Bishop Gainer's Christmas Message - Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg

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Bishop Gainer's Christmas Message - Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
December 23, 2020 | Issue 33

        Bishop Gainer’s Christmas Message
    Dear Brothers and Sisters                                                  announced to the shepherds
in Christ,                                                                     on the first Christmas, “I
    Many Christmas Carols                                                      proclaim to you good news
have fascinating backstories.                                                  of great joy that will be for
The beloved Carol, Joy to                                                      all the people. For today in
the World, has one such                                                        the city of David a Savior
interesting history. Isaac                                                     has been born for you who
Watts, born in England in                                                      is Messiah and Lord.” (Lk 2:
1674, was reflecting one                                                       10-11) The birth of Jesus is
day on Psalm 98 and he                                                         the good news – the Gospel
was greatly moved by the                                                       – of great joy.
fourth verse, “Make a joyful                                                      As we celebrate our Lord’s
noise unto the Lord, all the                                                   Nativity, we recognize that
earth: make a loud noise,                                                      the angel’s announcement,
and rejoice, and sing praise.”                                                 “good news of great joy”
Watts took pen in hand                                                         is the very heart of our
and wrote a four stanza                                                        Catholic faith. In celebrating
poem which he entitled, Joy                                                    the Christmas Mystery we
to the World. The words                                                        acknowledge and proclaim
fit the tunes of several                                                       that our God is with us; He
hymn melodies of the day.                                                      is Emmanuel. He is with us,
However, many refused to                                                       redeeming us, loving us,
sing the hymn because Watts                                                    setting us free to receive the
dared to change the wording                                                    gift of His own Life. Our joy
of the Psalm to suit his poem.                                                 should be the characteristic
    The second half of the                                                     that most defines us as
Carol’s story begins with                                                      disciples of Christ.
Lowell Mason, born in New               CHRIS HEISEY, THE CATHOLIC WITNESS        In our world so hungry for
Jersey. He was a church                  Nativity window at Holy Name of good news, so needful of
musician but realizing he                      Jesus Church in Harrisburg. hope and joy may our lives
could not make a living doing                                                  as individuals, as married
that alone, he became a banker. Still he continued couples, as families and as a Church proclaim
to develop his musical gifts. In 1836 he wrote a        “joy to the world” at Christmas and always.
glorious melody that he named “Antioch,” then              With prayers, warm wishes and the pledge
he went in search for words to accompany his            to remember you in my Masses throughout the
music. He discovered Watts’ poem, Joy to the            Christmas   Season, I am

World, and, as they say, the rest is history. It was                              Sincerely in Christ,
an immediate success and remains one of our
beloved Christmas Carols.
    Perhaps we enjoy this hymn so much because
it connects so directly to the message the angel                                  Bishop Ronald Gainer
Bishop Gainer's Christmas Message - Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
December 23, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 2
  Pope Francis Names New Bishop for Diocese of Greensburg
              Catholic News Agency                                       “I feel honored to be able to serve as bishop in
    Pope Francis appointed a new bishop of                            the diocese where I was born, raised, educated,
Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Dec. 18.                                    ordained and have served my entire life,” he said.
The pope named Msgr. Larry J. Kulick as the                              Bishop Ronald Gainer, issued the following
sixth bishop of the diocese founded in 1951.                          statement on the announcement of the
    Bishop-elect Kulick, a 54-year-old canon                          appointment:
lawyer, has served as diocesan administrator                             “I am delighted to send my prayerful
for Greensburg since Sept. 15, when he was                            congratulations to Bishop-elect Larry Kulick on
elected to the post by the diocese’s College of                       his appointment as Bishop of Greensburg by his
Consultors.                                                           Holiness, Pope Francis. I know that all of us in
    He took up the role following the July 16                         the Diocese of Harrisburg wish him well on this
appointment of Bishop Edward C. Malesic, the                          new appointment,” he said.
fifth bishop of Greensburg, to lead the Diocese of                       “I have had the privilege of getting to know
Cleveland.                                                            him and work closely with him since he has been
    In a statement on the Diocese of Greensburg’s                     the representative of the Diocese of Greensburg
website, the bishop-elect said, “I would like to                      on the Administrative Board of the Pennsylvania
express my gratitude to the Holy Father for his                       Catholic Conference. Now I look forward to
confidence and trust in appointing me as bishop                       serving together with him as a brother Bishop.
of the Diocese of Greensburg. Western PA has                                        More BISHOP, page 3
always been my home.”

                                                                                                The Witness Returns
                                                                                                     January 7
                                                                                         The December 23 edition of The
                                                                                         Catholic Witness is the final one
                                                                                         for 2020. Our first issue of the
                                                                                         new year will be January 7, as we
                                                                                         take time to enjoy the Christmas
                                                                                         holiday. You can stay in touch
                                                                                         with news from the Diocese of
                                                                                         Harrisburg by visiting our Web
                                                                                         site, www.hbgdiocese.org, and
                                                                                         by following us on Facebook
                                                                                         and Twitter. From all of us at
                                                                                         The Witness, best wishes for a
                                                                                         blessed Christmas and a happy
                                                                                         and healthy New Year!

