July/August - St. Augustine Catholic

catholic
St. Augustine
July/August 2008 • www.staugcatholic.org
Father Joe p.8
what’s so bad about
being gay?
Spiritual Fitness p. 14
how to pray like
a monk
Pope’s U.S. Journey p. 26
local Catholics share
experiences
From the Bishop
reflections on
Vatican II p. 6
Adult Faith Formation
Catholics embrace
lifelong learning p. 16
Notre Dame’s ACE Teachers
grads learn more
than academics p. 24
They Answered
God’s Call
Bishop Galeone Ordains Five to the Priesthood

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catholic
St. Augustine
contents
July/August 2008 Volume XVIII Issue 1
The St. Augustine Catholic is the official magazine of the Diocese of Saint Augustine,
which embraces 17 counties spanning northeast and north central Florida from the
Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. The diocese covers 11,032 square miles and
serves more than 164,500 registered Catholics.
features
18
Cover Story: They
Answered God’s Call
Bishop Galeone ordained five men
to the priesthood on May 10. Meet
the men who answered God’s call
and read how their faith journey
led them to ordained ministry.
–Kathleen Bagg-Morgan
26
Pope Benedict XVI’s Visit to
the United States In April, 45
local Catholics attended one of two papal
Masses that were celebrated as part of the
pope’s apostolic journey to the United States.
Read some of their reflections about the
historic trip.
16
Growing in Faith Three
parishes are seeing results
from seeds planted last year for a
new adult faith formation program.
Read how two parishes in the
diocese are successfully providing
a lifelong learning process for adult
Catholics. –Amelia Eudy
24
An Education in Faith The
University of Notre Dame’s
Alliance for Catholic Education program is
celebrating its 15th anniversary this year.
The diocese has successfully participated
in the program since the beginning – a
program that places Notre Dame grads in
Catholic schools as teachers. – Lilla Ross
On the Cover: Assisted by Deacons Paul Consbruck, left, and Maurice Culver, right,
Bishop Victor Galeone ordains Rev. Mr. Lam Ngoc Nguyen to the priesthood on May
10 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Jacksonville. Cover photo: Scott Smith
Scott smith
SPECIAL
what you’ll get
out of this issue
4 editor’s notes
The Diocese Has Reason to Rejoice!
– Kathleen Bagg-Morgan
5 saint of the month
Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha – Parable Magazine
6 bishop’s message
Good Pope John and Vatican II
– Bishop Victor Galeone
7 from the archives
Our Lady of La Leche Part II
– Michael Gannon, Ph.D.
8 in the know with Father Joe
What’s so bad about being gay?
– Father Joseph Krupp
9 catholic world news – Faith News Service
10 theology 101 Holy Orders: Part four
of a series on the sacraments – Rita Thiron
12 your marriage matters Negotiating
what to do with the big bonus
– Tom and Jo Ann Fogle
14 spiritual fitness Catholic Spirituality
Today – Father Bill Ashbaugh
22 parish profile St. John the Baptist,
Atlantic Beach – Shannon Scruby-Henderson
28 around the diocese
30 calendar of events
14
St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008

catholic
St. Augustine
The Magazine of the Diocese of Saint Augustine
editor’s notes
Most Rev. Victor Galeone
Publisher
Kathleen Bagg-Morgan
Editor
Susie Nguyen
Editorial Assistant/Subscriptions
The Diocese Has Reason to
by Kathleen Bagg-Morgan
Rejoice!
Patrick McKinney
Art Director/Graphic Designer
Father Bill Ashbaugh
Amelia Eudy
Tom and Jo Ann Fogle
Michael Gannon, Ph.D.
Shannon Scruby-Henderson
Father Joseph Krupp
Lilla Ross
Rita Thiron
Contributing Writers
Tom Gennara
Susie Nguyen
Phillip Shippert
Scott Smith
Contributing Photographers
Michael Curet
Advertising Sales Coordinator
InnerWorkings
Print Management
St. Augustine Catholic Website
www.staugcatholic.org
Diocese of Saint Augustine Website
www.dosafl.com
St. Augustine Catholic (USPS 024-733) is a membership publication
of the Diocese of Saint Augustine, 11625 Old St. Augustine Road,
Jacksonville, FL 32258-2060. Published nine times a year; monthly, except
combined in January and February, May and June, and July and August.
Periodicals postage paid at Jacksonville, FL and at additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to St. Augustine Catholic, c/o
Office of Communications, 11625 Old St. Augustine Road, Jacksonville, FL
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contact your parish.
©St. Augustine Catholic, Diocese of Saint Augustine. ©FAITH Publishing
Service. FAITH is a trademark of FAITH Publishing Service. No portion of
the St. Augustine Catholic may be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise
reproduced or distributed in whole or in part without prior written authority of
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St. Augustine Catholic editorial offices.
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The church in the Diocese of Saint
Augustine is alive and thriving!
In May, Bishop Victor
Galeone ordained five men to
the priesthood. In June he ordained eight
men to the permanent diaconate, and in a
closing ceremony at the Cathedral-Basilica
in St. Augustine on June 8, Bishop Galeone
formally recognized 15 lay men and women
for completing the Ministry Formation
Program – a three-year certification program
accredited by the United States Conference of
Catholic Bishops.
We are truly blessed that each of
them has answered a call from God
to serve his people. Our cover
story this month introduces the
newly ordained priests to our
readers. Some of you may already
know them from the pastoral
year they served in parishes
of the diocese. But
if you haven’t met
them, be sure to
turn to page 18. You
will discover their
journey to ordained
ministry is as varied as
their backgrounds and
experiences. But all of them
bring a great enthusiasm to
the mission of the church. And
on July 1 all five will report
for duty in their new parish
assignments.
Bishop Galeone, in his column on
page 6, revisits the intent of Vatican
II and shares with us his impression of
the man behind the council – Pope John
XXIII.
On page 16, we have prepared an
update on the Growing Faith Project
that was introduced in the diocese last
year. It has taken root in three of our
parishes. Coordinators of the project report
adults seem interested in the program that
encourages a lifelong process for learning
about their faith.
The University of Notre Dame’s Alliance
for Catholic Education (ACE) is celebrating
its 15th anniversary this year. The Diocese
of Saint Augustine has participated in the
program since its beginning and our Catholic
school students have reaped the benefits.
Turn to page 24 to read about the program
that places recent college graduates in
Catholic schools to teach while they complete
their master’s in education. The program has
been very successful and this year’s ACE
teachers talk about the spirituality they
have found by living in community.
And while it has been a couple of
months since Pope Benedict XVI
visited the United States, we have
pictures and reflections from
some local Catholics that were
fortunate enough to attend
one of two papal Masses that
occurred during his pastoral
visit in April.
Continue to pray for
vocations. Remember
it takes a community to
raise a priest; from families
who talk about vocations,
to parishioners who pray
for and champion religious
life, to priests themselves,
who through their lives of
compassion and sacrifice,
reveal Christ’s abundant love.
If you know someone
who would make a good
priest, tell him. Your
encouragement could
make all the difference.
Our diocese truly has reason
to rejoice!
St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008

Native American Convert
Birthplace: Auriesville, N.Y.
Feast Day: July 14
Kateri was born near the town of
Auriesville, N.Y., in the year 1656.
Her father was a Mohawk warrior
and her mother a Christian. When
she was four, smallpox attacked
her village, taking the lives of her
parents and baby brother, and leaving
Kateri an orphan. The disease also
attacked Kateri, leaving her with
scars and a disfigured face, as well
as impaired eyesight. At the age of
12, Kateri entered the Catholic faith.
She was baptized by Father Jacques
de Lamberville, a Jesuit missionary.
Kateri’s relatives abused her for her
new faith. She managed to escape,
traveling through 200 miles of
wilderness to the Christian Native
American village of Sault-Sainte-Marie.
There she took a vow of chastity.
Known for her deep spirituality and
austere lifestyle, Kateri lived a life
dedicated to prayer, penitential
saint
saint of the month
Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha
Lily of the Mohawks
Novena Prayer to Blessed Kateri
practices, and care for the sick and
aged. It is said that every morning, even
in the coldest days of winter, Kateri
stood before the chapel door until it
opened at 4 a.m., and remained there
until the end of the very last Mass. Such
dedication was due to her devotion to
the Eucharist and to Jesus crucified.
Kateri, also known as “Lily of the
Mohawks,” died on April 17, 1680,
in Caughnawaga, Canada. She was
declared venerable on Jan. 3, 1943,
and beatified by Pope John Paul II on
June 22, 1980. – Parable Magazine
Kateri, favored child and Lily of the Mohawks, I come to seek your
intercession in my present need:
(here mention your intention).
I admire the virtues which adorned your soul: love of God and neighbor,
humility, obedience, patience, purity and the spirit of sacrifice. Help me to imitate
your example in my state of life. Through the goodness and mercy of God, who
has blessed you with so many graces which led you to the true faith and to a
high degree of holiness, pray to God for me and help me.
Obtain for me a very fervent devotion to the Holy Eucharist so that I may love
Holy Mass as you did and receive Holy Communion as often as I can. Teach
me also to be devoted to my crucified Savior as you were, that I may cheerfully
bear my daily crosses for love of him who suffered so much for love of me.
Most of all I beg you to pray for me that I may avoid sin, lead a holy life and save
my soul. Amen.
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St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008

