Visiting the Imprisoned

In the Last Judgment story in Matthew 25, Jesus uses the analogy of a shepherd separating the sheep from the goats. The righteous sheep say, “Lord, when did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?” The king replies, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”

In this parable, Jesus gives a clear command to those who would be his followers: visit those in prison. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews admonishes us to “Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment.” (Hebrews 13:3)

How can we respond to Jesus’ call to visit those in prison?

Those who visit the imprisoned tend to be either family or friends, and chaplains. Most visitors need special permission, so one cannot simply get up in the morning and say: “Today I’m going to visit prisoners.” Consequently, prison visitation remains a fairly rare occurrence for most people.

While our legal system deals with the criminal aspect, the Church takes an active role in a more important element, that of conversion. Prison ministry can have profound effects in the lives of prisoners as well as others affected by crime. It is, first of all, an opportunity to help the prisoner understand his or her actions, since often there is denial of wrongdoing. Comprehensive prison ministry recognizes that families of prisoners as well as the victims and their families must be ministered to; their pain cannot be dismissed. But the main goal of ministry to the incarcerated is salvation. Prisoners can experience a deeper, more expansive freedom, even while incarcerated, if they welcome the gospel of Jesus Christ into their lives. Volunteers in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe provide religious education, caring visits, or pastoral counseling.

When it comes to the families of prisoners, the most affected population is the children. These families have special challenges and issues that can be addressed so both parents and children can continue their relationships.

While many of us are not called to prison ministry, we can support those who are. Our Love Your Neighbor drive for November is collecting new toys for the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center’s Annual Christmas Party for families. The celebration is organized for children whose parents are incarcerated at BCMC. Since the parents cannot leave to shop for their children, the toys and games we donate become the “store” for them. Just as buying and donating peanut butter is “feeding the hungry,” our donation of toys makes us part of “visiting the imprisoned.”

Mixing Religion and Politics

It’s the end of October, and you know what that means: late at night, comfortable at home, you may be startled by the doorbell. As you open your door, you will be confronted by a scary sight: no, not children trick-or-treating for candy, but politicians looking for your vote!

In any given campaign year, we are bombarded with commercials, billboards, radio announcements, internet pop-ups, and signs in our neighbors’ yards telling us to vote for this candidate or that. Even here at our parish, in spite of our pastor’s protests, pamphlets have been placed on cars in the parking lot every Sunday for weeks.

What’s the deal? Shouldn’t we be keeping religion and politics far, far apart? Isn’t there supposed to be a separation of church and state?

A misconception among many Christians is that we must keep our faith life apart from our secular life. In truth, participation in political life on the part of Catholics and all Christians is vital, necessary, and essential. This is the bishops’ message in the document Faithful Citizenship. We are all bound by our baptismal call to go out into the world, preaching Jesus’ message of salvation, love, and compassion.

For Catholics, keeping faith separate from other parts of our lives is impossible. Our faith is an integral part of who we are. We come to Mass every Sunday and are transformed by both the Word of God and the Body and Blood of Christ. That transformation is not something that can be turned off and on, depending on whether you are at church or in the voting booth.

So what is a Catholic voter to do?

As Catholics, we believe that a well-informed conscience is essential in any political decision. We have an obligation to carefully discern the decisions we make about the future of our country. We form our consciences as we listen to and live the Gospel. Each of us, as we grow older and wiser, has the opportunity to develop our own thoughts and opinions on the issues facing our country. We also have an obligation to educate ourselves about the candidates and the impact of proposed statutes. It’s very plain: neither political party represents the fullness of the Church’s teaching of the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death. If we simply vote based on party lines or by randomly choosing candidates, we are committing a disservice to our country, to ourselves, and, more importantly, to our faith.

Our vote in any election should be the result of our careful discernment of the issues and candidates. The Catholic Church does not tell you who to vote for, but the Church does offer opportunities in forming your conscience which will help you make good decisions in the voting booth.

World Youth Day

World Youth Day is a day to celebrate youth and young adults in all of their diversity and goodness, and to encourage these young people to lead the church both now and into the future. The bishops of the United States, wanting to place full attention on the youth of our nation, voted to move the celebration in the United States from Palm Sunday, when much of the world celebrates, to the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, this year celebrated on October 24th. During this weekend, parishes are invited to bless their young people, involve them in all aspects of the Mass, affirm their leadership, and invite them to use their gifts in service to the church and the world.