                                            Publisher:                                 4800 Union Deposit Road
                                            The Most Rev. Ronald W. Gainer,            Harrisburg, PA 17111-3710
                                            DD, JCL, Bishop of Harrisburg
                                                                                       Phone: 717-657-4804
                                            Executive Director for Public Relations:
                                                                                       Email: witness@hbgdiocese.org
                                            Rachel Bryson, M.S.
                                            rbryson@hbgdiocese.org                     Digital subscriptions provided complimentary to all
                                                                                       parishioners registered to a parish in the Diocese of
                                            Managing Editor: Jennifer Reed
The mission of The Catholic Witness is      jreed@hbgdiocese.org
                                                                                       Harrisburg. The Catholic Witness (ISSN 0008-8447,
to be of personal and practical help as                                                USPS 557 120) is published digitally weekly except
we try to be loyal and true witnesses for   Photojournalist: Chris Heisey              Christmas/New Year by the Harrisburg Catholic
Christ in our daily living, spiritual and   cheisey@hbgdiocese.org                     Publishing Association, 4800 Union Deposit Road,
                                                                                       Harrisburg, PA 17111.
temporal, in private and in public.
Bishop Gainer's Christmas Message - Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
December 23, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 3
   BISHOP, continued from 2          born in Natrona Heights,            They have featured his prized
                                     Pennsylvania, on Feb. 24, 1966. 1966 Pontiac LeMans, the car
I pray God may grant him the         He gained a bachelor’s degree       in which he was brought home
strength and joy needed for          in philosophy at Saint Vincent      from hospital after his birth.
this important ministry,” Bishop     College, and a master’s degree         In recognition of his heritage,
Gainer said.                         in systematic theology and          Bishop-elect Kulick is an active
   A press release on the            a master of divinity degree         supporter of Slovak cultural and
Diocese of Greensburg’s              at Saint Vincent Seminary in        fraternal organizations.
website described Bishop-            Latrobe.                               The Greensburg Diocese
elect Kulick as “a strategic and        He was ordained a priest         consists of parishes in
energetic administrator, even        on May 16, 1992, by Bishop          Armstrong, Fayette, Indiana,
in the midst of the COVID-19         Anthony G. Bosco, the third         and Westmoreland counties.
pandemic,” which has reduced         bishop of Greensburg, at            The diocese has 86 priests,
Mass attendance to 30-40% of         Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in including 16 international
normal levels.                       the city of Greensburg.             clergy, as well as 12 schools,
   It said that in a first for the      He obtained a licentiate in      10 elementary and two junior-
diocese, he had required all         canon law from the Catholic         senior high schools.
of Greenburg’s 78 parishes to        University of America in 2012.         Bishop-elect Kulick said:
publish an annual fiscal report      That year, he was appointed         “Two things that define the
simultaneously.                      pastor of St. James Parish,         people of Western PA, which
   The website also noted            New Alexandria, where he has        were also crucial in my
that Bishop-elect Kulick had         served to the present day.          upbringing and formation, are a
overseen a committee for the            Also in 2012, Bishop             strong faith and a strong work
return of safe in-person worship     Lawrence E. Brandt, the             ethic.”
in the diocese.                      fourth bishop of Greensburg,           “As I begin my episcopal
   “New evangelization tools         appointed him vicar general and ministry, I know we have a great
including an email and text          moderator of the curia.             deal of work to do in caring for
message alert system, online            Bishop-elect Kulick was given our community of faith in a post-
and printed resources for            the title of monsignor in 2014      pandemic world.”
worshiping at home, and both         and was confirmed as vicar             “Working with each other,
live and premiered social media      general by Bishop Malesic in        I believe the Church and its
events helped to bring many          2015.                               people can continue to be of
people closer to the Church,” it        The bishop-elect is a classic    great assistance to those who
said.
                                     car enthusiast who has held         are in spiritual and physical
   Bishop-elect Kulick was           fundraising summer car shows. need.”

 Christmas                OFFERING

                        This Christmas, please remember your parish
                         www.hbgdiocese.org/parish-online-giving
Bishop Gainer's Christmas Message - Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
December 23, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 4
      Good Shepherd’s Nativity Celebrates God with Us
                    By Jen Reed                    The Visitation, Joseph’s Dream, The Journey to
              The Catholic Witness                 Bethlehem and the Birth of the Lord. The parish
   On a cold winter’s night a week before          further enhanced the prayerful presentation with
Christmas, thousands of faithful came to Good      a hand-out featuring Scripture passages of each
Shepherd Parish in Camp Hill to ponder and gaze    scene, and with a radio frequency playing the
upon a Living Nativity display.                    song “Emmanuel: God is with Us!”
