- Giuliani, is prayer. “It might sound clichéd, but we had
ized they weren’t doing all these other things, like—this is prayers from the parish and many people. When we need-
going to sound silly—but science projects. We started no- ed something, we would pray for it,” she said. The students
ticing our oldest son was basically [ just] preparing for the pray together in English, Spanish and Latin every morning.
standardized test.” For Christmas, she wanted to give her teachers a bo-
Where their previous school focused on science, tech- nus, rewarding them for their hard work managing school
nology, engineering and math (or STEM), the focus at St. during the pandemic. That had often meant teaching two
APRIL 2021 AMERICA | 13classes at once—one for those there in-person and another Covid takes a toll on Catholic
for those online. Since she did not have the funds to offer a
bonus, she prayed about it.
school enrollment
“And someone just called us and told us she wanted to Nationally, Catholic school enrollment dropped 6.4 percent
donate money for the teachers,” Ms. Giuliani said. “It was in 2019-20—more than 111,000 students. The largest
over $11,000. It was somebody that used to be a Catholic single-year decline in almost 50 years, it was greater
than the drop during the clergy sex abuse crisis (2003,
teacher up North.”
2.7 percent), the late 2000s economic crisis (2008, 3.5
The school’s faith component was the motivating factor percent) and a 5.8 percent decline in 1971.
for Heather Slaughter, who sends three of her four children
to St. Joseph. She said her children lost the personal con- Catholic elementary school students declined by 8.1
percent, while Catholic secondary schools enrollment
nection of Christian schools when the family chose public
fell 2.5 percent. The elementary school drop could affect
school for financial reasons. secondary- school numbers within the next five to 10
“There was nothing to be involved in at the [public] years.
school,” she said. “Our kids slowly just stopped being inquis-
The sharpest enrollment decline was for prekindergarten
itive about God, and they stopped singing their cute little Bi- enrollment at Catholic schools, which was down almost
ble songs they used to learn in school.” 27 percent.
Her daughter was falling behind and not getting the
specialized attention in the public school’s larger classroom 0
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
setting, Ms. Slaughter said. She spoke with Ms. Giuliani, who -1.5% -1.4%
-2.0%
-2.5% -2.5%
told her they would do anything they could to have her kids -2
-2.1%
at the school, including offering financial assistance. Both -4
-2.7% -2.7%
-3.1%
Ms. Slaughter and her husband had been quite involved at -6
St. Joseph Church, including in its youth group, before they Secondary Students
Elementary Students
had kids. -8
-8.1%
The discipline and the education offered by St. Joseph -10
were compelling, but what really confirmed her decision
was a desire for her children “to know and love God,” Ms. Only 10 of the 174 dioceses with Catholic schools experienced
Slaughter said. an increase of 1 percent or more in student enrollment.
After the pandemic lockdown last spring, the school Two hundred and nine Catholic schools closed or
used the summer to reset, according to Ms. Slaughter. consolidated at the end of the 2019-20 school year, 186
School leaders figured out what St. Joseph needed to elementary and 25 secondary.
change to make classrooms safe, so parents felt comfortable 200
sending their kids. A new outdoor deck area was built for 186
gatherings, and benches were set up outside for music les-
Secondary Students
Elementary Students
sons. An outdoor prayer area was remodeled. Hand sanitiz- 150
ing stations were installed and a regular, thorough cleaning
process became part of the school’s routine.
“They added to the outside playground some swings 100 95
89
and those things. So I mean, my kids absolutely love it,” 88
79
she said. “Oh my goodness, I can’t even describe it. It just
feels so amazing that my kids are learning about a different 50
saint each week. They start the day with prayer; they learn 23
prayer throughout the day; they have religion class; they do 8
15 14
9
prayers before lunch; they do prayer before they leave the 0
school. Praying to God is very much being instilled in them 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
at school outside of our house, which is so invaluable.” Black families, urban communities and non-Catholics were
overrepresented in the demographic sample of closed
schools. These underserved groups were twice as likely to
J.D. Long-Garcia, senior editor. have lost their Catholic school.