Each year, the pope prepares a message to the young people of the world. This year's theme is based on Mark 10:17, the story of Jesus' meeting with the inquisitive, rich young man. As Jesus was setting out on his journey, recounts the Gospel of St. Mark, "a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" After the man assures Jesus that he has observed all the commandments from his youth, “Jesus looked upon him,” Mark tells us, “and loved him.” He then tells the young man to go and sell his possessions and give everything to the poor. The young man goes away sad because, we are told, “he had many possessions.”

Because being Christian is about responding to the Word of God, Pope Benedict’s message to the young people of the world lists some of the challenges our young people must address now: the use of the resources of the earth and respect for the ecology; the just division of goods and the control of financial mechanisms; solidarity with poor countries; the struggle against hunger in the world; the promotion of the dignity of human labor; the building of peace between peoples; and the use of social communication, like email, texting, and Facebook, to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. The leader of our Church challenges our young people to be good stewards of their time, talents, and treasure, and to be counter-cultural when it comes to materialism. These are challenges to which all of us, but especially our young people, are called to respond to build a more just world.

As we celebrate World Youth Day, we pray for our young people. We recognize and affirm their gifts, and encourage their continued full and active participation in the life of our faith community.

Catholic Charities 100th Anniversary

On September 25, 1910, scores of people who served the poor across the country converged on the campus of Catholic University of America for the first official gathering of Catholic Charities organizations. The gathering served as a uniting force for people doing the Church’s work of charity in the United States. One of the results was the creation of Catholic Charities USA.

On September 25, 2010, Catholic Charities USA, now one of the largest associations of social service agencies in the country, celebrated its 100th anniversary. The Centennial provides an opportunity to highlight a history of providing help and creating hope for people on the margins. Catholic Charities has and will continue to advance a vision for our country in which individuals and communities have the chance to reach their full potential.

In 2008, Catholic Charities agencies provided help and created hope for 8.5 million people regardless of their religious, social, or economic backgrounds. Catholic Charities’ services strengthened families, built strong communities, responded to natural disasters, and provided food, shelter, and other basic needs.

Every Catholic can take pride in these accomplishments because Catholic Charities is a part of the Church, the body of Christ. Few partnerships have been as strong and fruitful as the one between Catholic Charities and parishes: parishes have been on the frontlines of compassion; Catholic Charities have reinforced their efforts through service and advocacy.

Recognizing the potential and responsibility of this Centennial anniversary, Catholic Charities USA is calling all parishes to continue to stand in solidarity with them in this moment of celebration and recommitment.

Back in September, for two weeks in a row, the readings from the prophet Amos and Saint Paul’s letter to Timothy reminded us that concern for the poor is at the heart of our Church teachings. In the Gospel story of Lazarus and the rich man, we learned that being a disciple of Jesus is not about random acts of kindness but about the ability to be in solidarity with those who are on the other side of “gate,” the poor. We are challenged to open our eyes to the inequities in society, and urged to love and care for those who cry out in need.

Catholic Charities carries out this love in an organized way. As we celebrate with Catholic Charities, we at Risen Savior commit to care for and stand with those on the margins, to serve those most in need, now and for the next 100 years.

End-of-Life Part III: Advanced Directives and Aggressive Treatment

This is the last in a series of 3-Minute Catecheses on end-of-life issues and how the Church expects us to respond when death is near.

The Church takes seriously her role in educating about the sanctity of life at all levels. The concern is that we seem to be becoming a society in which life is not respected and cherished. People are expendable if they make us angry or inconvenience us in some way. Just this last week, one of the young men working on our landscaping project was killed by drug dealers in a case of mistaken identity when he went to visit his family in Mexico. Life is often not treated as the precious gift that it is.

So what happens if you or a loved one become seriously ill? Can Catholics have Advanced Directives, including Do Not Resuscitate orders?

The Catholic Church does not prohibit Advanced Health Directives which lay out in written form what your wishes are in case you are unable to communicate. However, Advanced Directives can be morally problematic because they require a person to make blanket general statements about possible scenarios in the future.

That is why, from the Church’s point of view, it is far more preferable to have a health care proxy. A health care proxy is an actual person whom you have designated to stand in your place and make a health care decision on your behalf. Such a person is able to assess the totality of your circumstances in a way that is sensitive to the conditions of your situation.

While true compassion encourages every reasonable effort for the patient's recovery, at the same time, it helps draw the line when it is clear that no further treatment will serve this purpose. The decision to forego aggressive treatment is an expression of the respect that is due to the patient at every moment. From the patient's perspective, this is not "giving up" nor disregarding the obligation to care for oneself: rather, it is an acceptance of the human condition in the face of life-threatening illness. It is at this point that many patients and their families opt for hospice care, which often allows the patient to die, in peace, at home.