   With roles played in large part by youth of        “We wanted to have something that would be
the parish, and featuring live animals used in     simple and safe in this time of Covid, yet exciting
productions at the Sight and Sound Theater, the    for the entire community,” said Father Neil
drive-through event brought to life five scenes    Sullivan, pastor.
leading to the first Christmas.                       The Living Nativity presentation was the first
   Thousands of onlookers wound their way          for the parish, and an immediate success, as a
through the parish parking lot in their vehicles   steady stream of vehicles inched through the
and stopped at the scenes: The Annunciation,       display throughout its two-hour timeframe.
Bishop Gainer's Christmas Message - Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
December 23, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 5

         CHRIS HEISEY, THE CATHOLIC WITNESS
Bishop Gainer's Christmas Message - Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
December 23, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 6
 Vatican Astronomer Relates the ‘Christmas Star’ to Star of Bethlehem
       By Hannah Brockhaus              He recalled that the Star         Now, astrology is specifically
       Catholic News Agency          of Bethlehem itself was not          forbidden in the Hebrew
    The “Great Conjunction” of       the focus of the account, but        Scriptures,” he explained. “It
Jupiter and Saturn on Dec.           at whom the star pointed.            was being used as a reason to
21 – dubbed the “Christmas              “The important thing to           worship the stars rather than
Star” – was a pretty sight, but it   remember is that the Star            God, and as a way of denying
is impossible to know for sure       of Bethlehem is just a small         human freedom.”
if it had any connection to the      part of the infancy narrative in         He said that you can
Star of Bethlehem, a Vatican         Matthew’s Gospel. The point of       download a program on your
astronomer said.                     his story isn’t the star. It’s the   computer which tells you the
   On Dec. 21, the planets           baby,” he said.                      position of the stars and roll it
Jupiter and Saturn appeared a           “Whatever the Magi would          back to April of the year 6 B.C.
tenth of a degree apart in the       have seen ... it was something       What you will see is “all of the
night sky, something called a        that nobody looking at the sky       planets rising with the sun.”
“Great Conjunction.”                 would have noticed, but they             “And our understanding
    This conjunction happens         did,” Consolmagno told the           of what the ancients thought
approximately every 20 years,        CNA Newsroom podcast in              of astrology is they thought
but this year the two planets        December 2019.                       this would be significant, but
appeared the closest they have          “The shepherds in the fields      you could only know that it’s
been in almost 400 years. To         where it was dark, where they        happening if you’ve calculated
the naked eye, they looked like      didn’t have city lights, they knew   it, because the sun is there! You
one, bright star, thus earning the   the sky. What was it the Magi        can’t actually see the planets,”
nickname the “Christmas Star.”       saw that everybody else didn’t       he said.
    Brother Guy Consolmagno,         see?” Brother Consolmagno                “And this is a relatively rare
S.J., told CNA that the              asked.                               event, it all fits,” he continued.
conjunction of Saturn and               “The Magi are seeing              “Is that really what Matthew was
Jupiter doesn’t have a religious     something in the sky which is        talking about? I don’t know. It’s
significance, but “nonetheless, it   interpreted in terms of astrology.   fun to play with the idea.
is a pretty sight.”
    The Jesuit brother is an
astronomer and director of the
Vatican Observatory.
    Some astronomers have
theorized that this conjunction of
the two bright planets could be
what the three “wise men from
the East” saw in the sky and
followed, leading them to find
the Child Jesus, as recounted in
St. Matthew’s Gospel.
    “Is this really what the Star
of Bethlehem was?” Brother
Consolmagno asked. “No one
knows for sure what the star
was, and until we have a time           PreK-8 students at St. Joseph School in Hanover recently
machine where we can go back            joined faculty and staff in donating food items to the less
and interview Matthew with a            fortunate. The donations were packaged by Student Council
video recorder, no one ever will        officers and given to God’s Meal Barrel in Hanover to provide
know for sure!”
                                        holiday meals for those in need.
Bishop Gainer's Christmas Message - Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
December 23, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 7
           This Year’s Vatican Christmas Tree Features
             Ornaments Handmade by the Homeless
       By Courtney Mares            Christmas meal at the homeless      florist and decorator.