Twitter: @JDLongGarcia.
Sources: National Catholic Educational Association.
14 | AMERICAMAGAZINE.ORGAPRIL 2021 AMERICA | 15
CNS photo/Philippe Vaillancourt, Presence
Can its new missionary status create a Sts. Paul and Peter Catholic
Catholic revival for the church in Quebec? Church in Baie-Saint-Paul,
near Quebec City.
Faced with declining resources and a diminishing cohort church’ that Francis so often speaks about.”
of weekly Mass attendees, Cardinal Gerald Lacroix of the While the missionary direction may be new, Mr. Barri-
Archdiocese of Quebec called on Catholics in the Canadian ault insists that the church has a long tradition of engaging
province to begin a dramatic transformation. “We must people in Quebec, especially through efforts in pursuit of
reorient our pastoral teams toward a more intensely social justice. Young people in Quebec, he said, born after
missionary activity, turned toward the people and groups the Second Vatican Council and the so-called Quiet Revo-
that we join too little,” the cardinal said in a pastoral lution, when civic institutions in the province experienced
message released in December. rapid secularization, have never known the ultramontane
“Cardinal Lacroix’s decision is fully in tune with what and Tridentine church of the past. They are “rediscovering
the Quebec bishops have called the missionary turnabout, the prophetic heritage of Catholic social activists involved
following Francis’s ‘Joy of the Gospel,’” said Frédéric Barri- in labor, feminist, ecological and decolonial struggles,” he
ault, a researcher at the Jesuit-run Center for Justice and said. “The church would be wise to tap into that vein, with
Faith in Montreal, in an email. “For years, there were too the hopes and dreams of Quebec’s youth.”
many churches and too few priests and faithful to tend Rev. Claude Lacaille worked as a missionary with the
them,” he said. “They needed to dispose of many of these Société des Missions-Étrangères in some of the most diffi-
aging and sometimes crumbling churches to kickstart the cult political contexts in Haiti, Ecuador and Chile. Though
real church, the one that is not made of concrete, brick and he had to navigate dictatorships and violence abroad, he
mortar, but of flesh, blood and faith.” says his return to Quebec in 1986, after the province had
In recent years, hundreds of churches in Quebec have secularized, “was my most difficult mission of all.”
been slated for demolition or conversion into mixed-use “We have to become a prophetic church, dedicated to
facilities—homes, theaters and more—reflecting the wan- making the world better,” Father Lacaille said. “This is what
ing presence of institutional Catholicism. The number of Jesus wants: to take care of the poor, but also to change so-
baptisms in the province has sharply declined, and the eco- ciety so that it will be according to the will of God. We don’t
nomic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have exacerbated have to take out a new rabbit from our hat. Joseph Cardijn,
the budget challenges of already struggling parishes. Still, Dorothy Day, these are prophets that we have known be-
64 percent of people in Quebec identify as Catholic, even if fore. We have to go on that path, I think.”
weekly Mass attendance is no longer the norm. Mr. Barriault agrees. “A prophetic church like [the one
Mr. Barriault suggests that out of such challenges may sought by Pope Francis], highlighting social justice and
emerge new expressions of authentic Catholicism. “It solidarity with the destitute and the persecuted, has the
means less parochial churches, priests and Sunday Mass- potential of closing the chasm between the church and the
es,” he said, “and more smaller meeting rooms where lay- modern, secular culture of Quebec.”
persons would animate the liturgy of the Word and be a
sign of God’s love for humanity by their personal and col-
lective [action] for the common good.” Dean Dettloff, Toronto correspondent.
It is an opportunity “to become the ‘field hospital Twitter: @DeanDettloff.
16 | AMERICAMAGAZINE.ORGA new project from the Institute for
Advanced Catholic Studies at USC
New and complicated issues—the environment, social media, privacy, religious freedom, gender,
racism, harassment, transparency, and others—suggest that Catholic social thought urgently
needs to reconsider what we mean by justice.