from the bishop
Good Pope John and Vatican II
by Bishop Victor Galeone
Since becoming bishop in 2001, I have often been asked to
introduce changes in our diocese to be more in keeping with
the “spirit” of Vatican II – just as Pope John XXIII had intended.
As we approach the 50th anniversary of Pope John’s election,
I would like to examine just what he intended by convoking the
council.
Let me preface my reflection with a few anecdotes from the
life of this humble pope:
• As a seminarian studying in Rome, I was in St. Peter’s Square
the night of October 28, 1958, when Angelo Roncalli gave
his first blessing as the newly elected pope. The media soon
speculated that at 77, he was elected to be a “caretaker”
pope. Besides – being of peasant stock, the third of 13
children from a family of sharecroppers – he lacked the
intellectual ability to accomplish anything of substance.
• We soon learned that while serving as papal delegate in
Istanbul during the Nazi regime, he had saved the lives of
thousands of Jews by issuing them “baptismal” certificates that
helped them escape to Switzerland.
• Just two months after his election, he captured the hearts
of the Italians by two visits that he made: the first was on
Christmas day to the little polio victims in Bambino Gesu
Hospital; and the second occurred the next day on his visit to
the inmates of Regina Coeli Prison. “You could not come to
me,” he explained, “so I came to you.”
• Less than three months into his pontificate, while visiting
the Basilica of St. Paul’s, Pope John surprised the world by
announcing the Second Vatican Council – which formally
began in October1962.
• Pope John visited the North American College on October
11, 1959 – the seminary where I spent six years – to
commemorate the first centenary of its founding. At 5:00 p.m.
he arrived in the college chapel for Solemn Benediction of
the Blessed Sacrament. As assistant master of ceremonies
for the occasion, I was kneeling by the side altar steps – the
ideal place to observe John XXIII who was kneeling on a
prie-dieu in the center. During the singing of the benediction
hymns, I found it difficult to concentrate on the words – so
mesmerizing was the look on the Holy Father’s face. His eyes
were transfixed on the consecrated host in the monstrance,
indicating that he was looking at Someone, and not something.
To this day, I can still recall that loving, captivating look.
Now then, what did Pope John intend by convoking the
Second Vatican Council? He himself gives the answer in the
sermon he preached at its opening session in October 1959.
He pointed out that the Council was to be “predominately
pastoral in character.” Its purpose was not to define any new
doctrines, but rather to challenge all Catholics to a “renewed…
adherence to all the teachings of the Church…as it still shines
forth in the acts of the Council of Trent and the First Vatican
Council…The substance of the ancient doctrine is one thing,
and the way in which it is presented is another.”
After reminding us “that the truth of the Lord will remain
forever,” he added that the opinions of men, often imbued with
errors, “vanish as quickly as they arise…The Church has always
opposed these errors. Frequently she has condemned them with
the greatest severity. Nowadays however, the Spouse of Christ
prefers to make use of the medicine of mercy rather than that of
severity.”
So what is one to make of the “spirit” of Vatican II, which
has given rise to so much confusion in the church? Is that what
John XXIII intended? I feel the answer to that question may be
found in an entry that he made in his diary while still in the minor
seminary. In his journal, he stated that his favorite passage of the
Imitation of Christ was chapter 23 from the third book, entitled,
“Four things that bring great peace:
1. Strive to do the will of others rather than your own.
2. Prefer to have less rather than more.
3. Seek the lowest place and to be beneath all others.
4. Desire that God’s will may always be carried out in your life.
Behold such a one reaches the fullness of rest and peace.”
To the objection that these are pietistic sentiments of an
immature seminarian, I would point out that on becoming bishop
in 1925, he chose as his episcopal motto, Obedientia et Pax
(“Obedience and Peace”) – a synthesis of that journal entry
– which became his guiding light.
In my opinion, the real fruit of Vatican II has yet to be realized.
The new Pentecost that we prayed for so ardently during the
years preceding the council, and the New Evangelization that
Pope John Paul II predicted for this century have yet to be seen.
They will indeed be realized when we Catholics, of whatever
theological persuasion, focus our eyes on the Lord Jesus, and
follow not some nebulous “spirit” of Vatican II, but what the
council documents actually contain.
St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008

archives
from the archives
Our Lady of La Leche – Part II
by Michael Gannon, Ph.D.
Splash into
Summer!
The new hermitage, or chapel, of Our
Lady of the Milk and of Happy Delivery,
was constructed of coquina stone and
lime mortar, with a shingle roof, and
completed by at least 1737, when
it appeared on the maps of Spanish
engineer Antonio de Arrendondo.
The chapel served as a parish church
for the surviving Christian Indians of
Pueblo Nombre de Dios.
That it was impressive in
appearance we learn from an
English visitor from Philadelphia,
John Bartram, a botanist to His
Brittanic Majesty, who observed in
1765: “Ye Indian or milk church half
a mile out of town is ye compleatest
piece of architecture about ye town
...above which is a prodigious sight [a
façade] of carved stone according to
their fancy. It is strange ye Spaniards
should bestow ten times more labour &
charge on this Indian church than any
of thair own in ye town.”
That a British botanist could move freely
about Florida is owed to the fact that from
1763 to 1784 Florida was governed by
Great Britain, to which the peninsula and
Gulf coastline as far as the Mississippi
River had been ceded by the treaty ending
the French and Indian War. When the
British flag went up, practically the entire
Spanish population of the province, not
trusting the British to permit their free
exercise of the Catholic faith, took ship to
Havana and other Caribbean ports. They
took with them the small statue of Our
Lady of La Leche.
When many of the floridanos, as the
Spanish refugees were called, returned
to St. Augustine after retrocession of
Florida to Spain in 1783-84, they did not
bring back with them the revered statue.
Its disposition has never been learned.
(Probably today it adorns a private
residence in Havana). The chapel in which
the statue had been enshrined had been
The façade of the Cathedral-
Basilica of St. Augustine represents
the design of, and contains the stones
of, an earlier church of La Leche.
turned into a hospital, accounting for
the name today of a nearby waterway,
Hospital Creek. Without the image of
the Nursing Mother and without any
Christian Indians to serve – they had
all gone to Havana with the Spaniards
– the ornate stone building was left
empty and unused in a weedy field.
Unused, that is, until 1795, when its
façade and walls were dismantled so
that the coquina stone could be used in
a new St. Augustine parish church (now
the Cathedral-Basilica) on the city plaza.
As early as the 1780s parish church
officials in the city had anticipated the
use of La Leche’s curved façade for the
Spanish-Moorish front of the new parish
structure. Wrote one: “The frontispiece
[will be] that of the Church of Our Lady
of La Leche which…it is proposed
to locate in the plaza…and in such a
manner much will be saved.”
The reader may wish today to stand
below the graceful façade of the cathedral
and look upward. You are seeing the ogee
curves of the old stone chapel of Our Lady
of La Leche.
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St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008

fr. joe
in the know with Fr. Joe
Dear Father Joe
What’s so bad about being gay?
Papa Bear tossed and turned,
but could not fall asleep. When his
restlessness woke Mama Bear, she cried in
exasperation: “How many times do I have
to tell you? No coffee after September.”
Q:
What’s so bad
about being gay?
What about gay
marriage? I know
some gay couples who are
more committed to healthy,
lifelong relationships than many
heterosexual couples. Isn’t there
some hypocrisy in the church on
this issue?
A:
This is a really sensitive
topic. As Catholics, we have a
stand on homosexuality that
many interpret badly, or even
use to justify hatred.
Before we get into the teaching itself, I think
it important to remind ourselves of something:
It’s possible to disagree with someone and
love them. I travel and lecture a bit and I am
discovering more and more that Americans are
becoming incapable of separating an opinion
or belief from their own selves. As Christians,
it is our duty to speak the truth in love, but
when the truth involves telling people we don’t
agree with their lifestyle or actions, we have
to demonstrate to them the premise, “I can
disagree with you and love you.”
With that as a background, let’s break it
down, shall we?
The church breaks its
teaching into three sections:
1. Homosexual activity is intrinsically
disordered.
2. Individuals with homosexual attractions are
called to celibacy.
3. Discrimination or hostility against
homosexual persons is a serious sin.
Let’s take these one step at a time.
No. 1 is covered in section 2357 of the
catechism. In it, the church teaches that
homosexual activity is contrary to the
natural law and that it closes off the sexual
act to the gift of life. The section ends with
this statement: “Under no circumstances
can [homosexual acts] be approved.” The
scriptural backings for this come from
Genesis 19:1-29, Romans 1:24-27,
I Corinthians 6:9-10 and I Timothy 1:10.
No. 2 is covered in sections 2358 and 2359
of our catechism. In these sections, the church
makes it clear that if a homosexual person
is Christian, they are to accept this suffering
in the same way that Jesus accepted his
sufferings; to “unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s
cross the difficulties they may encounter from
their condition.” Also, through sacramental
grace and prayer, homosexual persons are
called to approach “Christian perfection” in the
same way that all are called.
No. 3 is covered in section 2358. In it,
the church reminds us that all homosexual
persons are to be treated with respect,
compassion and sensitivity. Their human
dignity is the same as everyone else’s, and
“every sign of unjust discrimination in their
regard should be avoided.”
This is the core of the church’s teaching on
homosexuality.
Now, based on past experience of talking
about these ideas with my students, allow me
to clarify a few points:
First of all, we are not talking here about
“who goes to hell.” Please, purge your minds
and hearts of the need to figure out or speak
authoritatively on who is in hell; it’s usurping
God’s authority to pretend we can speak
definitively on these things. I’m learning that
high-schoolers in particular have trouble with
this. When we say, “That action is wrong,” they
tend to go home and say, “Our teacher said gay
people go to hell.” Parents, please explain this
to your children well.
Second, let’s make sure our theology is never
an excuse to hate people. The church can
and should lead the way in working with our
brothers and sisters in the gay community to
show the kind of love Jesus did.
As a society, we must learn the vast
difference between acceptance and tolerance.
In this case, we define acceptance as saying
that something is good/moral, whereas
tolerance is saying the person is sacred and
loved by God, but their behavior is something
we disagree with. John Paul II explained this
concept at length in his writings, calling us to
speak the truth in love and walk with people
in their hurt.
Let’s pray for the grace to be so loving and
kind in our actions that we actually win people
over to the message of Jesus.
Enjoy another day in God’s presence!
Send your questions to:
“In the Know with Father Joe”
c/o FAITH Magazine
300 W. Ottawa
Lansing, MI 48933
Or:
JoeInBlack@priest.com
St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008