     Catholic News Agency           shelter near the Vatican.              Šegula helped to train 400
   Reaching a height of nearly         “We decided also to give one     people to help make this year’s
100 feet, the Christmas tree in     special tree … to the structure     ornaments out of straw and
St. Peter’s Square this year is     for the homeless people, which      wood using instructional videos
adorned with handcrafted                                                        because of the pandemic.
wooden ornaments made                                                              She said that most of
by the homeless, as well                                                        the ornaments were made
as children and other                                                           by people in Slovenia,
adults.                                                                         including some young
   Before the Christmas                                                         children, but the homeless
tree lighting ceremony                                                          in Rome and Slovenia
Dec. 11, Pope Francis                                                           were also involved in the
said that he wanted                                                             craftsmanship.
the Christmas tree and                                                             “They really enjoyed
nativity scene in St.                                                           their workshops so they
Peter’s Square to be “a                                                         made their own designs,”
sign of hope” in a year                                                         Šegula told EWTN.
marked by the coronavirus                                                          “And that was the main
pandemic.                           is next to St Peter’s Square. We    goal – that we bring also joy and
   “The tree and the nativity       will provide for them also a kind   the Christmas spirit to the house
scene help to create                of special meal for that day, so    of homeless people in Rome,”
the favorable Christmas             we can express also kind of our     she said.
atmosphere for living with faith    connection with them in this           Slovenia donated the
the mystery of the Birth of the     way,” the ambassador said.          Christmas tree as a symbol
Redeemer,” the pope said.              The homeless were also           of gratitude for the Vatican’s
   “In the nativity,                involved in making some of          support of the country’s
everything speaks of ‘good          the ornaments for the Vatican       independence movement on the
poverty,’ evangelical poverty,      Christmas tree, according to
which makes us blessed:             Sabina Šegula, the Vatican’s         More ORNAMENTS, page 8
contemplating the Holy Family
and the various characters, we
are attracted by their disarming
humility.”
   The massive spruce tree in
St. Peter’s Square is a gift from
Slovenia, a Central European
country with a population of
two million people, which also
donated 40 smaller trees to be
placed in the offices of Vatican
City.
   Jakob Štunf, Slovenia’s
ambassador to the Holy
See, told EWTN News that
Slovenia is also sponsoring a
Bishop Gainer's Christmas Message - Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
December 23, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 8
      ORNAMENTS, from 7                                     ceremony led by Cardinal                          for the Advent and Christmas
                                                            Giuseppe Bertello and Bishop                      seasons.
30th anniversary of Slovenia’s                              Fernando Vérgez Alzaga,                              Both the tree and nativity
independence from Yugoslavia.                               president and secretary                           scenes will be displayed until
   “John Paul II ... understood                             general of the governorate of                     Jan. 10, 2021, the feast of the
very well the situation in that                             Vatican City State respectively.                  Baptism of the Lord.
time, what was going on, not                                At the ceremony, this year’s                         On Friday, Pope Francis met
only in Slovenia or Yugoslavia                              Vatican nativity scene was also                   with a delegation from Slovenia
at that time, but also in Europe.                           unveiled.                                         and from the Italian region of
So he understood the big                                        A more traditional Italian                    Abruzzo involved in the creation
changes that were going on and                              nativity scene with moving                        of this year’s Christmas displays
he was really personal, very                                figures is also displayed in the                  in St. Peter’s Square.
much involved and engaged in                                baptistery chapel of St. Peter’s                     “The feast of Christmas
the process,” Štunf said.                                   Basilica. The painted angels                      reminds us that Jesus is our
   “Slovenia is actually                                    from the chapel’s grand mosaic                    peace, our joy, our strength, our
recognized as one of the                                    of the baptism of Jesus in the                    comfort,” the pope said.
greenest countries in the                                   Jordan River appear to hover                         “But, to welcome these
world. … More than 60% of the                               above the scene’s wooden                          gifts of grace, we need to feel
Slovenian territory is covered                              manger, which is surrounded                       small, poor and humble like the
by forests,” he said, adding that                           by poinsettias and a long row of                  characters in the nativity.”
this tree could be considered                               kneelers for pilgrims who wish                       “I express my best wishes to
a gift from the “green heart of                             to contemplate the nativity in                    you for a Christmas feast full
Europe.”                                                    prayer.                                           of hope, and I ask you to bring
   The tree from Slovenia’s                                     “Angels Unawares,” the                        them to your families and all
Kočevje forests is 75 years                                 image of the Holy Family in                       your fellow citizens. I assure
old, weighs 70 tons, and is 30                              the migrant sculpture in St.                      you of my prayers and I bless
meters tall.                                                Peter’s Square, has also been                     you. And you too, please, pray
   It was lit Dec. 11 in a                                  illuminated for the first time                    for me. Merry Christmas.”

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Bishop Gainer's Christmas Message - Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
December 23, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 9
   Pregnancy Resource Center Spreads Christmas Cheer to Families
               By Mary Ann Albertini                    delivered presents via a safe, outdoor, socially-
              Special to The Witness                    distant drive-through, complete with a volunteer
   With Christmas just five days away, staff at         Santa Claus.
