“And so, before I leave you, I wish to give one more look at Krakow, this Krakow in which every stone and every brick is dear to me,” the future saint said.
“And I look once more on my Poland.”
Once more at the Debniki apartment, where he first wrestled with the mystery of suffering after the death of his father. Once more at Jagiellonian University, the seedbed of his understanding of the relationship between faith and reason. Once more at St. Florian’s and St. Catherine’s parishes, where he gave the world a model of pastoral accompaniment through his “Srodowisko” community with some 200 young Catholics.
It’s no secret that St. John Paul II was indelibly marked by his Polish heritage. His life has made the country a place of pilgrimage. And next year’s World Youth Day in Krakow offers millions of Catholic youth the opportunity to walk the path of this beloved Polish Pope.
Papal biographer George Weigel hopes to add to that experience through his new biographical guidebook City of Saints: A Pilgrimage to John Paul II’s Krakow.
“The book is both a series of meditations on vocation and other basic themes of Christian discipleship, and a guidebook that introduces readers to the history and culture of Krakow,” Weigel told CNA in an email interview. “There's really nothing else quite like it, and I hope the combination of catechetics and guide helps WYD 2016 pilgrims have a richer, more deeply reflective and prayerful experience.”
Part biography, part guidebook, Weigel’s City of Saints effortlessly details through vivid color photographs and detailed descriptions the Polish churches, shrines and landmarks that shaped the pontificate of St. John Paul II, while simultaneously exploring the future saint’s growth as a philosopher, human rights advocate, and spiritual leader.
“We never get to universal truths and goods in the abstract; they always come to us through the particular,” Weigel told CNA in an email interview. “I don’t learn to love baseball in general; I learn to love a team, and through it I learn to love the game.”
“Similarly, Karol Wojtyla didn’t come to embrace Christian discipleship in general; he became a radically converted Christian disciple in a specific time and place – and then learned to see and love a broader landscape of discipleship through that experience.”
Fans of Weigel’s biographies of St. John Paul II can expect the same attention to detail in City of Saints. Weigel said his previous projects and frequent travels to Krakow inspired him to pen the new book.
He said he desired “to share with the world – and especially the pilgrims to World Youth Day 2016 – my affection for a great city and its unique place in the history of the modern world.”
For Weigel, next year’s World Youth Day will be a coming home of sorts.
“World Youth Day may have begun formally in the mid-1980’s, but it began as an idea – a new approach to youth ministry – in the late 1940s and early 1950s with Fr. Karol Wojtyla’s remarkable campus ministry in Krakow.”
Pope visits elderly prelate who
broke leg at Sunday's Mass
Vatican City, Oct 26, 2015 / 11:32 am (CNA/EWTN News) - Pope Francis Sunday evening paid a private visit to an elderly cardinal who is in hospital after having fallen and broken his leg in St. Peter's Basilica that morning.
Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, 93, lost his balance and fell while the Pope was greeting prelates following Mass for the closing of the Synod, according to an Oct. 25 statement by the Vatican Press office.
The Holy Father visited the French prelate at 7:30 p.m. for about a quarter of an hour at Rome's Gemelli hospital, and bestowed his blessing. The cardinal also wanted to thank Pope Francis for the Synod which officially concluded with Sunday's Mass.
The Vatican statement said the prelate fractured his left femur in the fall. It added that while he is in generally good condition, he will require surgery to repair the fracture.
This is not the first time Cardinal Etchegaray has been injured during a papal celebration in St. Peter's Basilica. In 2009, a mentally unstable woman jumped the barriers and attempted to tackle Pope Benedict during the procession for Christmas Eve Mass, knocking both the pontiff and the cardinal to the ground. Although the Pope was uninjured, the cardinal sustained a broken leg and hip in the incident.
Raised to the cardinalate in 1979, the retired Cardinal Etchegaray in the past has served as President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the Pontifical Council Cor Unum.
This year's Synod on the Family, which ran from Oct. 4-25, was the second and larger of two such gatherings to take place in the course of a year. Like its 2014 precursor, the focus of the 2015 Synod of Bishops was the family, this time with the theme: “The vocation and mission of the family in the Church and the modern world.”