CNS photo/Paul Haring
world news
Expressing sorrow for scandal
On April 16, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI
celebrated vespers with 350 U.S. bishops
at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the
Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.
It was the first day of his historic five-day trip
to the United States.
Pope Benedict XVI addresses U.S.
bishops at the Basilica of the National
Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in
Washington April 16.
He used the opportunity to address the
sex abuse scandal that rocked the Catholic
Church in this country. He also met with a
small group of people who were sexually
abused by members of the clergy.
Victims prayed with the Holy Father, who
afterward listened to their personal accounts
and offered each one words of hope and
encouragement. Pope Benedict XVI assured
victims of his prayers for their intentions, for
their families and for all victims of sexual abuse.
During his address to the U.S. bishops,
the Holy Father cited his predecessor Pope
John Paul II, saying, “‘The person principally
responsible in the diocese for the pastoral care
of the family is the bishop … he must devote
to it personal interest, care, time, personnel
and resources, but above all personal support
for the families and for all those who …assist
him in the pastoral care of the family.’
“Among the countersigns to the Gospel of
life found in America and elsewhere is one
that causes deep shame: the sexual abuse of
minors. Many of you have spoken to me of the
enormous pain that your communities have
suffered when clerics have betrayed their priestly
obligations and duties by such gravely immoral
behavior. As you strive to eliminate this evil
wherever it occurs, you may be assured of the
prayerful support of God’s people throughout
the world. Rightly, you attach priority to showing
compassion and care to the victims.”
He went on to say that it is their (the bishops)
“ … God-given responsibility as pastors to bind
up the wounds caused by every breach of trust,
to foster healing, to promote reconciliation
and reach out with loving concern to those so
seriously wronged.”
The pope said that since the “scale and gravity
of the problem is more clearly understood,”
bishops can “promote a safe environment that
gives greater protection to young people.”
The great majority of clergy and religious in
America do “outstanding work in bringing the
liberating message of the Gospel to the people
entrusted to their care,” the Holy Father said.
But he encouraged the bishops to do more.
He told them, “… the programs you have
adopted need to be placed in a wider context.
Children deserve to grow up with a healthy
understanding of sexuality and its proper
place in human relationships. They should be
spared the degrading manifestations and the
crude manipulation of sexuality so prevalent
today. They have a right to be educated in
authentic moral values rooted in the dignity
of the human person.”
The pope encouraged all Catholics to play a
role in the “centrality of the family and the need
to promote the Gospel of life.
“All have a part to play in this task – not
only parents, religious leaders, teachers and
catechists, but the media and entertainment
industries as well. Indeed, every member of
society can contribute to this moral renewal
and benefit from it.
“Truly caring about young people and the
future of our civilization means recognizing
our responsibility to promote and live by the
authentic moral values which alone enable the
human person to flourish.
“It falls to you, as pastors … to proclaim this
message loud and clear, and thus to address
the sin of abuse within the wider context of
sexual mores.
“If you yourselves live in a manner closely
configured to Christ, the Good Shepherd,
who laid down his life for his sheep, you will
inspire your brother priests to rededicate
themselves to the service of their flocks with
Christ-like generosity.”
—Faith News Service
St. John Vianney
College Seminary
r
Serving the Province
of Florida for 50 years.
2900 SW 87th Avenue
Miami, FL 33165
TEL: 305-223-4561 ext 110
www.sjvcs.edu
St. Joseph Carmelite Monastery
I-95 Exit 278 (Old Dixie Highway)
Grounds open to the public
Stations of the Cross and Rosary Garden
Mass Schedule
7:30 & 9:00 a.m.
Monday through Friday
9:00 a.m. Thursdays (Polish)
9:00 a.m. Saturdays (Latin)
5:00 p.m. Sundays
Confession before all Masses
141 Carmelite Drive
Bunnell, FL 32110
(386) 437-2910
www.carmelitefathers.org
St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008

theology 101
B
Part 4: Holy Orders
1 sacrament – 3 degrees
by Rita Thiron
y baptism, all the faithful are
called to share in the threefold
mission of Christ as priest,
prophet and servant of the
kingdom. But while we all have a
share in this mission, some are called
to the sacrament of holy orders. “This
sacrament configures the recipient to
Christ by a special grace of the Holy
Spirit, so that he may serve as Christ’s
instrument for his church” (CCC 1581). The
ministerial priesthood is at the service
of the common priesthood of believers
(CCC 1547). It is a means by which Christ
unceasingly builds up and leads his
church.
Old Testament
• Old covenant priests
had duties within the
community pertaining to
cult and culture. Of note
are Melchizedek, (“priest
of God most High”) King
of Salem, who brought out
bread and wine for Abram
(Genesis 14); the priesthood
of Aaron and the Levites
(Leviticus 8, 21); and the
institution of the 70 elders
(Numbers 11).
New Testament
• Jesus establishes the
church and remains its
great high priest (Letter to
Hebrews).
• He calls disciples to follow
him, including Peter,
the “rock,” on whom he
would build his church.
• Seven Hellenist leaders
were chosen by people
to do charitable work
(diakonia); apostles pray
and lay hands on them
(Acts 6).
• James and elders (presbyteroi)
preach in Jerusalem.
• Timothy and Titus
establish local leaders,
presbyters and overseers
(episkopoi).
• Major decisions are made
by a council under the
influence of the Holy
Spirit (Acts 15).
Early Church
96 St. Clement of Rome
writes of succession of
ministers from the apostles;
the orders of bishop, priest
and deacon.
100 St. Ignatius of
Antioch promotes a
threefold ministry of
overseer (bishop), presbyter
(priest) and deacon.
Bishop is chief teacher of
his church; baptism and
Eucharist are celebrated
with the bishop.
215 Apostolic Tradition
notes the role of the
community in calling forth
leaders and contains an
ordination rite, with the
laying on of hands and
prayers for the gifts of
the Spirit. Some of these
prayers are still used.
404 Pope Innocent I stated
priests and deacons are called
to be celibate.
3rd-7th centuries
• Increased importance of
presbyters – less advisory
to the bishop, priest as the
leader of the sacrifice of
the Mass and prayer and
10 St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008

What does ‘order’ mean?
In ancient Rome, the word “order” designated an established civil
or governing body. Ordinatio meant incorporation into an ordo. Today,
the word “ordination” is directed toward the sacramental act that
incorporates a man into holy orders.
In the person of Christ, the head of the church
A priest or bishop serves in persona Christi (in the person of Christ),
captis ecclesiae (the head of the church). The latter does not mean
that he is a mere delegate of the community. The prayer and
offering of the church are inseparable from the prayer and
offering of Christ – we offer our prayers “through him, with
him, in him.”
The rite of ordination
The rites vary slightly, but the essential “matter and form”
for each is the same – the laying on of hands and the prayer of
consecration. Like baptism and confirmation, the sacrament
of holy orders confers an indelible spiritual character – it
cannot be repeated nor be conferred temporarily.
Remembering that as the baptized we all share in the
priesthood of Christ, pray daily for our ordained ministers.
For through them and the sacraments they confer, God continues to
save his people, strengthening them with his grace and making
possible holiness of life.
SCOTT Smith
3 degrees of holy orders
1 Bishop In unbroken succession from the apostles, a
bishop exercises a ministry of preaching and teaching,
sanctifying, governing (CCC 1558). As Christ’s vicar, each
bishop has the pastoral care of a particular church entrusted
to him, but he also serves with all bishops in the Episcopal
College of which the pope is head. The “fullness of the
sacrament” of holy orders resides in the episcopacy.
2 Priest A minister of God’s word, a minister
of the sacraments and a pastoral guide of
the community. He exercises his role in
communion with the bishop and in union with
the presbyterate of the diocese.
3 Deacon is a minister of the Liturgy of the
Word and of charity (diakonia). He serves
with the bishop and priests. 2 types of
deacons: The transitional deacon serves
until he is ordained a priest. The permanent
deacon is a married or unmarried man who remains a
deacon. He may baptize, witness a marriage, preach and
assist at liturgies and preside at funerals.
representative of the bishop in
the local community.
• Role of deacons reduced.
Order seen as transition to
priesthood.
• Bishops become more
involved with administrative
and judicial responsibilities.
8th-15th centuries
• Emphasis on power of priest
to consecrate body and blood
of Christ and administer other
sacraments.
• Holy orders recognized as one
of seven sacraments.
• Seven orders develop: porter,
exorcist, lector, acolyte,
subdeacon, deacon, priest.
• Understanding of clerical
hierarchy (bishop, priest,
deacon) and the laity, which
reflects divinely ordered
structure of universe.
• Ordination rites more formally
developed with the Gregorian
Sacramentary.
• Some clergy held other jobs;
education of clergy improves.
• Lateran Council II (1139)
declares holy orders an
impediment to marriage.
16th-20th centuries
Council of Trent (1548-1563)
1 Defended the existence of
priesthood with the authority
to consecrate the body
and blood of Christ and to
absolve sins in the name of
Christ.
2 Confirmed holy orders as one
of the seven sacraments.
3 Reaffirmed the call to
celibacy.
4 Confined bishops to their
own territories.
5Mandated that priests be
educated in seminaries.
6 Defended hierarchical orders;
bishops are superior to
priests.
7Upheld the distinction
between ordained and other
baptized.
8 Gave directives on preaching
and pastoral care.
1947 Pius XII declares
“laying on of hands” to be a
constitutive element in the
rite of ordination.
Vatican II (1961-1965)
The Dogmatic Constitution
on the Church (1964), the
Decree on the Ministry and
Life of Priests (1965) and the
Decree on the Pastoral Office
of Bishops in the Church
(1965) relate ordained
ministry to Christ and to the
priesthood of all the faithful.
They define more clearly the
role of bishop, priest and
deacon.
1967 Sacram Diaconatus
Ordinem establishes canonical
norms for the permanent
diaconate.
1968 Revised rites of
ordination established.
The matter and form of the
sacrament of holy orders:
Matter: laying on of hands
Form: consecratory prayer
1972 Paul VI writes an
apostolic letter laying down
norms about deacons.
Allows lay people to
be readers and acolytes
– extraordinary ministers of
holy Communion at Mass.
1992 John Paul II, in an
apostolic letter, summarizes
the role of the priest: “From
the love of the Father, the
grace of Jesus Christ and the
Holy Spirit’s gift of unity, the
priest sacramentally enters
into communion with the
bishop and with other priests
in order to serve the people
of God who are the church
and to draw all mankind to
Christ.”
St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008 11