A Woman’s Concern Pregnancy and Parenting                  The giveaway ensures families who come to
Resource Center in                                                                       the center for help
Lancaster put their                                                                      know they are not
Santa hats on Dec.                                                                       alone. The stress
21 to give gifts to                                                                      of the season
families in need.                                                                        mixed with financial
   The center                                                                            woes can be a
turned their Hope                                                                        lot for anyone to
House, where                                                                             handle. Nonprofit
families normally                                                                        organizations
pick up strollers                                                                        like A Woman’s
and Chicco car                                                                           Concern recognize
seats, into a drive-                                                                     this reality and do
through toy land.                                                                        whatever they can
   “During the                                                                           to give aid when it
beginning of the               Santa  Claus  and  helpers from  A  Woman’s    Concern    is needed most.
pandemic, we                    in Lancaster give gifts to families four days before        “At this time of
invited families to                                                        Christmas. year, spreading joy,
pick up diapers,                                                                         hope, and the spirit
wipes, formula and any other material assistance of giving becomes our job, and we are proud to
they needed here at the center to help them             be here for mothers and families in our area,”
through these difficult times. Now, as Christmas        Hartman said.
nears, we hope to fill their cars with some much-          The center provided personalized gift bags
                                         needed joy to more than 75 families on Monday and was
                                         this holiday planning to hold additional gift distributions for
                                         season,        families who plan to pick up later this week.
                                         thanks to a       “We’ll try not to turn anyone away,” Hartman
                                         generous       said. “If a mother, father, or family needs
                                         partnership something, we will find a way to spread some joy
                                         with local     to their homes this Christmas.”
                                         churches,         Thanks to the support of donors and
                                         individual     community partners, A Woman’s Concern offers
                                         families,      free, confidential pregnancy and parenting
                                         and Toys       services to women and families in the Lancaster
                                         for Tots,”     area. A Woman’s Concern empowers women
                                         executive      by equipping them with tools and information
                                         director Jill to make healthy choices about pregnancy,
                                         Hartman        parenting, and sexual health. Free services are
                                         said.          available by appointment and include pregnancy
                                         With toys      testing, ultrasound scans, STD/STI testing,
                                         designated education and support, community referrals, and
                                         by age,        material assistance.
A volunteer at A Woman’s Concern, Hartman                  Visit www.PregnancyLancaster.com for more
a pro-life pregnancy center, selects and her            information on the work of A Woman’s Concern in
presents for children.                   team           the Lancaster area.
Bishop Gainer's Christmas Message - Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
December 23, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 10

The Called
A series of profiles on clergy and religious
                                                                            and having a grand old time
                                                                            during Exposition, and my
                                                                            teacher pulled my ponytail
                                                                            – just for me to be aware.
                                Sister Geralyn Schmidt, SCC                 She said, “What are you
                            Hometown: Butler, N.J.                          doing?” Of course, I lowered
                                                                            my eyes because I realized I
                            Education: St. Anthony of Padua School          wasn’t supposed to be doing
                            in Butler, N.J.; Neumann Prep in Wayne,         what I was doing. She said,
                            N.J.; Felician College in Lodi, N.J.; Mary-     “You’re disrespecting Jesus
                            wood University in Scranton, Pa.                in the Blessed Sacrament
                            Current Assignment: Diocesan wide-              by talking to your friend.” I
                            area network coordinator, Director of           said, “I’m sorry, Mrs. Smith.”
                            Formation for Wives in the Diaconate            She said, “Don’t say sorry to
                            Program, and a columnist for The Catholic       me, say sorry to Him.” I knelt
                            Witness
                                                                            there, looking at the Blessed
                                                                            Sacrament, and said, “Sorry
 Tell me about your childhood.         there, and I was not going to go     I disrespected you.” I had an
   I grew up in a little borough       where my sister went! She was a      incredible experience with
called Butler in northeast New         cheerleader, and I wasn’t her.       Christ, and as an eight-year-
Jersey. I am the second of three           From Neumann Prep, I went        old, I dedicated myself to Him.
children. I have a sister who is       to Felician College in Lodi, N.J.,   I didn’t know what that meant,
eight years older than I am, and       which is about an hour and           but I knew He was calling me
a younger brother who is eleven        20 minutes east from where I         to something deeper.
months younger than I am. There        grew up. Felician was run by            Between seventh and
is a baby between my sister and        the Franciscans of St. Felix, a      eighth grade, I was in a very
I, who my mom lost. My mother          Polish community. I majored in       serious car accident. My
could conceive but could not           special education and minored        mother was driving the car,
carry children to full term. I was     in elementary education, and         which hydroplaned, flipped,
my sister’s First Communion            it’s where I met the Sisters         hit a tree and spun on its
wish. She wanted a baby sister,        of Christian Charity. Their          roof. I was thrown out the
and I was born January 18,             temporary-professed Sisters went     window, 75 feet from the car.
1961.                                  to school with me and I was very     I needed 350 stitches and six
   I went to our parish                much intrigued by going to school    operations to put me back
elementary school, St. Anthony         with them.                           together. I had to learn how to
of Padua. It closed in the 90s.                                             walk again.