Following on the successes of the Institute’s True Wealth of Nations research publication series,
a diverse group of world-class scholars aims to develop a Catholic view of justice that is
faithful to the tradition, responsive to the best of contemporary insight,
capable of confronting the pressing injustices of our world,
coherent, comprehensive, and accessible to non-experts.
For more information, go to iacs.usc.edu.
Participants:
Stanislaus Alla SJ, Vidyajyoti College of Theology, New Delhi
Agnes Brazal, De La Salle University, Manila
Lisa Sowle Cahill, Boston College
Julie Clague, University of Glasgow
David Cloutier, Catholic University of America
Elmice Cuda, Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina
Daniel Finn, St. John’s University and the College of
St. Benedict (Project Leader)
Francis Schüssler Fiorenza, Harvard University
James L. Heft SM, Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at USC
Christine Firer Hinze, Fordham University
Alexandre Martins, Marquette University
Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator SJ, Jesuit Conference of
Africa and Madagascar
Stephen Pope, Boston College
Jean Porter, University of Notre Dame
Anathea Portier-Young, Duke Divinity School
Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at USC
3601 Watt Way, GFS 304, Los Angeles, CA 90089 | iacs.usc.edu
APRIL 2021 AMERICA | 17Nigeria’s priests endure wave
of kidnappings and attacks
The Rev. John Gbakaan was abducted on Jan. 15 near Tufa In September 2019, hundreds of priests from the dio-
village in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria. He had been cese of Enugu, a city in Nigeria’s southeast region, marched
traveling that evening with his brother to visit their mother in a protest against the abduction and killing of priests.
in Benue State in north-central Nigeria. A ransom was Their demonstration followed the killing of the Rev. Paul
demanded, but Father Gbakaan, the pastor of St. Anthony Offu, a priest of the diocese, who had been returning to his
Catholic Church, was found dead the next day with machete parish when he was ambushed by armed men suspected
cuts all over his body. No arrests have been made, and his to be cattle herders from the Fulani ethnic group. Some
brother’s fate is unknown. herdsmen seem to be working in collaboration with Isla-
The same day Father Gbakaan was found, the Rev. mist extremists associated with Boko Haram and the Is-
Michael Mbari, a parish priest in southern Nigeria, was re- lamic State in West Africa.
leased after he had been held hostage for six days. On Jan. 1, “The Nigerian state has become so weak that non-state
Auxiliary Bishop Moses Chikwe of Owerri, a city in south- militias have arisen,” said Father Bassey. “It leaves those of
east Nigeria, was released with his driver. They had been us from minority groups quite vulnerable because we can-
abducted a week earlier. At least 20 priests in Nigeria have not defend ourselves, and the government is either incapa-
been abducted over the past five years. ble or deliberately cannot defend us.”
“The attacks on priests by bandits or armed men...may The attacks on priests and their ministries has left
simply be a manifestation of growing criminality,” said the many living in fear. “You want to hurry to get back home,”
Rev. Evaristus Bassey, a parish priest in southern Nigeria said Father Bassey. “You don’t want to be in a lonely place;
and head of the Justice Development and Peace Commis- you can’t step out and take a stroll.”
sion in the Archdiocese of Calabar. “Priests are seen as part Many attacks are orchestrated by members of the Fulani
of the privileged group, and so the attacks may come as [an people, mostly Muslim pastoralists who have been in con-
expression of ] a form of anti-clericalism.” flict with Christian farming communities over land rights.
But, Father Bassey warns, the possibility that Islamic President Muhammadu Buhari, who is from the Fulani eth-
militant groups are behind some of the crimes cannot be nic group, has been accused of protecting his kinsmen.
ruled out. On Christmas Eve last year, Boko Haram insurgents
18 | AMERICAMAGAZINE.ORGCNS photo/courtesy Archdiocese of New Orleans
Kevin Bourgeois
with Archbishop
CNS photo/Afolabi Sotunde, Reuters
Gregory Aymond
GOODNEWS: New Orleans Archdiocese
revises response to abuse allegations
Ongoing discussions between Archbishop Gregory M.