your marriage matters
im just got a big bonus and wants a new boat.
JLaura thinks they should save for retirement.
I just got a bonus –
let’s buy a boat!
Jim says: I just got a big bonus from work and I
want to buy the boat I’ve always dreamed of having.
It would be great – and Kim and I could take the
kids out every weekend in the summer for some family fun. I don’t
know why Kim isn’t as excited as I am.
is he kidding?
we can’t afford it
Laura says: I’m really proud of Jim for getting that
bonus, but the last thing we need is a boat. We have
no money in our retirement account, and this could
be a great start to a nest egg. We really can’t afford this kind of luxury.
We could almost label this scenario as a ‘clash of
the causes’! On the surface it appears one desires
recreation and the other desires security; both desire
the fulfillment of a dream.
Jim’s and Laura’s surface disconnection is not unusual and nor is their
lack of “joint” planning for what is important at this particular stage in
their marriage. In the early years of marriage, most couples who openly
respect each other share their dreams and expectations in sufficient
details so that this type of disconnect doesn’t happen. But sometimes
‘life just happens’; children arrive on the scene, work starts to take more
time away from sharing-time with our spouse and we tend to drift apart
by not sharing our dreams and desires. Then out of the blue, one of us
springs on the other a statement like Jim made: “I want to buy the boat
I’ve always dreamed of having.”
We rather doubt that the statement by itself is the issue, or his desire
to buy a boat – or her desire to start a nest egg. One of the issues here is
the timing! Not that there is a right time, but when couples start to drift
apart, real communication falters and then just about any statement
made by one spouse would most likely be on opposite ends of the
thought process and be a surprise to the other spouse. Most marriages
can handle bad news and survive; yet most marriages find it difficult to
handle surprises well – even good surprises like an unexpected bonus.
For Jim and Laura, we would recommend an exercise that tends to
work well in this type of situation. Jim and Laura should write down
the pros and cons associated with buying the boat, with starting a
retirement account, and with Jim receiving a bonus based on his work
skills and commitment to family and his job. They may even wish
to try and quantify their pros and cons with a dollar amount written
alongside the pros and cons as a way of assigning some value to each.
He said
She said
what do they do?
by Tom and Jo Anne Fogle
When finished, exchange the lists and
read them silently. After reading the lists,
ask for clarification and then begin
an open dialogue by telling each
other what the strengths and
weaknesses are with each pro
and con on the list. Go through
the complete list, starting at the
top (not by picking the one
pro/con that is most upsetting.)
In the dialogue, Jim and
Laura also should be asking
the question, what would God
like us to do with this extra
money? If Jesus were sitting here
at our kitchen table helping us
make this decision, what would
he recommend? Ultimately, Jim
and Laura may wish to discuss
a compromise; such as renting
a boat first to ensure boating is
something the entire family would
like to participate in, or discuss the
possibilities of using some of the
money to start a retirement account,
some of it going to charity and the
12 St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008

m o n e y t i p
The bill box
ignoring it won’t work
W
hether it’s in your
wallet, it’s nearly
always on your mind.
Money — and how to
manage it — is a topic many of us wrestle
with daily.The St. Augustine Catholic
magazine turned to Ted Zale, a veteran
financial adviser for Morgan Stanley
for some practical pocketbook advice.
Here’s a tip that can help you today:
The bill
box: You can’t
ignore it, though
some of Zale’s
clients admit
they’ve tried
that route. “I’ve
heard from
couples where
one spouse would just toss all the
bills in the bucket and the other one
wouldn’t look at them,” he said. “That
doesn’t work.” Get a cash management
system that works with your budget.
It’s not as complex as it sounds. Zale
suggests the time-honored envelope
approach. Label an envelope for
each category of monthly expenses
(“groceries,” “entertainment” and
so on) and fill it with the appropriate
amount of cash. As needs and wants
arise, dig into the envelope to cover the
cost. When the cash is gone, it’s gone.
No refills. This down-home approach is
a great way to curb impulse purchases
while still allowing couples flexibility to
have some fun, Zale said.
Celebrating 200 years of Catholic education
and 15 years of the University of Notre Dame’s
Alliance for Catholic Education
We offer a special word of gratitude for our incredible partner and friend
Mrs. Pat Tierney
for her 15 years of commitment and hard work
to the ACE teachers of Jacksonville
and the entire ACE community
http://ace.nd.edu
remainder going for purchasing a boat.
Granted, the boat may be smaller than Jim
initially desired, but Tom believes God would
be pleased and Laura would be a happier
wife, which would be most beneficial to the
relationship. Finally, Jo believes Jim should
think twice about his crazy idea, because a
boat is just a hole in the water that you throw
money into! By the way, did we mention that
Tom has a small boat for sale?
St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008 13

spiritual fitness
by Father Bill Ashbaugh
Upon arrival at the monastery, we entered into silence. No TV. No
phone. No radio. No Internet. Only the sound of nature, or the bell
calling us to prayer, or the voices of the monks singing and chanting
praise to God. Silence was the discipline that really stood out in great
contrast to our noisy world. The monks would speak and sing to God
in prayer but would only speak to one another when needed. “Be still
and know that I am God!” Such a discipline helped create and maintain
the condition for prayer. Another beautiful discipline characteristic of
Benedictine spirituality is their liturgical focus. They pray the psalms
throughout the day and night and celebrate the Eucharist each day.
Praying the 150 psalms in a structured way is called the Liturgy of the
How to Pray
Like a Monk
Catholic spirituality today
Iwas on my way with a friend to a retreat
in the hills of Kentucky. We were
going to the Abbey of Gethsemani
to spend a week of prayer with the
Trappist monks. They are a community
of men who consecrate their lives to God
through Christ by living a life of prayer
and work. They follow closely the Rule of
St Benedict that has guided monastic living
in the West for 1500 years. Their formal
title is the Order of Cistercians of the Strict
Observance. While that title might scare a
lot of people off, it apparently does not keep
retreatants away, because we were informed
that the retreat house was almost always full.
There is a hunger and thirst for Christ in all of
us, and our Lord moves us to seek his face.
Hours. At seven designated times during the day and night, the monks
gather to pray and to hear God’s word. They join with Christians all
over the world to praise, thank and petition God. The idea is that time
itself is sacred and a gift from God. What better use of time is there
than to spend it with God? St Paul urges us to pray always.
So, the monk’s life is dedicated to the Holy Spirit’s work
of sanctifying time through prayer. It was a powerful
experience to be able to join the monks in prayer. I had
a sense of being swept up with the angels in praise of
the living God.
All Catholic spiritualities draw us to the
Messianic banquet of Christ. At a banquet, it is
true we can pick and choose what we want to
feast on. That analogy does not always work
with regard to our faith. We do not pick
and choose parts of the Gospel or Catholic
teaching to live or believe in. When we follow
Jesus, we must pick up our cross, die to self
and sin, and follow him through
death to resurrection. We live out
our baptism in Christ. That is central
to all Catholic spiritualities. Without
the paschal mystery – the mystery of
Christ’s death and resurrection – there
is no Catholic spirituality.
Catholic spiritualities have Christ
as their center and are movements of
the Holy Spirit to further draw the soul
to complete union with God. Benedictine
spirituality is one of them, and has
blessed the church for nearly 1500
years, but there are many more.
14 St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008

Just in terms of religious orders – there are
hundreds of them!
In reflecting on the more familiar ones, we
have religious men and women who are drawn
by God to truth and so often minister in the
church as teachers. The Order of Preachers, or
Jesuits, or Benedictines would be an example.
There are those who are drawn to the poor by
love and charity and want to spread that love
through acts of service. The Missionaries of
Charity and Franciscans are great examples.
There are religious orders whose members are
drawn to lives of prayer and contemplation,
among them the Carmelites or Trappistines
(female branch of the Trappists), or Poor
Clares.
There are religious orders whose members
run hospitals, or who have ministries of
healing or evangelization. To list them with
some explanation would take many books!
The more one looks, the more one realizes
how large is this garden of God we call the
church in its expression of Christian life. How
truly beautiful it is. It is truly the mustard seed
that has grown into the largest of shrubs with
room on its branches for all.
This month, consider your own
spirituality and ask the Lord to help you
grow and expand your own horizons:
• Consider how the Lord is drawing
you to himself. In your life with
Jesus, what devotional practices have
you incorporated that help you draw
closer to him?
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A s e m i n a r y f o r t h o s e w i t h l i f e e x p e r i e n c e
Congratulates these alumni
on their ordination May 10, 2008
• Consider learning more about
religious orders. There are many
new religious orders forming all over
the world. Many orders have lay
members or lay associates who are
drawn to imitate the life and practice of
the order without taking formal vows.
• Read a spiritual book on the life
of a saint or holy person and
think about his or her spirituality.
How could you better imitate his or her
example? (One possible suggestion
would be Thomas Merton’s book,
Seven Storey Mountain, which is an
autobiography of Merton’s conversion
and path to monastic life.
Andrzej
Blaszkowski
Dennis A.
Nelson
Lam Ngoc
Nguyen
C. Dennis
O’Shaughnessy
• Go on a retreat. Enter into the quiet!
Let God speak to your heart. Do
whatever he tells you.
Sacred Heart School of Theology • Hales Corners, Wisconsin
St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008 15

In 2007, the seeds were planted
in a number of parishes in the
Diocese of Saint Augustine that
have enabled adult Catholics to
embrace their faith and foster
a journey of lifelong learning.
Cultivating this growth is the
Growing Faith Project that
was introduced last May by its
author, Bill Huebsch of Harcourt
Religion Publishers.
“Our Catholic faith is rooted
in the deepest desires of the
human heart – to know God and
be with God, to know each other
and be with each other,” says
Huebsch. The Growing Faith
Project is an adult education
program based entirely on the
Catechism of the Catholic Church.
A number of parishes in the
diocese have introduced the
program to adult parishioners,
including Epiphany in Lake City,
San Juan del Rio in Jacksonville and St.
Luke in Middleburg.
Father Michael Pendergraft, pastor
of Epiphany, says he was looking for
“something that provided ongoing
formation.”
“I like that (The Growing Faith Project)
is based on the Catechism,” says Father
Mike. He adds, “The program is well
designed and organized and doesn’t require
a lot of facilitator training.”
The Growing Faith Project caters to
all communities within a parish from
youth ministry to parents with children
in catechesis to older adults. According to
its literature, The Growing Faith Project
provides a systematic and comprehensive
presentation of the Catholic faith. Whether
used in groups or privately, it presents
the beauty and deep meaning of our faith
in a language that is common and with
illustrations that touch the heart.
Father Mike says he likes that the
process recommends working primarily
in small groups with the opportunity for
the groups to gather as a large group at
the church every two or three months to
discuss topics jointly.
By Amelia Eudy
16 St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008