                                         Had you been thinking about
I was taught by the Franciscan                                                 As I came to understand
                                        a religious vocation while you
Sisters of the Sacred Heart.                                                what happened to me, people
                                                 were in school?
The Sisters who taught me                                                   said, “You could have died.”
                                          The first time I thought about
really showed me about prayer                                               But I did die. I came to on
                                       religious life was when I was
and about Christ. They were                                                 the side of the road, I never
                                       in second grade. The only lay
amazing.                                                                    opened my eyes, but I could
                                       teacher in my elementary school
   I went to a diocesan high                                                hear voices. I asked, “What
                                       was my second-grade teacher,
school, which closed in the mid-                                            happened? How is my mom?”
                                       and during Lent we had a tradition
90s. It was named Neumann                                                   Someone said, “Was there
                                       where the whole school would
Prep, after St. John Neumann. I                                             anybody else in the car?” I
                                       spend time in front of the Blessed
was in the second class of girls                                            got quiet. I remember seeing
                                       Sacrament. Then there was
to go there. It was a high school                                           myself, as a bird would see
                                       Benediction and Stations of the
seminary at one point. The other                                            me, and was very conscious
                                       Cross. I was sitting in the third
diocesan high school nearby            pew talking to my best friend
was DePaul. My sister went                                                  More THE CALLED, page 11
December 23, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 11
     THE CALLED, from 10             and knowing I was home. My            if I belonged.
                                     reaction to that was, “Oh shoot.”
of the color of the tarp they                                               What do you remember from
                                        Coming home after that
put over me because it was                                                  your first day in the convent?
                                     weekend, I went to the front
pouring rain. The first responder                                             The application and spiritual
                                     door of my house and my father
uniforms were hunter green                                                 biography you had to write
                                     screamed from the second floor
and the tarp was a royal blue.                                             was overwhelming. Getting
                                     that over his dead body was
I never opened my eyes, but I                                              clothes and things you need.
                                     I entering the convent until I
could tell you those colors. The                                           Even though I was entering, my
                                     graduated from college. I yelled,
voices said, “Is she gone?” I                                              parents were still responsible
                                     “Oh yeah? Who is paying for
knew what that meant, I was                                                for me. I wanted to give them
                                     college? You’re not, I am!” He
like, “Nope, I am right here!”                                             money so I wouldn’t be a
                                     said, “But you’re living here.”
I had emergency surgery                                                    financial burden to them, and
                                        By the time I graduated from
because of the amount of glass                                             so they could use the money I
                                     college, I was only living at
that was under my skin was                                                 gave them during my initial four
                                     home part-time. I had landed
horrific.                                                                  years of formation. They had to
                                     a job at a psychiatric treatment
    Those events made me                                                   pay a little bit for my room and
                                     center for emotionally ill children
realize that God saved me for                                              board and academics.
                                     and I lived there for three
a specific reason. But in high                                                The first day, I was in a mud-
                                     years on and off. In order to
school, I didn’t want it. I didn’t                                         brown uniform, white blouse,
                                     make tuition, I was working
want to be a nun. Nuns were                                                brown shoes. My trunk with all
                                     full-time and part-time jobs,
holy, and I wasn’t holy. I had a                                           my belongings filled the car. I
                                     and maintaining a 3.8 average
snarky attitude. I used my fists.                                          didn’t think my family and my
                                     because I was on an academic
My brother is on the Autism                                                congregation had any ties. I
                                     scholarship.
spectrum and would get picked                                              could remember helping my
                                        By the time I graduated
on, and I was his defender. I                                              dad with the trunk, which was
                                     college in 1983, I was burnt
beat people up. My parents                                                 all I had. An older Sister, named
                                     out. The convent was a
were constantly coming in to                                               Sister Louise, was outside at
                                     welcome respite, so I entered.
the principal’s, especially to the                                         the motherhouse. She asked
                                     In my congregation at the time,
elementary school. One time,                                               my father where he was from,
                                     you had to do two years of
my father said to me, “I expect                                            and he said Bronx, New York.
                                     postulancy, in which I studied
to be called to the principal’s                                            She asked which school he
                                     Theology.
office because of my son, not                                              went to, which was Immaculate
because of my daughter!” I            How do you go from a couple          Conception. It was a school
had a fiery temper. There were         jobs and school, to entering        our congregation taught in.
several holes in the home I                        the convent?            The experiences of him being
grew up in that are now paneled          It felt like home. Being          smacked by the Sisters from the
because of my fist. So religious     obedient to my father, ultimately     same congregation I was called
life was not for me!                 I would get what I wanted, which      to was sobering. When I taught
                                     was to enter after I graduated.       in the Bronx in the same school
  What changed your mind?            Rather than be a burden to my         he went to, I looked for his
   When I went to college,           parents, I worked full-time and       report card, but it was misfiled
a classmate of mine named            any job I could find part-time:       – shucks! But the day I entered
Joan didn’t have a car and           McDonald’s, Baskin Robbins,           the convent, I found there was a
commuted to college via mass         as a lifeguard. Anything I could      family tie to my congregation.
transit. She asked me if I would     do to pay for tuition. When I
driver her to the motherhouse                                                 What did you study before
                                     graduated, I graduated burnt
for a retreat weekend. I can                                                      becoming a Sister?
