The Catholic Connection
January 2018

In This Issue
Archbishop's Tweets

Do you follow Archbishop Kurtz on twitter? Here is a sampling of his tweets this month:

January 6
@ArchbishopKurtz:
At historic St Joseph Basilica in Bardstown for 110th anniversary of K of C Council 1290! What a glorious history that continues!
pic.twitter

January 6
@ArchbishopKurtz:
retweeted @USCCBJFI:  
Amazing prayer service by @ArchbishopKurtz to kick off National Migration Week 2018 #NMW2018 @mrsserves @ArchLouKY #sharejourney
pic.twitter

January 5
@ArchbishopKurtz:
Confirming youth from St Agnes & Holy Family during Christmas Season at the Cathedral. "Witnessing & serving Christ through the Holy Spirit"
pic.twitter
  
December 25
@ArchbishopKurtz:
Midnight Mass at the Cathedral of the Assumption. O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
pic.twitter
 
December 24
@ArchbishopKurtz:
Christmas greetings as we celebrate Christmas Eve Mass at KSR (Kentucky State Reformatory) today. Blessings to Deacon Jim, Emily & Rosemary.
pic.twitter

December 21
@ArchbishopKurtz:
Uplifting gathering of Louisville seminarians, discerned & priest vocation initiators for Advent Evening Prayer & festive meal.

December 20
@ArchbishopKurtz:
Please listen to my story at the @courierjournal Holidaze Storytellers Project about how a 1953 Christmas gift taught me about life and love.


Archlou Happenings:

Be low is a list of upcoming
archdiocesan events: 

1/11/18 6:00 p.m.

 
(See link for cost/registration)

1/19/18 4:30 p.m.

1/21/18 3:00 p.m.
Pro-Life Mass

1/29/18 6:00 p.m.
Faith Development
(See link for cost/registration)
 



Embracing Community
May He Serve For Many Fruitful Years

A son of the Archdiocese of Louisville, Bishop-elect J. Mark Spalding, will be ordained and installed on February 2, 2018, as the 12th Bishop of Nashville, Tennessee. Archbishop Kurtz invited him for the guest segment of January's television show, Conversations with Archbishop Kurtz.




To view other segments from January's Conversations with Archbishop Kurtz , click here.
Catholic Schools: Join our Community   
 
This month begins the annual celebration of Catholic Schools Week on January 28, 2018.  As we celebrate our 49 Catholic elementary and secondary schools, please see this television spot produced last fall that celebrates the Catholic community that supports each student on his or her sacred journey of faith and learning.




Also during this month, parents may apply for tuition assistance for their children in grades K-12 in Catholic elementary and high schools. New this year, families must submit their application, 2016 Federal tax-return, 2016 W-2's, and other non-taxable documentation along with the $25 processing fee by February 28, 2018. This user-friendly change requiring only the 2016 tax information should allow families to get their application in early. Go to www.ceflou.org to apply today!

To learn more about Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Louisville and find a community for your child, click here.

Reflecting on the Visit of Cardinal Turkson
By Janice Mulligan

The liturgical season was Advent, and for Black Catholics this period of anticipation deepened as His Eminence, Peter Kodwo Appiah Cardinal Turkson entered the house of the Lord at the 4th Archdiocesan Black Catholic Congress (ABCC). The ABCC was an offshoot of the 12th National Black Catholic Congress (NBCC) held in July 2017, where Cardinal Turkson was also a presenter. For Black Catholics the joy at being in the presence of Cardinal Turkson, whose origins started in Ghana and whose journey has led him to Rome and work at the Vatican, was a memorable experience.

The ABCC started with honoring our Blessed Mother Mary as Our Lady of Kibeho, Mother of the Word. Hearing Mary honored in a Kinyarwanda song, the native language of Kibeho, Rwanda where she appeared, was thrilling. Mary's lifelong "yes" to God is a perfect example.  As Our Lady of Kibeho, her "yes" became visible to the world in a new way.  I plan to learn more about her message to Africans and the world.

Then more than 400 voices lifted in praise to start the liturgy with Cardinal Turkson as celebrant and Most Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D., Archbishop of Louisville, as concelebrant. The Spirit of the Lord descended on the Congress through the transformation of a gym into a colorful, vibrant, and culturally rich worship space; through the soul-stirring music; and through the presence of priests, deacons, religious, and laity from throughout the diocese and region.

Cardinal Turkson presented the keynote address based on the verses of Luke 4:18/Micah 6:8 - "The Spirit of the lord is upon me: Act justly, love goodness, and walk humbly with your God." He offered a simple yet profound description of what Micah's words mean. We act justly "when we respect the demands of the relationships in which we live." These relationships are with God, one another, and creation. We love goodness "when we love what God has created in goodness." We walk humbly "when we stand before God with heads bowed."

Cardinal Turkson mentioned "Black Lives Matter" in the context of these words, especially loving "what God has created in goodness." This mention affirmed the relevance of the "Black Lives Matter" movement. As I reflect on the misunderstandings connected to the message of "Black Lives Matter," I can't help but think of the "one body with many parts" description by Saint Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:12-22. Of course "All Lives Matter," and there are certainly things that we can do as a church and society that will benefit everyone - just as there are general things (eating more vegetables, exercising, etc) that improve our overall health. But when there is an issue with our vision, we don't go to the dentist or go to the closet to put on gloves to make our hands warmer or take a pill to lower our cholesterol. We go to an eye doctor, get a diagnosis, and take corrective measures - glasses, contacts, surgery, or eat more carrots. We address the specific issue at hand.

In summary, as a Church, we must be concerned with the parts of the body as well as the whole. Thus, "Black Lives Matter" addresses violence and discrimination, two issues that disproportionately affect Blacks.  I greatly appreciated how Cardinal Turkson said all of this simply as he reminded us to "...love what God has created in goodness."

Janice Mulligan is the Associate Director for African American Catholic Ministries for the Office of Multicultural Ministry.
 
Resources & Recommendations
 
This January, we're highlighting some helpful and timely resources for Catholics throughout the Archdiocese. We encourage you to check out the resources below and get involved!

  1. Support scholarship tax credits for families who would like to attend non-public schools. The Kentucky General Assembly is considering House Bill 134 and Senate Bill 36.  These bills create a Scholarship Tax Credit Program in Kentucky, which would increase tuition assistance for students who attend non-public elementary and high schools, including Catholic schools.  Please use the link found here to urge your state lawmakers to support Scholarship Tax Credits.  For more information about scholarship tax credit in general, see http://www.edchoiceky.com/.
     
  2. Archbishop presided and preached at a prayer service for National Migration Week 2018 at the Cathedral on Saturday, January 6. For more information on the Church's teaching and approach to migration issues, please see the January episode of Conversations with Archbishop Kurtz.
     
  3. The Archdiocese of Louisville's Office of Multicultural Ministry will hold its annual prayer service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, January 15, 1:30 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Assumption.  For more information about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy, please see https://www.nbccongress.org/.
     
  4. January also marks the observance of the anniversary of the Roe versus Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.  This will be observed in our Archdiocese with a trip to the March for Life in Washington, D.C., including 500 archdiocesan pilgrims, by the local Walk for Life sponsored by the Office of Youth and Young Adults, and by the annual Pro-Life Mass at Saint Martin of Tours Parish, Louisville at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 21. For information about all of the Days of Human Dignity efforts, see this story from The Record.
     
  5. Just got engaged?  Look for information about the preparation for marriage in the Archdiocese of Louisville by clicking here and about marriage in the Catholic Church in general at http://www.foryourmarriage.org/.

The Catholic Connection is provided by:

 

Join Our Mailing List