Erin McGeever, director of Christian
Formation, says she has been surveying
parishes about their adult faith formation
programs and has been “pleasantly
surprised” to find that many parishes are
running some kind of program.
“Pastors have seen the importance
in developing this area more fully,” she
observes. “The church has traditionally
educated its members from the bottom up
– first children and then adults.” The U.S.
bishops in their pastoral plan, Our Hearts
Were Burning Within Us, recommends
educating adults first so they can advance
their role as disciples and also be better
prepared to take on the role as the primary
educators of their children.
Jerry Turkowski, director of adult faith
formation at San Juan del Rio Parish, says
their parish is doing just that. They have
four Growing Faith groups. One group
of young mothers gathers on Thursday
mornings to study their faith. The group
provides childcare.
“Some people may think they know
their faith, but they may not,” explains
Jerry, who is one of three Growing Faith
facilitators. “The Growing Faith Project is a
gentle step for adults to learn more about
the Catechism,” Jerry says.
The parish will also start three Bible
study classes in the fall that he hopes will
be a quality addition to the Growing Faith
program. While both programs are very
different, their goal is the same - to deepen
adult faith.
“We should appreciate that our faith
is more than just the Bible. Our faith
traditions are also important,” says Jerry.
“Although we have started many fires on
different fronts, we now need to let the
Spirit do its work.”
Father Mike from Epiphany says at
various parishes he’s been at they have
tried for years to interest parents who
were dropping off their kids for Sunday
school to stay and participate in ongoing
formation. “But there wasn’t much interest
or enthusiasm on behalf of the parents,”
he adds.
The Growing Faith Project is in its
infancy stages at Epiphany. Parents in
their 30s and 40s are currently working
out days and times to meet, and he has
mentioned the new program to a former
RENEW group that meets socially. In
addition, the parish has a weekly Bible
study and prayer groups but they have
had “nothing ongoing as I hope this will
be,” Father Mike explains.
Erin McGeever is hopeful that the
Growing Faith Project will catch on in
other parishes but admits that no one
program matches all needs. “Parish leaders
need to decide the needs of the parish,”
she says. She wants to make sure all the
leaders have the appropriate training
to facilitate the groups and eventually
hopes to make available more high-level
educational programs.
“A lot of times many people finish their
formal religious education in the eighth or
12th grades so they are walking around the
rest of their lives with an eighth grade or
12th grade image of God. Faith formation is
a lifelong endeavor,” Erin explains.
Simply reading and learning theology
is not the end, she says. “Just sitting and
learning our faith is not enough. We have to
carry it out into the world – and share it.”
Faith Formation Resources
The Paulist National Catholic
Evangelization Association
www.pncea.org
For Daily Prayer Online
www.sacredspace.ie
For Social Justice
www.educationforjustice.org or
www.justfaith.org
Liturgical – www.liturgy.slu.edu
For Saints and Readings
www.americancatholic.org
For Young Adults
www.bustedhalo.com
For Returning Catholics
www.oncecatholic.org
Online Courses
Notre Dame
www.step.nd.edu
University of Dayton
www.udayton.edu
Felician College
www.felician.edu
St. Leo University
www.saintleo-info.net
THE Final
EXPRESSION
The final expression of our faith
as Catholics is to have a sacred
burial. It is the right and privilege
of every Catholic to choose that
burial in a Catholic cemetery and
continue our tradition of faith.
For pre-planning information,
please contact the St. Augustine
Diocesan Cemeteries office at
(904) 824-6680
San Lorenzo Cemetery, St. Augustine
St. Mary Cemetery, Korona
Diocese of St. Augustine
St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008 17

They Answered
God’s
Call
By Kathleen Bagg-Morgan I Photography by Scott Smith
The priests of the Diocese of Saint Augustine join the newly ordained, May 10,
as they concelebrate the Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Jacksonville.
18 St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008

c o v e r s t o r y
The journey to priesthood for five men ordained
for the Diocese of Saint Augustine by Bishop Victor
Galeone on May 10 is as varied as the priests
themselves. Their backgrounds reflect the diverse
and broad experience involved in discerning a call
to the priesthood – and for three of them their
search began in a foreign country. What follows is
a brief look at the ordination class of 2008.
Slawomir “Slawek” Bielasiewicz, 35, completed five
of his six years of seminary training in Poland when he moved to the
United States to further his formation at Saints Cyril and Methodius
Seminary in Orchard Lake, Mich. – a seminary that regularly recruits
seminarians from Poland.
Slawek is from Gdansk, a city in Northern Poland on the Baltic Sea
– about 40 miles from Malbork, the hometown of Father Remigiusz
Blaszkowski assigned at Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish in Ponte
Vedra Beach, and his brother, Father Andy, who was ordained with
Slawek in May.
Father Slawek’s family, which includes his mother, Maria, father,
Janucz, younger sister, Angelica and her two daughters, now live in
Frankfurt, Germany.
Before entering the seminary, Father Slawek attended the University
of Warsaw, the Catholic Academy of Theology and another school in
Gdansk where he obtained a degree in therapy – specializing in mental
illness. He was working as a therapist in a mental hospital when he
decided to follow his childhood dream of becoming a priest.
So why move to the United States? Father Slawek says he originally
wanted to serve in Germany or Austria – but his bishop wanted him to
consider serving in the United States.
“I didn’t want to go to the United States at first because it was so far
away from my home and I didn’t speak English – so I wasn’t really sure.
But after a couple of meetings with my bishop I decided to take a risk
and I found myself with a one-way ticket to Detroit!” That was in 2005.
As it turns out, Slawek’s bishop is friends with Bishop Thomas
Wenski of Orlando and he knew of the need for vocations in the
United States.
Once arriving to the seminary, Father Slawek says it was a smooth
transition. He began studying English right away.
“Grammar is easy in English but the pronunciation is crazy –
especially when I came for the first time to Florida. I didn’t understand
the people.”
He spent his pastoral year at St. Catherine Parish, Orange Park,
and last summer he served at Epiphany Parish in Lake City. His first
assignment begins July 1 at Sacred Heart Parish in Jacksonville.
Andrzej “Andy” Blaszkowski, 38, was born in Sztum,
Northern Poland. He has three brothers and a sister including younger
brother, Father Remek, 31, ordained for the diocese in 2005. His father,
Waclaw, died in 2004 and his mother, Stefania, lives with his sister,
Katarzyna, in Malbork.
Father Andy recalls being very active in his parish as a young boy
participating in youth retreats while on break from school.
He said he was 15 when he began thinking about the priesthood.
The Sons of the Divine Providence – the priests of his parish – had a
profound impact on his vocation.
“I really wanted to enter the seminary. I was doing things in the
parish which would help me to sustain and enter a vocation,” explains
Father Andy. But out of the blue, he says he decided to attend law
school at the University of Gdansk.
After two years of law school, Father Andy decided to take a break
and he came to the United States on a student visa. He got a job at
Hotel Du Pont, in Wilmington, Del. and he also worked in a car
business managing the finance and sales departments. His plan was to
learn English and return to Poland to complete his law degree.
He remembers the day his younger brother Remek called to say he
was entering the seminary in Poland. It was then Father Andy says his
feelings about becoming a priest began to stir in him again. He found
himself spending more time in prayer through adoration and it wasn’t
long before he knew God was calling him to ordained ministry.
In 1998, Remek came to the United States and began further studies
at Saints Cyril and Methodius Seminary. While there Remek met Father
John Tetlow, who served as diocesan vocations director from 1993-
2004. Father Remek introduced Father Tetlow to his brother and in
November 2001 Father Andy became a seminarian for the diocese. He
attended Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wis. – a
seminary that specializes in second-career vocations.
Father Andy was assigned to Holy Family Parish in Williston the
summer of 2003, Resurrection Parish in 2004 and Christ the King
Parish where he remained for his pastoral year in 2005. He has been
assigned to the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Augustine where he reports
for duty on July 1.
Dennis “Dan” Nelson, 75, was born and reared in Peoria, Ill.
The youngest of six children, Father Dan is a cradle Catholic attending
Catholic grammar and high schools.
St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008 19