Aymond, of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, and Kevin
Bourgeois, the leader of the New Orleans chapter of
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, have
led to a significant broadening and restructuring of the
archdiocese’s response to abuse survivors.
Prelates lead a march in Abuja, Archbishop Aymond announced on Feb. 11 that Joey
Nigeria, protesting insecurity and
violence against Christians in Pistorius, director of the archdiocesan Catholic Counsel-
March 2020. ing Service, will become the new victims assistance coor-
dinator in April. Mr. Bourgeois, who is a licensed clinical
social worker, will serve as a volunteer and will offer train-
stormed Pemi, a Christian town in the northeast, kill- ing to the counseling team when there are disclosures of
ing seven people and abducting a priest. In a scathing sexual abuse trauma.
homily on Christmas Day, the Most Rev. Matthew And the archbishop, on the recommendation of Mr.
Kukah of the Diocese of Sokoto deplored the “endless Bourgeois and other victim advocates, plans to appoint a
bloodletting, a collapsing economy, social anomie, do- sexual abuse survivor to the Independent Review Board,
mestic and community violence, kidnappings [and] a body primarily composed of lay professionals, which re-
armed robberies” afflicting Nigeria. views allegations of abuse to determine their credibility
“Ours has become a nation wrapped in desola- and makes recommendations to the archbishop.
tion,” he said. “There’s no need for us to be at odds,” Archbishop
The Muslim Solidarity Forum, a group of Islamic Aymond said of the relationship between the archdiocese
organizations, condemned Bishop Kukah for attrib- and SNAP. “We want the same thing, and reconciliation
uting terrorism and growing attacks by bandits and has happened,” he said. “We will work together. Inde-
herders to Islam and for what they understood to be pendently, the archdiocese can do many things well, and
the bishop’s call for a military coup over growing inse- independently, SNAP can do many things well. We can do
curity, maladministration and nepotism. more together.”
“I will not be surprised if more priests become The archbishop first met with Mr. Bourgeois on Dec.
targets of attacks,” said Father Bassey, suggesting that 15, initiating “some very open and frank discussions about
angry members of more militant Islamic groups could the strengths and weaknesses of what we’re doing.”
commit further violent attacks on Christians, “as a “It really opened up the question: Let’s start from
means of avenging their honor,” he said, “which they scratch. Let’s start from the very beginning and see what we
seem to think has been mocked.” can do, what we can do better,” Archbishop Aymond said.
The new victims assistance response team will work
Patrick Egwu contributes from South Africa. together to address the individual needs of each survivor.
Twitter: @PatrickEgwu.
Peter Finney Jr., Catholic News Service.
APRIL 2021 AMERICA | 19INSIDE AMERICA America Media is more than a media resource. We also
bring our community what they need now more than ever
via events and leading life-changing pilgrimages.
HIGHLIGHTING WHAT IS HAPPENING INSIDE AMERICA MEDIA. • THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
PILGRIMAGE
After the Holy Land trip in February 2020, we had to
suspend our travel program because of the Covid-19
pandemic. It was a huge disappointment because our
pilgrimages are deep experiences of faith, as we visit
places like the Holy Land, Lourdes, Rome and Ireland.
In an effort to evoke the many graces of our pilgrimag-
es, we invited past pilgrims to participate in a photo contest
by submitting a picture that best represents an America
Media pilgrimage.
With more than 40 photo submissions, it was a diffi-
cult task for our judges—Matt Malone, S.J., Jim Martin,
S.J., Susan Braddock, chair of the Board of Directors, and
Mary Rutherfurd, a board member and pilgrim liaison—to
choose the following three winning photos:
1. Mary Freeman: “Sunrise Over Mount of Beatitudes,
Holy Land 2019” 1.