As casino is constructed, funding for gambling
addiction counseling plummets
By David Myers
Southwest Kansas Register
When the new Dodge City casino opens its doors in December, it will do so with several hundred thousand dollars less provided for gambling addiction treatment than was suggested when the original gaming bill was passed.
On May 8, the Kansas State Legislature approved a 2010 budget that eliminated $800,000 reserved for state-wide gambling, drug and alcohol addiction counseling. The fund would have topped off an additional 2 percent for addiction treatment taken from the annual earnings of what were to be four new Kansas casinos.
Of the four planned Kansas casinos, only one has survived the economic downturn. The Dodge City casino is currently under construction.
A tour of Saint John Paul II's Poland
Washington D.C., Oct 28, 2015 / 06:08 pm (CNA/EWTN News) - St. John Paul II had just celebrated the closing Mass of his historic trip to his home country of Poland in 1979 when he turned to survey the crowd of more than a million Poles.
Johnson man thanked for six decades
of service to local church
Tony Riedel helped build St. Bernadette Church,
and didn't stop for 60 years
Click on the photo at left to see Tony's handiwork. Photos are by Kathleen Arnold. (Please note: The SKR is working to remove the black and white specks from the photos that appear during the upload process. They are not on the original photos.)
By David Myers
Southwest Kansas Register
If someone were to remove from St. Bernadette Church in Johnson all the items built or re-furbished by resident Tony Riedel over the last 60 years, you’d have a nearly empty church.
In fact, you may not have a church at all.
What the Holy See told the UN about outer space
Vatican City, Oct 20, 2015 / 03:43 pm (CNA/EWTN News) - When the United Nations met on Monday to discuss the peaceful uses of outer space, the Holy See chimed in by voicing its hopes for a more inclusive attitude in space exploration that would incorporate the good of all peoples, despite economic or social inequalities.
“It is…of utmost importance that the opening of outer space for scientific and peaceful research be for the benefit of us all,” stated Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations.
“The Earth, the common home of the whole human family, is entrusted to us to be, as the Bible says, 'cultivated' and made 'fruitful,' with the responsibility to take care of it,” Archbishop Auza continued, saying that “the harmony of celestial bodies and their relationship with the Earth condition the rhythm of our life and even our daily activities.”
Pointing to Pope Francis' latest encyclical Laudato Si, Archbishop Auza called the Earth “a gift for the enjoyment of the whole of humanity.” He said the celestial activities in the universe affect everyone's daily life, and should therefore be open to everyone's benefit.
Additionally, the archbishop called for an International Code of Conduct for Outer Space in order to help ensure fairness and safety in the use of outer space.
The Vatican’s presence at the U.N. is under the delegation of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations. This relationship allows the Holy See to comment and make statements at U.N. assemblies, although it may not vote.
On Oct.19, a U.N. General Assembly committee met to discuss “cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space,” where they deliberated over the various issues presented by space exploration and satellites.
“Satellites render useful services both in our daily activities and in the long-term protection and care of our planet,” stated Archbishop Auza, saying that they are also “fundamental to timely responses to humanitarian crises and effective disaster management.”
In addition to giving weather updates, satellites can also save lives by warning of impending storms, gather information to improve life on earth, and give indications of climatic changes. According to Archbishop Auza, the global usefulness of these technologies must be made accessible to all of humanity and not just the elite nations.
The archbishop pointed to various obstacles surrounding universal access to outer space resources, such as the increasing capital costs of space exploration and the use of property rights for major discoveries or inventions.
The Holy See also highlighted other concerns with outer space technology, saying that its benefits are in danger of exploitation, potentially causing chaos and disaster rather than working for the common good.
“My delegation is concerned that outer space technology, designed to improve our lives and care for the planet, could be manipulated or attacked to cause chaos or even catastrophic disasters,” Archbishop Auza noted.
“Any hostile action against satellite systems could severely affect emergency rescue services,” he continued.
The archbishop suggested that all outer space activity should be checked with a universal code of conduct, so that the good that comes from satellite navigation and intergalactic exploration is not tainted.
“States must work together to ensure that these benefits do not become yet another cause of increasing economic and social inequalities. They need to become a shared resource for the common good and contribute to sustainable development of the entire global community.”