The Ordination Class of 2008, from left, Fathers
Lam Ngoc Nguyen, Slawomir Bielasiewicz,
Andrzej Blaszkowski, Bishop Victor Galeone,
Denis O’Shaughnessy and Dennis Nelson.
Fresh out of high school he worked for
the Caterpillar Tractor Company, the P&PU
Railroad and the Navy Department in
Washington, D.C. as a civilian. He enlisted
in the Marine Corps and served 14 months
in Korea. After the war he attended Bradley
University in Peoria where he obtained a
bachelor’s degree.
In 1957, the summer following his
graduation, he went to the Alaska territory
and found a job teaching school in a oneroom
school house in South Naknek. At the
end of the school year he traveled to Europe.
When he returned to the states he got married
and enrolled at the University of Illinois where
he obtained his master’s degree.
Father Dan moved back to Alaska to teach
in a Jesuit mission in Dillingham, a promise
he had made to a Jesuit priest the first time he
was there. He stayed for two years and he and
his wife had two children. The family moved
to California where Father Dan pursued his
doctorate in school administration at Stanford
University. He and his wife had two more
children. He decided to put his doctorate
program on hold and the family moved back
to Illinois where he continued working in
education.
It was while he was on a Charismatic
Renewal retreat that he heard for the first time
God calling him to the priesthood. He said it
was a powerful experience that stuck with him.
In 2004 he visited his pastor and told
him he wanted to pursue the priesthood. By
this time Father Dan had been divorced for
20 years and his children were grown. He
approached Sacred Heart School of Theology.
They told him if he found a sponsoring bishop
he could enter the seminary. That’s when he
met Father Alan Bower, vocations director
for the diocese at the time. He affiliated with
the diocese in March 2005 and completed
his seminary training in 2007. He spent the
summer of 2005 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Parish, Palm Coast and last summer he served
at Blessed Trinity Parish, Jacksonville. Father
Dan has been assigned to Epiphany Parish in
Lake City, effective July 1.
Father Lam Ngoc Nguyen,
born in 1952, has five brothers and three
sisters. His family, who were Catholic in
an overwhelmingly Buddhist country,
fled to Saigon in South Vietnam to
escape persecution from Ho Chi Minh’s
Communist regime.
When he was eight-years-old, Father Lam
remembers pretending to be a priest and
saying Mass for his siblings. After completing
elementary school at age 11, his parents sent
him to study at a high school seminary. At 16,
he left the seminary because he had fallen in
love with his childhood sweetheart who he
had visited during the holidays.
After high school, Father Lam trained to
become a post master and was nearly certified
before he joined the South Vietnamese Army
where he was assigned to a medical unit. On
April 29, 1975 – one day before the country
fell, the Nguyen family joined thousands of
other refugees as they were airlifted out on a
C-130 military plane. Father Lam’s brother, a
priest for the Diocese of Huyen Si remained in
South Vietnam.
Their first stop was Fort Chaffee, Ark.,
then Appaloosa, La., before settling in
Houston where his family established the
first Vietnamese shopping plaza. After 25
successful years, Father Lam says a California
company forced him out of business.
He decided it was time to give his life to
God. He began discerning religious life first
with the Benedictines and then with the
Congregation of the Holy Spirit. His English
was poor and the superior of the congregation
felt it would take Lam too long to complete
their formation process.
Father Lam, with the help of the
congregation, attended a community college
before learning about Sacred Heart School of
Theology. He enrolled and was sponsored by
the congregation.
He began immediately taking classes
to learn English. In November 2002 he
met Father John Tetlow who was visiting
seminarians of the diocese. He affiliated
with the diocese and served a summer at
the Cathedral-Basilica and at Christ the
King for the five months preceding his
ordination. Father Lam has been assigned to
Assumption Parish, Jacksonville. He begins
his service on July 1.
Father C. Denis O’Shaughnessy,
68, retired from a 40-year career with General
20 St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008

Motors in 2003. Born in White Plains, N.Y.,
Father Denis grew up in Fremont, Ohio.
After his eighth grade graduation, he recalls
telling his father he wanted to attend St.
Meinrad, a high school seminary in Indiana.
Knowing of his love for football, his father
reminded him they don’t play football in the
seminary. So Father Denis says he decided
to discern his vocation further at a co-ed
Catholic high school in Fremont.
Father Denis attended Notre Dame
University where he majored in economics.
He played basketball as a freshman and
football in his junior and senior years. He met
his wife Kathleen Davis the end of his senior
year, they married and raised four children
having moved 11 times with his job at GM
including two times to Jacksonville, Fla.
After their 24th wedding anniversary, Kathy
began a five year battle with cancer. In 1991,
just six days after their youngest daughter’s
high school graduation, Father Denis says
Kathy died.
It was his wife’s illness that led him back
to daily Mass where he prayed incessantly
for a miracle. After her death, Father
Denis says he moved back to Cadillac
headquarters in Michigan where he worked
Ordinands Denis O’Shaughnessy and
Dennis Nelson lay prostrate as a symbol
of their death to their former lives and
their rising into a new Spirit-filled and
resurrected life in the risen Christ.
11 more years before retiring at age 62.
During this time he continued to discern
God’s call. At his age, it was difficult
finding a diocese or religious order that
would sponsor him in the seminary. A
priest friend of his suggested he try the
Diocese of Gaylord who had just accepted
five older candidates. He interviewed
with the diocese but didn’t hear anything
for several months. In the meantime
he decided to explore monastic life at a
Cistercian Monastery in Gethsemane, Ky.
He spent six weeks with the monks and
was accepted.
As he began to settle his affairs he learned
he had been accepted as a candidate for
the Diocese of Gaylord. He decided that
was a better fit for him. He enrolled at
Sacred Heart School of Theology. Shortly
after he met Father Alan Bower, director
of vocations for the diocese and affiliated
with the Diocese of Augustine in July
2005. Father Denis served in the summer
of 2006 at Assumption Parish and Sacred
Heart Parish in Jacksonville last summer.
He has been assigned as administrator of
Mary, Queen of Heaven in Jacksonville,
effective July 1.
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St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008 21

parish
parish profile
St. John the Baptist, Atlantic Beach
Finding common ground in cultural diversity
by Shannon Scruby-Henderson
St. John the Baptist Church on Mayport Road in
Atlantic Beach was dedicated on April 21, 1968 by
the late Bishop Paul Tanner. It was the first church the
bishop had dedicated in the diocese since becoming
bishop in February that year.
Susie Nguyen
Susie Nguyen
Depicted in stained glass in the chapel is
St. John the Baptist.
Astory that Father Joe Meehan likes to tell about
the parish that he shepherded for the past 15
years involves a resident of the nearby retirement
community, Fleet Landing. “My goodness, Father,” said the
lady, upon seeing the diverse population of St. John the
Baptist for the first time. “This really is a Catholic church!”
A true melting pot of cultures – from Filipino to Vietnamese to African-American
to Latino to European to indigenous Floridians and transplants from multiple
states, the parish also has a knack for blending people of all ages.
“There’s a lot of coming and going. A lot of military and retired military, a lot of
people from almost everywhere,” says Carole Fuchs. “It doesn’t work against the
closeness,” she adds. “We are a laid-back kind of group …a beach community
that is accustomed to transition. There’s no formality here. We take people as they
come, and we get to know each other.”
The close-knit personality of this 620-family parish was evident in May, when
the community celebrated Father Joe’s June retirement at two well-attended events.
22 St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008

“We had to limit the dinner to 350, and tickets were gone just like
that,” says Bill Diaz. The events were held on parish grounds. “We
could have sold 500 tickets if we’d gone off-site,” comments Diaz.
“But it was important to celebrate here on our grounds, where
Father Joe has made such an impact.”
St. John has been physically transformed during the pastor’s
tenure. Dated and inconvenient – with single-file aisles and a
choppy configuration of steps and levels – the old mission church
was completely modernized in 2005.
Aware that he had a lot of audiences to please in a community of
widely ranging ages and backgrounds, the pastor made the journey
to the new church a process of consensus. “Father Joe formed
committees,” says Diaz. “He brought in a person who did nothing
but church renovations to throw out ideas in a workshop format that
anyone could attend. Together, we decided on the details. Everybody
had a chance to weigh in – with father leading the charge.”
S t . J o h n t h e B a p t i s t P a r i s h
St. John the Baptist Parish
2400 Mayport Road
Atlantic Beach, FL 32233
Pastor:
Parishioners:
Rev. Joseph Meehan
620 registered families
When Mayport Naval Station opened at the outset of
World War II, the nearby mission church of St. John the
Baptist was almost a century old. Its first small church, a
mission of Immaculate Conception Parish in Jacksonville,
was burned to the ground during the Civil War.
Two replacement churches followed, one abandoned
because of population changes; the second destroyed to
make way for the new naval station.
Beginning in 1955, the faith community met in a small
chapel. The hand-carved altar from that structure was the
centerpiece of a church built on Mayport Road in 1967. In
2005, the parish completed a renovation of parish facilities
that not only brought their church up to modern standards, but
also created a center of worship with deep liturgical roots.
Pastors have included the late Msgr. Joseph Dawson,
Msgr. Vincent Haut, Msgr. Daniel Logan, Father Patrick
Foley and, since 1993, Father Joseph Meehan.
Susie Nguyen
The church renovations that were completed in 2005 placed
the altar in the center of the church along with a full immersion
baptismal font. Behind the altar is the entrance to the chapel.
The result is a church with a large gathering area, comfortable
aisles and an unusual floor plan. Designed to call attention to
the places where the sacraments are celebrated, the church’s
interior is reminiscent of a monastery chapel. In the center is the
raised stone altar, with pews that face it on two sides. Its position
is a challenge to the faithful to reconsider their relationship to
sacraments celebrated at the altar. Mass-goers walk to their seats
past a step-down baptismal pool shaped like a grave to symbolize
the death to sin and rising to new life that occurs there. The
reconciliation room is next, reminding visitors to consider the
gift of God’s forgiveness. The oil for anointing is displayed in the
ambry, a niche in the wall near the church’s inner doors. A small,
rounded Marian chapel lies beyond.
The new arrangement “changes the dynamic,” says Carole Fuchs.
“Now, everybody has front row seats. You can’t sit back passively in
our church. You have to participate.”
Facing each other across the altar, parishioners also have a
heightened awareness of community. “St. John has a close-knit,
welcoming family atmosphere,” says Tom Crowder. “I became
a Catholic because I felt at home in this little church.” Fellow
parishioner Jane Lee, who grew up at St. John the Baptist but now
lives miles away in the San Marco area of Jacksonville, concurs.
“We travel past quite a few churches to attend Mass here,” she says.
“In fact, a lot of people travel to St. John. The connections we’ve
all made are just so special, with everyone occupying an important
place in the parish. Now that I have a baby, it’s important to me to
have him grow up here, too.”
Email questions and comments to: sac@dosafl.com
St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008 23