2. Grace Gregory: “Galway Bay, Ireland 2019” Lourdes and Paris: Fall 2022
During America Media’s inaugural trip to Lourdes and Paris
3. Lisa and Jim Woodall: “Via Dolorosa, Holy Land 2019” we will walk with our Lady in Lourdes, where the Blessed
Mother appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous, and then
Special thanks to all pilgrims who submitted their photos! explore the Paris of St. Ignatius, with visits to Sainte-Chapelle
and Montmarte.
Looking Ahead: Restarting the Pilgrimage Program We know that travel in the post-Covid world is going to
All of us are looking forward to a brighter 2022 and to require greater flexibility in terms of airlines, hotels and daily
formally restarting our pilgrimage and travel program in itinerary. But America Media is committed to coordinating
the months to come. In consultation with Catholic Travel meaningful and spiritually fulfilling experiences.
Centre, we are planning the following pilgrimages:
To learn more about one or all of these pilgrimages,
Holy Land: February 24- March 6, 2022 please contact Michelle Smith, Advancement Associate,
We walk in the footsteps of Jesus and visit Bethlehem, at msmith@americamedia.org or at 212- 515-0153.
Nazareth, Cana, the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Bethany,
Jerusalem and many other sites.
Ignatian Spain: April 24-May 2, 2022 JOIN THE DIGITAL CONVERSATION
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20 | AMERICAMAGAZINE.ORGAMERICA PERSONALITY
Meet America’s smart, talented
and dedicated staff. Get to
know those who make all we do
for you possible every day.
Sebastian Gomes
Executive Editor Audio & Video
After completing a master’s degree in church history,
Sebastian seemed to be on the path to a career in
teaching. Instead, he found himself in Catholic media,
covering church events around the world and creating
documentary films. “It’s another form of teaching,”
he says. He joined America in 2019 as the executive
3.
editor for audio and video and believes creative,
human storytelling is essential to the church’s mission
today. That’s why he spearheaded America’s new
documentary: “A Day in the Life of a Lay Catholic
Woman Who Runs a Parish.”
America Media
'A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A LAY CATHOLIC
WOMAN WHO RUNS A PARISH'
Meet Elizabeth Simcoe, a lay
woman appointed by her bishop to
lead St. Vincent de Paul parish in Al-
bany, N.Y. With a growing shortage of priests, the diocese
had to consider alternative models of pastoral ministry.
“Strong leadership, administrative skills and being pas-
toral at heart are not exclusive to ordained priests,” says
Sebastian Gomes, who directed the film, “Elizabeth is a
powerful witness to what the Holy Spirit can do when
Catholics think outside-the-box.”
Watch the documentary at
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APRIL 2021 AMERICA | 21STUDENTS TOGETHER,
LEADERS TOGETHER
A new vision of pastoral leadership is slowly taking root in the U.S. church By Don Clemmer
Victoria Mastrangelo knew the priest who had started University of Dallas—where Holy Trinity Seminary edu-
coming to say Mass at the all-girls Catholic school in cates college seminarians from over a dozen U.S. dioceses—
Houston where she teaches theology. He was a friend of and her master’s degree in theological studies at the Uni-
her husband from their time at Holy Trinity Seminary at versity of St. Thomas in Houston, where her classes took
the University of Dallas. So one day during the 2018-19 place entirely at nearby St. Mary’s Seminary. (The program
school year, when Ms. Mastrangelo greeted the priest upon at St. Thomas is no longer offered jointly.)
his arrival before Mass, he had a request. After Mass, he “It’s good to have these relationships,” Ms. Mastran-
wanted her thoughts on his homily. gelo told America. The realization that she was studying
“He wasn’t sure how it was going to come off, and he alongside future members of the local presbyterate, she
admitted that he’d come up with the idea kind of late, so he said, only made her investment in friendship more inten-
was hoping to get some feedback on how it went,” Ms. Mas- tional.
trangelo recalled. “I know that it was a genuine ask and that “They need those friendships too,” she said. “Relation-
he was actually interested in my perspective. It was also ality is really huge, and I’ve just seen the fruits of it...how it
encouraging that we were able to have a quick but honest plays into their ministry.”
conversation about it and that he seemed to take my feed- Ms. Mastrangelo’s experience received a high-profile
back well.” endorsement last April, when Cardinal Marc Ouellet, pre-
This encounter was not a foreign one for Ms. Mastran- fect of the Vatican’s Congregation for Bishops, called for
gelo. The 32-year-old mother of three girls has numerous the involvement of more women in the process of priestly
friendships with priests that date from before the men’s formation. The cardinal called for “radical change” in how
ordinations. She pursued her undergraduate degree at the priests and seminarians interact with women.