                                     out and debt free. But I knew all
remember genuflecting in the                                                  After my degree in education,
                                     that work was not life, it was a
motherhouse chapel – it was                                                I got an associate’s in Theology.
                                     moment. I entered the Sisters of
the first time I was there – in      Christian Charity wanting to see
front of the Blessed Sacrament,                                             More THE CALLED, page 12
December 23, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 12
     THE CALLED, from 11             learned how to swear from kids           Chastity means that I
                                     who had emotional problems.           love Jesus only; Christ is
As a religious, you really need
                                     I saw a side of life that few         my beloved. I remember
to know your faith. We also took
                                     people did. I lived with those        in postulancy, there was a
what we called Instructions,
                                     kids for two and a half years. I      vocations day where an older
which was basic spirituality
                                     wasn’t lily white, I wasn’t holy by   Sister said, “Most people
and how to pray the Office, the
                                     any means, and yet God called         think that when you become a
Rosary and the Stations of the
                                     me. I thought, “Well, God called      religious, you give up men. Nah,
Cross – things that, because I
                                     the apostles and they were a          I give up a man to get Christ
grew up in the 70s, were alien
                                     ragtag bunch, so maybe he is          instead.” It’s exclusive love to
to girls my age.
                                     calling me!”                          love Christ above all.
    There was another woman
                                         I can remember walking               Obedience means when
who entered with me, Jean. She
                                     to the edge of the convent            my superior tells me to go
was in her 40s at the time. She
                                     property and saying, “I have a        somewhere or do something –
was temporary-professed in
                                     thumb; I could keep going and         unless there is a really serious
an Italian order in upstate New
                                     leave.” But that thought was          reason – I have to do it. I
York, and during the upheaval of
                                     fleeting. We were told in the         realized the snark was pride
the Second Vatican Council, she
                                     process of discerning that if         and arrogance. When you begin
left and became a lay woman
                                     something came up, let it go. If      to deal with that, it’s your will,
before feeling called again to
                                     it came up again, let it go. But      not God’s will. It’s part of the
religious life. She journeyed with
                                     if it came up a third time, then      continual conversion that we’re
me in my class until first-year
                                     you need to talk about it. The        all called to – and it’s continual
novitiate. A year after me, they
                                     thought of leaving never came         for me because I’m still snarky.
changed formation to one year
                                     up a third time for me.                  On August 16, 1985, I made
of postulancy. A woman named
                                         I remember my postulancy          my first vows. I made those
Mary Ann entered a year behind
                                     year. It was horrible. Prayer         three vows temporarily for one
me and we all received our
                                     was dry. Community life was           year. You make those vows like
religious names and our habit
                                     irritating me. My directress was      you’re going to say it for the rest
together. Jean and Mary Ann
                                     like a gnat in front of my face.      of your life. There is wisdom in
both discerned out of religious
                                     I could do nothing right. It was      that because once you leave
life, so I am the only Sister for
                                     miserable. And I kept looking at      initial formation, you’re going
my class. I jokingly say that
                                     the Cross, saying, “Jesus, you        from a very secure and intense
whenever I look at myself in the
                                     hung there. I can hang here. If       moment and into the real world
mirror, I have a class reunion.
                                     this is really truly what you want,   where you begin you’re ministry.
  When did you profess your          I’m hanging with you.” Come           Now, there’s cooking, cleaning,
               vows?                 Easter Sunday, there was such         responsibility of ministry.
   On August 16, 1985, I             joy. I realized that’s what the       There’s all these spinning plates
professed my first vows, and         journey of Lent was all about.        and you fall on your face. That’s
then every year after for the                                              why they’re renewed every year.
                                      Explain what it means to take
next six, I renewed my vows.                                               Not only are you discerning if
                                                 final vows.
On August 15, 1994, I made my                                              you’re actually called to this; the
                                        Our congregation take three
final vows. It’s ten years in my                                           community is also discerning
                                     vows: poverty, chastity and
congregation from the time you                                             whether you are as well.
                                     obedience. Poverty is, “I don’t
enter until the time you make                                                 After six years, you make
                                     own anything, and what I do
your final vows, and you can                                               your final vows, which means
                                     use, I use at the discretion of
discern-out anytime in between.                                            I perpetually vowed poverty,
                                     the community.” I don’t receive
  Did you ever have times of                                               chastity and obedience
                                     a salary, I don’t receive a car. I
             doubt?                                                        according to the Constitutions of
                                     hold on to material things very
  I doubted the snarky attitude,                                           the Sisters of Christian Charity.