An
Education
In Faith
Notre Dame’s ACE Teachers
Find Strength in Community
By Lilla Ross
As students return to diocesan schools this year, they
will find a new cadre of ACEs in their classrooms.
ACEs are novice teachers who are participating in
the Alliance for Catholic Education program at the
University of Notre Dame. The two-year program lets a teacher
earn a master’s degree in education during the summer while
teaching in a Catholic school the remainder of the year. The
teachers live in a spirituality-based community.
The Diocese of Saint Augustine was one of
the first dioceses to participate in the program
15 years ago, said school superintendent Pat
Tierney.
“I’m an avid Notre Dame fan and I
jumped at it,” Tierney recalls. “We jumped
in without knowing too much and it’s been
a wonderful experience.”
Originally the program was to bolster
the resources of poorer schools, but it has
become a lay movement in the church that
has attracted thousands of teachers, she said.
Over the years, 48 ACE teachers have
worked in the diocese in such schools as
St. Pius V, Holy Rosary, St. Matthew, Bishop
Kenny, St. Joseph Academy and Bishop
Snyder high schools, Tierney said.
“They were attracted to the idea of
service to Catholic schools and the church.
They were attracted to living together in
community and developing their spirituality
within that community,” Tierney said.
In addition to education classes, during
the summers at Notre Dame they learn
about the principles of spirituality and
community life.
“They teach them how to lead prayer
services, reflect on the gospel. They try
to embed in the program the importance
of having a spiritual life personally and
through community.”
“They bring an idealism of youth, wanting
to be of service and make a
difference. I tell them it’s the
hardest job they’ll ever have,
and they agree with me.”
Sadiera Hooks, 22, of
Miami finds the spirituality
component of the program
especially appealing. And
she isn’t Catholic. She was raised in a
nondenominational church.
“I consider myself a very spiritual person
and I think the program helps you include
spirituality in everything you do – your
work life, your private life. That speaks to
me more than anything else.”
She just graduated from Notre Dame
with a degree in Africana studies and
theology and will be teaching fifth grade at
St. Pius V in Jacksonville.
Geoff Dennie, 25,
graduated from Notre
Dame three years ago with
a degree in English and has
been working in a software
Dennie
Hooks
store in Wisconsin. He’ll
be teaching language arts
24 St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008

at St. Matthew’s, Jacksonville.
“I liked the idea of teaching while
taking classes. I didn’t want to do a
purely academic program.”
Phillip Rovnak, 22, has known since
he was a freshman that he wanted to
enroll in the ACE program.
“Teaching is a lifestyle, not 9 to 5,”
Rovnak said. “You are affecting lives.
I like the idea of completely giving
yourself to something outside of you.
“It’s too easy to get the idea that your
education is all about you. You focus
on getting the best job, the best salary,
getting ahead. I wanted to use my
education to help other people. ACE is a
way I can do that.”
Rovnak just graduated
from Franciscan
University with a degree
in Spanish and English.
He’ll be teaching Spanish
and religion at Bishop
Roynak
Snyder High School in
Jacksonville.
Rovnak has attended both Catholic
and public schools. “I didn’t have a bad
experience in public school but Catholic
school shapes the whole person. There’s an
emphasis in Catholic school on character
and faith.”
Living in community is another appeal
because it will provide a support system
for that first anxious year in the classroom.
Julie Denkler, 22, of
Jacksonville has been in the
ACE program for a year,
teaching in Kansas City.
“Community life
is great. There are
challenges to living
Denkler
with five people. There’s
no privacy. We share bedrooms and
bathrooms and you don’t have much
alone time.
“We take a course on community life. It’s
good to live with teachers who understand
what you’re going through. We share ideas
about problems we’re having and also
celebrate our successes. We have dinner
almost every night.”
Julie had ACE teachers when she
attended St. Joseph’s and Bishop Kenny.
“ACE teachers made such a difference
in my life,” she said. “They had so much
energy and enthusiasm. It made a great
impact. You knew they were there to
serve you.”
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St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008 25

Christ Our Hope
Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Journey
to the United States
of a lifetime. What follows are their comments and reflections
providing a local perspective to this historic papal visit.
Proud to be Catholic
“When I got to D.C., I was lucky to have free accommodations as I slept
on a couch at the National Right to Life headquarters located across from
Ford’s Theater. We were there by 5:30 a.m. and got to see the sunrise as
the stadium began to fill up. I had never seen so many priests and bishops
in one place before. I felt proud to be Catholic. The procession in and out
was beautiful and exciting. Even though I was one of about 45,000 other
people when Pope Benedict gave his papal blessing – I felt personally
blessed.” – Larry Hart, parishioner of St. Catherine, Orange Park.
Marggie Higgins and Larry Hart at the papal Mass in Washington, D.C.
Sister of Mercy Josephine
O’Leary brought back souvenirs
from Washington, D.C.
During his first trip to the United
States as pope, Benedict XVI logged
many miles by car, plane, helicopter and pope
mobile. He greeted hundreds of thousands with
waves, handshakes, Masses and speeches.
The pope, who celebrated his 81st birthday during his visit, also
celebrated his third anniversary as the leader of the Catholic Church
(April 18, 2008). His visit made international, national and local news
– giving unprecedented visibility to the U.S. Catholic Church.
In an interview at the Vatican on his way to the United States
on April 15, Pope Benedict XVI cited two major reasons for his
historic visit to America. He would recognize the five archdioceses
celebrating their 200th anniversaries: New York, Philadelphia, St.
Louis, Boston and the elevation of Baltimore to an archdiocese. The
second goal was to visit the United Nations as it marks 60 years
since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
For members of the Diocese of Saint Augustine making a
pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. and New York City – it was a trip
A Spiritual Mountaintop
“Being in the presence of Pope Benedict was an awesome, humbling,
and most of all, a spiritual mountaintop. It was amazing that the challenge
of logistics, and the cacophony of noise of 45,000 people did not
diminish this wonderful spiritual opportunity. Rather, to be with 45,000
believers was a joyous occasion! When the Mass started, the exuberant
celebration of America’s first greeting of our new pope became a hushed,
reverent celebration of the Mass.” – Herb and Margaret Stanley, parishioners
of Sacred Heart, Jacksonville.
The Shepherd and His
Flock
“Attending the papal
Mass was amazing! Being
among 47,000 Catholics
eager for every word
from Pope Benedict
XVI brought my own
faith to new heights.
We are very blessed to
have this opportunity
and I recommend it for
all the faithful.” – Ron
Coleman, Holy Spirit Parish,
Jacksonville.
“I experienced the true
meaning of ‘one, holy,
Catholic, and apostolic
Sandy and Ron Coleman attended
the papal Mass in New York.
church. As the flocks of white doves were released, I felt inner joy,
peacefulness, and a sense of hope.” – Sandy Coleman.
26 St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008

Somewhere Between Heaven and Earth
“We had a wonderful seat under a little terrace. They had four
orchestras and they played beautiful music. Mass was at 10 a.m. but
people were there as early as 5 a.m. They had a white carpet that led
from the dugout to the altar. The altar was built in three days. Barbara
Reges, my niece, helped with the set-up and decoration of the altar.
…The stadium exploded when they saw him come up in the pope
mobile. It was like being between heaven and earth and you know the
Holy Spirit was there because the people were so happy and joyous.
Towards the end of the Mass, Placido Domingo sang Panis Angelicus. It
was absolutely beautiful and when he was done he knelt in front of the
pope and kissed his ring – the people just erupted in applause. – Hilda
West, St. Madeleine Parish, High Springs.
Margaret Stanley
Attending the papal Mass in Washington, D.C. from Jacksonville:
(l-r) Susan Pritchett, Sister of Mercy Josephine O’Leary, Gary
Pritchett, cutout of Pope Benedict XVI, George and Mary
Schmieder and Sister of Mercy Mary Casey.
The Universality of Mass
“It was electrifying – everybody was caught in the joyfulness
and thankfulness and the appreciation of their city being chosen
for the papal visit – even cab drivers! I felt very privileged to be
chosen to attend. The Mass was very inclusive in that it did reflect
the universality of the church because of the different cultures and
backgrounds were included. It was an experience of a lifetime.
– Sister of Mercy Mary Casey of Sacred Heart Parish, Jacksonville.
(l-r) Barbara Reges, Hilda West and her son John West
attended the papal Mass in New York.
Special
St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008 27

around
around the diocese
Good Samaritans Individuals Honored
Faith of Our Fathers
More than 1,100 men from nearly
every parish in the Diocese of Saint
Augustine gathered in April for the first
annual Faith of Our Fathers Men’s
Conference at the Florida Theater in
Jacksonville.
“We wanted to inspire the men of
our diocese to understand and reclaim
an authentically masculine character to
their faith,” said Steve Patton, director
of the Diocesan Center for Family Life
and coordinator of the event. “We also
wanted the men to come to a deeper
appreciation of their unique quality
of their Catholic heritage, present
most especially in the sacraments of
reconciliation and the Eucharist.” For
instance, Steve said, Bishop Victor
Galeone gave a talk on penance that
prompted many of the men to go to
confession that very day.
Each year the St. Augustine Regional Office of Catholic Charities honors
individuals in the community that exemplify the spirit of the biblical Good
Samaritan. This year’s recipients were honored at a dinner April 10 at the Casa
Monica Hotel in St. Augustine. Proceeds from the event (nearly $20,000) help
Catholic Charities provide the basic needs necessary to prevent homelessness.
“The people of St. Augustine have always been generous in their support of all of our
programs, including the Good
Samaritan Awards Dinner, and
we are honored to have this
chance to recognize the unsung
heroes in our community who
can serve as an inspiration to
all of us,” said Becky Stringer,
executive director of the St.
Augustine Regional Office of
Catholic Charities
“A crisis situation can
threaten families already living
from paycheck to paycheck
when an unexpected illness,
loss of employment or other
family crisis impacts finances
already stretched too far,” Becky
explained.
The Good Samaritans honored this year: back row (l-r)
St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar, Joseph Murray of Tree
of Life and Bishop Victor Galeone. Front row (l-r) Robert
and Anita Lacroix of St. Anastasia Parish, St. Augustine; John
Myers, recipient of the Bishop John J. Snyder “Faith in Action”
award, and Bill Lazar of the St. Johns Housing Partnership.
Special
Strengthening Families – Creating Hope
Special
Dr. Scott Hahn, keynote speaker,
addresses more than 1,100 men at the
first annual Faith of Our Fathers Men’s
Conference held in April in Jacksonville.
The keynote presenter of the
conference was popular speaker Dr.
Scott Hahn. Currently a professor of
theology and scripture at Franciscan
University of Steubenville, Dr. Hahn
gave a moving account of his journey
into the Catholic Church that came
about through a gradual, awe-filled
discovery of what the Mass is really
all about. Copies of his talk and other
presenters are available online for
purchase on CD and DVD. Visit: www.
floridacatholicmen.org/order_form.htm.
Tim Yocum
Catholic Charities’ 15th annual Black and White Ball was a huge success in
April raising $156,000 to help prevent families from becoming homeless. More than
500 guests attended the event at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront featuring
Jacksonville Jaguar Paul Spicer as the honorary chair. Proceeds of the ball are directed
to the Emergency Assistance Program that provides assistance to families in the form
of rent or mortgage payments, utilities and food. Last year, Catholic Charities helped
more than 6,000 families,
including 3,000 children in
these households.
“We are so grateful to
the support of our sponsors,
parishes and individual
donors who support
this event. Without their
support and the successful
fundraising event we would
be unable to respond to the
needs of families struggling
Joining Jacksonville Jaguar Paul Spicer, the honorary chair
of the Black and White Ball, and his fiancée Shariffa
Dempsey, are Bishop Victor Galeone and Laura Hickey
of Catholic Charities.
in our community,” said
Laura Hickey, executive
director of Catholic
Charities Jacksonville
Regional Office.
28 St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008