22 | AMERICAMAGAZINE.ORGThe 2018 class of the master of divinity program at
Notre Dame's Moreau Seminary is pictured here. The
program, similar to ones found at Boston College
and the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara
University, forms priests and lay ministers alike
to be collaborators in their future ministries.
though the document has not yet been promulgated.)
Institutions that embrace integrated models of forma-
tion represent a major postconciliar development in the
wider church. The human formation provided in their pro-
grams, the leaders of these institutions assert, results not
only in healthier, more well-rounded priests but also helps
advance the vision of Vatican II. They also lead to great-
er empowerment of women and laypeople more generally
Photos provided to America
and can even help root out sicknesses in the culture of the
church that ultimately manifest themselves in abuse.
Healthy Development
Bishop W. Shawn McKnight of the Diocese of Jefferson City,
Mo., sees a “better benefit to having a more robust theological
education if you have everyone mixed.” The 52-year-old
“There is awkwardness because there is fear—more on bishop told America it is “so much” healthier to have men
the part of the man toward the woman than the woman to- studying around other people, men and women alike.
ward the man,” he said. He said the increased presence of Before being named a bishop in 2018, then-Father
women “would help a candidate interact with women in a McKnight served on the faculty and administration of the
natural way.” Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio (2003-
Integrated formation models—which most often take 8) and as executive director of the Secretariat for Clergy,
the form of men preparing for the priesthood sharing class- Consecrated Life and Vocations of the U.S. Conference of
rooms and even degree programs with men and women Catholic Bishops (2010-15), where he collaborated with
pursuing vocations in lay ministry—are one way to fos- church leaders from around the country on questions of
ter such encounters. Part of the larger trend of greater lay priestly formation.
involvement and leadership in the church following the Bishop McKnight notes a key distinction: Integrated
Second Vatican Council, such programming is not new in formation is much more common at the college seminary
the United States. In fact, a visitation of seminaries in the level than at the graduate level. According to Georgetown
United States conducted under Vatican supervision in the University’s Center for Applied Research in the Aposto-
early 2000s cited U.S. seminaries for too much commin- late, of the 452 U.S. seminarians enrolled in some kind of
gling, saying that problems arise “when the seminary aims pre-theology program in the 2018-19 academic year, 114
at offering a theological education to all—seminarians and were at either collaborative college seminaries or forma-
laity—for, unless proper safeguards are put in place, the tion houses on college campuses.
seminary can lose much of its finality, which is to offer a At 18 years of age, “you’re still trying to figure out life.
specifically priestly formation to men chosen by the Church You’re trying to figure out who God’s calling you to be,” said
to embark on the path to Holy Orders.” Brian Ching, C.S.C., the director of the Old College Under-
The guiding U.S. document, the “Program of Priest- graduate Seminary and rector of the Basilica of the Sacred
ly Formation, Fifth Edition,” promulgated in 2006, also Heart at the University of Notre Dame.
stresses the specific character and goal of forming priests, Father Ching notes that college is a normal time for
as opposed to lay ministers. But proponents of integrated young people to integrate healthy behaviors into all as-
formation programs see these models as in keeping with pects of life: sleep, diet, relationships and other life lessons.
the document’s call for priestly formation to prepare men He adds that the experience of an actual college campus
to serve a pastoral role in the wider church. (The U.S. bish- breaks the illusion of some kind of Catholic utopia. The
ops voted to approve a sixth edition of the program in 2019, goal, he notes, is not to inoculate men from the world, but
APRIL 2021 AMERICA | 23You can also read