The Church understands that thoughts of death are accompanied by mixed feelings, conflicted between hope in immortality on the one hand and fear of the unknown on the other. This is why Anointing within the Last Rites, which is less for physical healing than for spiritual healing and strength, is so important. Through the sacraments, the Church strives to give each dying person loving care as they prepare to cross the threshold of time to enter eternity.

Barrett House and Brother Mathias

Our “Love Your Neighbor” opportunity for October is collecting gift cards from family-friendly restaurants and grocery stores for women and their children residing at Barrett House.

Founded by Brother Mathias Barrett in 1985, Barrett House is an emergency shelter for women and children. Brother Mathias was the legendary friend of the homeless: his life's work was providing shelter to homeless men and women throughout the United States.

Brother Mathias was born Maurice Patrick Barrett on March 15, 1900 in Waterford, Ireland. At the age of 16, he entered the St. John of God order and took the name Mathias. Brother Mathias became a leading force not only as the North American Provincial of his Order, but in building many institutions such as hospitals, soup kitchens, and rehabilitation centers.

After retiring from his order, Brother Mathias came out west, and at the urging of Archbishop Byrne, he came to Albuquerque to establish a new order of brothers and a house for men on the road. The Congregation of the Little Brothers of the Good Shepherd was founded in 1951.

The Good Shepherd Refuge opened its doors to the homeless and poverty stricken. Adhering to the motto "Charity Unlimited," the Brothers of the Good Shepherd soon expanded outside of the Albuquerque region. If this Order sounds familiar to you, it’s probably because of the Corned Beef dinner served annually in Brother Mathias’ honor and memory on St. Patrick’s Day.

In addition to helping women and children affected by domestic abuse, Barrett House has a group home for women over 35 who have psychiatric disabilities, providing a permanent housing option. There is also a transitional housing program offering single women with or without children the opportunity to gain the skills necessary to live independently. In 1999, Casa Verde was established to provide affordable, permanent housing for women living with chronic mental illness.

Barrett Foundation also provides training and support needed to plan and establish a more stable future for the women it serves and their children. Clients receive assistance and information regarding health care, childcare, employment, substance abuse treatment, and mental health care. Two meals are served each day in addition to a sack lunch, and the women are provided with toiletries and clothing. Barrett House has a family room, a library with computers, laundry facilities, and indoor and outdoor play areas for the children.

The Barrett Foundation is living out the gospel message of caring for the poor and vulnerable in our society.

End-of-Life Issues: Persistent Vegetative State

Our 3-Minute Catechesis continues to address end-of-life issues and what our Church teaches regarding the treatment of patients who are nearing the end of their earthly existence. Morally, can food or water be withheld from dying patients? What about “pulling the plug”? What about the expressed wishes of the patient?

Our Catholic Faith has long taught - and today insists - that each and every human being has inherent dignity. This includes the patient in the so-called "vegetative" state, who cannot visibly respond to us. Pope John Paul II, in a March 2004 address, said that a patient in a “persistent vegetative state” is no "vegetable" but a human person loved by God. The value of a person’s life should not be based on what other people judge to be his or her “quality of life.” That patient, and his or her family, deserves the love and support of the entire community so they will not face their burdens alone.

End-of-life issues can be complicated. In that same speech, the Holy Father also said that food and water should "in principle" be considered an "ordinary and proportionate" means for sustaining these patients' lives. Such feeding, even if it requires some medical assistance, is "morally obligatory" as long as it serves its proper goals – effectively providing nourishment and alleviating suffering. This was a recognition that food and water are basic necessities, without which all of us would die. They should be provided when they serve patients' basic needs, the first of which is sustaining life itself.

As a compassionate people, we should endeavor to make our loved ones understand that they are not a burden to us when they are ill or infirm. As a faith-filled people with a belief in eternal life, we should encourage our family members to express their expectations regarding the care they want at the end of life – and then honor their wishes.

The teaching of Pope John Paul II about sickness and death came not only from his speeches, addresses, and encyclicals. He instructed just with his own witness in the face of injury, suffering, hospitalization, illness and dying. He taught us that to understand death with dignity we must first accept the dignity of life.

We are called to be heralds of a "culture of life." Christ's mission was to every human person, and our Lord had a passionate concern for the sick, the suffering, and the dying. In our own time, Christ continues his mission, and his preference for the vulnerable, through his Church.