around the diocese
New Seafarer Center Opens
After nearly four years of planning and fundraising, the Apostleship of the Sea
Ministry of the diocese dedicated on May 2 a new seafarer center at the Blount Island
port in Jacksonville. Bishop Victor Galeone officiated.
The new 1,700 square-foot center will provide seafarers coming to Blount Island a
safe and welcoming facility where they can attend Mass, receive spiritual counseling,
and obtain access to the Internet and telephones to communicate with loved ones.
“The center will also provide a recreational area where seafarers can obtain reading
materials, watch TV, listen to music and just relax,” said Deacon Gjet Bajraktari,
director of the Apostleship of the Sea Ministry.
The new center cost nearly $74,000 with funds obtained from donations and
grants, such as a $14,500 grant from the Catholic Foundation.
Apostleship of the Sea not only provides a safe place for seafarers to visit while in
port, they also intervene on behalf of seafarers when human rights issues are called
into question. “We work closely with I.T. F., the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies
to ensure abuses are not taking place on board these ships,” said Deacon Gjet. The
ministry also operates a seafarer center at the Tallyrand port in Jacksonville.
Attending the Seafarer Center dedication are: (l-r) Sister
Myrna Tordillo, national director of the Apostleship of
the Sea USA; Father Sinclair Oubre, executive board
president of Apostleship of the Sea USA; Bishop Victor
Galeone and Deacon Gjet Bajraktari.
Susie Nguyen
Susie Nguyen
Christ the King Dedicates
Vietnamese Cultural Center
The Catholic Vietnamese community is proud of its new
center that was dedicated by Bishop Victor Galeone on
April 13 at Christ the King Parish in Jacksonville.
“On behalf of the Vietnamese community, I’d like to
thank Bishop John Snyder for initiating this project and Bishop
Galeone for continuing to support it,” said Father Thanh Nguyen,
pastor of Christ the King Parish. He also gave special thanks to
Christ the King’s former pastor, Msgr. Mortimer Danaher, for
welcoming the Vietnamese community to the parish family about
20 years ago.
The new center, designed and built by Kendale Design, will
provide an environment for about 200 Vietnamese Catholic
families and those who have a desire to learn the Vietnamese
language, culture and traditions. It will also serve as a place for
community activities, to build friendships and maintain the
Vietnamese heritage. Overseeing the building project was Frank
Japour, Mike Klima and Henry Nguyen.
Special
Spanish Mass Honors Mary
Ten Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Saint Augustine
participated in the fourth annual Spanish Mass honoring the
Virgin Mary on May 1 at Blessed Trinity Catholic Church in
Jacksonville. Each of the schools participating chose a Spanishspeaking
country to represent and carried a banner depicting an
image of Mary.
The students of Annunciation, Assumption, Bishop John
Snyder High School, Blessed Trinity, Holy Family, Holy Spirit,
Palmer Catholic Academy, San Juan del Rio, St. Joseph and St.
Paul-Riverside, processed into the church dressed in traditional
clothing from their chosen country. The students prepared for
the Mass by researching their patroness for the banner, learned
enough Spanish to participate in the Mass, and for the reception
afterwards prepared traditional Spanish recipes. St. Joseph
students served as the choir this year singing the music in Spanish.
St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008 29

with Father Ernie Davis
November 11, 2008
Cost begins at $1998
Optional extension to
Mt. Sinai and Egypt.
Call for a brochure: 816-444-5406
Do you keep God on call waiting?
Answer the call.
We did, you can too.
Benedictine Sisters of Florida
A balanced life of
Prayer Community Service
www.floridabenedictines.com
vocation@saintleo.edu
Saint Augustine
Diocesan Cemeteries
San Lorenzo Cemetery
Celebrates the 1,750th
Anniversary of St. Lawrence
Come celebrate our patron
San Lorenzo’s 1,750th anniversary on
Sunday, August 10, 2008 beginning with
Mass at 10 a.m. on the grounds of San
Lorenzo Cemetery followed by a pot luck
luncheon. Bring a dish to share.
For more information, please call
the office at (904) 824-6680
calendar
July 2008
July 12
JustFaith Workshop with Jack
Jezreel – An introduction to an adult
formation program on Catholic Social
teaching. Saturday, 8:45 a.m.-1 p.m.,
St. Joseph’s Cody Enrichment Center,
Jacksonville. Cost: $10. Call Nancy O’Byrne
at (904) 461-9216 or email: obyrnen@
bellsouth.net.
July 18-19
World Youth Day in St. Augustine
Join teens from across the Southeastern U.S.
Friday and Saturday at the Mission Nombre
de Dios, St. Augustine. Cost: $25.
Registration required. Call Dewey
Szarkowski at (904) 262-3200, ext. 112 or
visit www.staugustinecatholicyouth.com.
July 18-20
World Wide Marriage Encounter
A weekend retreat for married couples that
want to get away from jobs, kids, chores and
simply focus on each other. Friday-Sunday,
Jacksonville Beach. To register call
(800) 923-9963 or visit www.geocities.
com/jaxmeweb.
July 22
French Boys Choir Concert
Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., Christ the King Parish,
Jacksonville. Cost: Love offering.
Call (904) 724-0080.
July 25-26
Sisters: A Life of Love – Retreat for
single women 18-35. Friday-Saturday, St.
Joseph Convent, St. Augustine. Overnight
accommodations available. Call Sister
Kathleen Power at (904) 610-9228 or
email: ssjflvocations@bellsouth.net.
July 25-31
Knights of Peter Claver Annual
Convention – Friday-Thursday at the
Hyatt Regency Riverfront Hotel, Jacksonville.
Events include a concert benefiting the
UNCF and the first annual KPC Golf
Tournament benefiting Guardian Catholic
Schools. For details, call Athanese Jones at
(904) 565-2317 or visit www.kofpc.org.
July 26
Day of Reflection: Art & Spirituality
Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Marywood Retreat
Center, Jacksonville. Leader: Jan Atchely
Bevan. Cost: $20. Call (904) 287-2525 or
visit www.marywoodcenter.org.
August 2008
August 8-10
Engaged Encounter – A marriage
preparation program open to all couples of
faith. Friday-Sunday, Marywood Retreat
Center in Jacksonville. Cost: $280 per
couple. Call (904) 308-7474 or register
online: www.dcfl.org.
August 16
Day of Reflection: Matthew —
Faithful Scribe of God’s Kingdom
Saturday, 9:45 a.m.-3 p.m., Marywood
Retreat Center, Jacksonville. Leader: Father
Terry Morgan. Cost: $20. Call (904)
287-2525 or visit www.marywoodcenter.org.
August 16
Pre-Cana – Marriage preparation for
couples wanting to marry in the Church.
Saturday, 9:20 a.m.-5:30 p.m., St.
Vincent’s Medical Center, Jacksonville.
Cost: $69 per couple. Call (904) 308-
7474 or register online: www.dcfl.org.
August 22-24
Diocesan Marriage Renewal – A
retreat weekend for couples that want to
enrich their marriage. Friday to Sunday,
Marywood Retreat Center, Jacksonville.
To register, call John or Tina Morrissey at
(904) 744-6843.
August 28
Augustinian Day – Thursday, 6:30 p.m.
vespers at the Cathedral-Basilica with a
presentation at 7:30 p.m. at the Bishop Baker
Center, St. Augustine. Call (904) 824-2806.
August 29-31
Weekend Retreat: Tear in the
Desert – Friday-Sunday, Marywood
Retreat Center, Jacksonville. Leader: Father
Ron Camarda. Call (904) 287-2525 or visit
www.marywoodcenter.org.
30 St. Augustine Catholic July/August 2008

W
Help Us Build
Up The Church
e are the Knights of Columbus, 1.75 million men who
support our Church by putting our faith into action.
We’d like you to join us in making Pope Benedict’s vision
of building a society of life and love a reality.
L
I
“Follow me”
ast year, Knights around the
world –men just like you–rolled
up their sleeves and contributed
more than 68 million hours of
volunteer service to charitable
causes.
There’s no better way to respond
to Pope Benedict’s call than to
become an active member of the
Knights of Columbus.
nterested? Call or visit this web
address today.
www.kofc.org/join
1-800-307-7811

St. Vincent’s Multidisciplinary Breast Clinic
The clinic provides a streamlined evaluation
process helping a woman gather information
quickly and help her determine the next step
in her care. Patients can be seen by a surgeon,
radiation oncologist, reconstructive surgeon,
and medical oncologist.
A patient advocate and dietician are also
available if needed. Imaging studies and or
biopsies may be performed the same day
or the next day. Pathology results may be
available the same day or the next day.
Types of issues women may have for a
clinic visit:
• Second opinion of breast cancer diagnosis
• Abnormal mammogram review
• Regular patient visit during breast cancer
treatment
• Follow-up visit post breast cancer treatment
Located on the first floor of the Mary Virginia
Terry Cancer Center. To schedule an appointment,
call 904-308-7411.
ST. VINCENT’S
MARY VIRGINIA TERRY CANCER CENTER
St. Vincent’s HealthCare
catholic
St. Augustine
The Magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Saint Augustine
11625 Old St. Augustine Road
Jacksonville, FL 32258-2060
Online: www.dosafl.com
www.staugcatholic.org