“My delegation hopes that the development of an International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities will ensure a fairer and safer use of outer space,” said Archbishop Auza, voicing hope that future outer space exploration will share its riches with all of humanity.
Award winning author, musician to serve 
as Director of Hispanic Ministry
By David MyersSouthwest Kansas Register
Her resume reads like a novel -- nine pages detailing activities and accomplishments that are hard to believe could fit into a mere 35 years of service to the Church.
When the SKR brought up the intimidation factor of such a resume with its author, Sister Angela Erevia, MCDP, she let out a laugh and responded, “I’m just a simple cotton-picker from Texas.”
Sister Angela will soon serve the diocese as Director of Hispanic Ministry. Sister Angela belongs to the religious community, the Missionary Catechists of Divine Providence based in San Antonio, whose mission is to evangelize all peoples, especially the poor.
In wake of papal visit, pro-life opinion rises in United States
Bridgeport, Conn., Oct 20, 2015 / 10:19 pm (CNA/EWTN News) - Pope Francis’ visit to the United States has given a boost to Americans’ stated support for the pro-life cause, the results of a survey conducted this month suggest.
About 62 percent of Americans voiced support for life at every stage of its development, including the unborn, according to a Marist Poll conducted this month. The survey shows an increase of six percentage points since August.
Among practicing Catholics, about 81 percent agreed, an increase from 76 percent.
Americans’ support for religious freedom appeared to increase by seven percentage points to 85 percent, with practicing Catholics’ support increasing seven percentage points to 87 percent.
Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, said Pope Francis’ presentation of Catholic values “resonated in the minds and hearts of the American people.”
“His ability to generate so much consensus on such a diverse number of issues, some of which are seen as very complicated here, speaks to his ability to preach Gospel values convincingly, in our country and in our time,” Anderson said Oct. 19.
The Knights of Columbus sponsored the Marist Poll survey of 1,095 U.S. adult residents Oct. 1-9. It follows Pope Francis’ stops in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City during his Sept. 22-27 visit.
The results indicate Americans’ support for marriage as a union of one man and one woman increased four percentage points, to 55 percent. About 60 percent of practicing Catholics believe the Church's teaching about marriage, an increase of seven percentage points.
About 84 percent of respondents agreed with the need for more respect for the earth and the environment, with 81 percent of practicing Catholic respondents in agreement – an increase of ten percentage points since the papal visit.
The papal trip appears to have given Americans clarity about the Pope’s vision for the Church. In April, only 43 percent of Americans and 73 percent of practicing Catholics said they were clear about the Pope’s vision. After his trip, 55 percent of Americans and 88 percent of practicing Catholics said the same.
About 74 percent of respondents said they view the Pope favorably, an increase from 58 percent in August. About 90 percent of practicing Catholics view the Pope favorably, an increase of seven percentage points.
Fewer than 24 percent of Americans saw the papal visit as political. Most agreed that it was “mostly about values,” the Knights of Columbus said.
Most Americans said they followed media coverage of the papal visit in some way, as did 96 percent of practicing Catholics. Seventy percent of practicing Catholics said they followed the coverage “a great deal” or “a good amount.”
Over half of Americans feel better about their own faith because of the papal visit, as do 86 percent of Catholics. Poll respondents said they were more likely to engage in charitable activity as a result of the trip.
Americans do appear to diverge with Pope Francis on the death penalty. Only 41 percent of respondents opposed the death penalty, though opposition appeared to slightly increase after the papal visit.
The Marist Poll claims a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points for the sample of all U.S. respondents and a margin of error of plus or minus 7.7 percentage points for Catholic respondents.
The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic fraternal charitable organization with more than 1.9 million members worldwide.
Marriage doesn't take away your freedom
– quite the opposite, Pope says
Vatican City, Oct 21, 2015 / 08:34 am (CNA/EWTN News) - Pope Francis on Wednesday said that contrary to modern notions, fidelity in marriage does not rob us of personal freedom but instead is a fundamental attribute of all human relationships based on love.
“Freedom and fidelity are not opposed to each other,” the Pope said in his latest catechesis on the family, delivered during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square Oct 21.
The strength and beauty of love, including in the context of friendship, come from the fact that the persons involved are connected without loss of freedom, he said.
“Without freedom there is no friendship; without freedom, there is no love; without freedom, there is no marriage.”
Pope Francis observed that the sense of “honor” in being faithful appears to be undermined in modern times. He attributed this to the “misunderstood right to seek ones own satisfaction at all costs and in any relationship, which is exulted as a non-negotiable principle of freedom.”
Rather, he said, “Fidelity to promises is a true masterpiece of humanity! No loving relationship – no friendship, no form of love, no happiness in the common good – arrives at the height of our desire and hope” without “this miracle of the soul.”
The Pope also appealed for prayers for the bishops participating in the Synod on the Family, which is in its third and final week in the Vatican.
“May the Lord bless their work, conducted with faithful creativity,” with faith that the “Lord is faithful to his promises,” he said.
This year's Synod on the Family, which runs from Oct. 4-25, is the second and larger of two such gatherings to take place in the course of a year. Like its 2014 precursor, the focus of the 2015 Synod of Bishops will be the family, this time with the theme: “The vocation and mission of the family in the Church and the modern world.”
In his Oct. 21 address, Pope Francis recalled how last week's catechesis on the family centered on the importance of promises parents make to their children, whereas this week's reflection centers on man and woman's fidelity to each other.
The entire family is founded upon a promise, the Pope said. The fidelity between husband and wife brings with it the responsibility to love and educate children, to care for elderly parents, and to protect and care for the “weakest members of the family.”
“The marital promise broadens to share the joys and sufferings with all fathers, mothers, and children, with generous openness toward human coexistence and the common good.”
In contrast, the Pope said, “a family that is closed in on itself,” is a “contradiction” of that same promise.
Fidelity is a self-fulfilling promise, a faith which “wants to be truly shared, and a hope which wants to be nurtured together.”
Honor and fidelity “cannot be bought or sold,” he said.
“No other school can teach the school of love if the family cannot. No law can impose the beauty and heritage of this treasure of human dignity, if the personal connection between love and generation is not written on our flesh.”
Pope Francis appealed for fidelity in love to be seen as honorable in society once again.
“This principle of fidelity to the promise of love and generations is written in God's creation as a perennial blessing, which is entrusted to the world.”
The Pope reflected on the family in the context of Saint Paul's words on the union between Christ and his Church.
“Love for the human family, in good times and bad, is a point of honor for the Church!”
The art of inspiring others to serve
The two-year “Good Leaders, Good Shepherds” program continued May 19-21 when priests from the Diocese of Dodge City and the Diocese of Salina gathered together for the second series of workshops, or “module,” at the Heartland Center in Great Bend.
Vatican calls rumors over Pope Francis'
health false and irresponsible
Vatican City, Oct 21, 2015 / 05:27 am (CNA/EWTN News) - The director of the Holy See press office has denied reports in the Italian press that Pope Francis is suffering from a brain tumor, and denounced its dissemination as “gravely irresponsible.”
Wednesday's statement by Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., came in response to an Oct 21 report by Italian agency Quotidiano Nazionale alleging that the Pope had been diagnosed with a small but curable brain tumor.
“The dissemination of totally unfounded news regarding the Holy Father's health by an Italian press agency is gravely irresponsible and unworthy of attention,” reads the Oct. 21 statement.
Fr. Lombardi also pointed out that Pope Francis' busy schedule has continued without issue.
“Moreover, as everyone can see, the Pope is carrying out his very intense activity without interruption in a way that is absolutely normal.”
Pope Francis is taking part in the Synod on the Family currently underway in the Vatican. Over the course of his pontificate he has cancelled few meetings and visits, maintaining an intense schedule including pastoral visits, presiding over major Vatican events, and papal trips, the latest of which was to the United States and Cuba.
Fr. Lombardi reconfirmed the Italian news agency's article as false at a Vatican press briefing later the same day, saying the details of the report had been verified as having never taken place. He added that the publication of the report was unjustifiable.
The director of the Holy See press office also confirmed at Wednesday's briefing that "the Pope enjoys good health," as evidenced by his presence at the weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.
The Pope has some difficulties with his leg, but "his head, it seems to me, is absolutely perfect," he said.