                                     loosely because they’re not
the foul-mouthed individual. I       mine.
                                                                            More THE CALLED, page 13
December 23, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 13
        THE CALLED, from 12        a trade so she could maintain a computer science to one of our
                                   lifestyle.                           local schools. My fourth year, I
It’s like a wedding day. We            Mother Pauline wrote more        was a seventh-grade teacher.
wear a white cape, as Mother       than 2,000 letters, and her          That was hard, because I was
Pauline, our foundress, did.       stories of working with the blind neither fish nor fowl. I was a
We get a wedding band. You         touched my heart. She had love Sister but I was not connected
can either get a wedding band      for the kids who were broken,        to the parish. That was hard,
from your family, or you can       and that’s why I was drawn.          and again, my imprudence and
get one from the congregation.                                          my immaturity made things
My wedding band was my                Where have you served in
                                                                        even worse. You only learn that
grandmother’s. It’s engraved                  your ministry?
                                                                        in hindsight.
with my initials, Jesus, Mary and      I was six years in mission
                                                                            When I returned to mission
Joseph, Augustine and the date before my final vows. I spent            life, I went to St. Nicholas
of my final vows. That will get    my first year in St. Mary’s in
                                                                        in Jersey City and was a
recycled when I die, and melted Hackettstown, N.J., teaching            seventh-grade math and
down to be given to another        eight grade. I had no clue how
                                                                        science teacher. Then I went to
Sister.                            to do it! I had 28 kids in my first
                                                                        Immaculate Conception in the
                                   class, and it was a very wide
 Tell me about Mother Pauline. by narrow classroom. In the              Bronx again, and it was there
    She was a tall woman. She                                           that I flowered for six years.
                                   back of the room was a pipe
was the oldest of four children,                                        It was stable enough for me
                                   with hangers where the kids
born in 1817 and died in 1881.                                          to come into my own. I won a
                                   would hang their coats and
She visited Harrisburg at one                                           grant from the National Catholic
                                   throw their book bags on the
time. What struck me was her                                            Educational Association for
                                   floor. I thought, naively, that 14
love for kids with special needs, 14-year-old boys could handle         integrating religion into the
particularly the blind.            going to the closet for their stuff. academic areas. I was involved
    She was German. During the One kid bent over to pick up             in the parish and the youth
Neapolitan War, the army went                                           group. I learned Spanish from
                                   a book bag and a second kid
to Egypt and brought back an                                            Missionaries of Our Mother of
                                   pushed him through the wall. I
STD that affected the in-utero                                          Perpetual that we lived with.
                                   literally had to pull him out the
development of children’s eyes. wall, and then confess it to my             From there, I went to Wilkes-
At the time, two of three children principal. She practically fired     Barre,   and that was scary
in Egypt were born blind. So                                            because I hadn’t taught Anglo
                                   me on the spot! I wound up
when the army came back and                                             children for six years. It was
                                   staying, and I wanted to do it
brought the STD with them,                                              like speaking a whole different
                                   right the second time.
there was a huge population                                             language. The first week of
                                       I then went to Immaculate
of kids who were blind, and                                             school, kids were going home
                                   Conception in the Bronx. I had
they had no idea how to teach                                           crying because I would snap my
                                   a tremendous principal who
them. Mother Pauline, as a lay                                          fingers and say “Move.” That
                                   took me under her wing. I told
woman, began a kindergarten                                             was the way I handled inner-city
                                   her, “I did everything wrong my
and a Catholic school for the                                           kids, but not so in Wilkes-Barre.
                                   first year, and I’m hoping to do
blind. She accepted poor kids                                               Then I came to Harrisburg,
                                   everything right.” I had 41 kids
off the street. She came across                                         and was at Bishop McDevitt.
                                   in that class, and they were
a woman who was a dwarf and                                             The school got a major grant
                                   broken kids. They knew that I
was blind, and was literally tied  loved them, and we both healed and created a 64-workstation
to her mother’s flower cart.                                            computer lab. I was responsible
                                   each other.
Pauline said to the mother, “Let                                        for putting that together and
                                       Two years in formation
me take care of your daughter.” and then two years at the               creating the curriculum, since
The mother agreed, and the                                              I had just finished my master’s
                                   motherhouse was part of our
woman became a ward of the                                              in instructional technology. It
                                   formation. So I went back to
congregation. Pauline taught       the motherhouse and taught
her how to weave and gave her                                              More THE CALLED, page 14
December 23, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 14
     THE CALLED, from 13              about education, but then           Father Schenck asked me and
                                      realized the need for theology      I said, “How am I qualified?”
was a city environment, and I
                                      and relationships with God. The He said, “You’re as qualified as
thrived.
                                      rest, they say, is history. I’ve    any of the apostles were.” My
    I became a part of the
                                      been writing for The Witness for provincial said, “How are you
Diocesan Technology
                                      ten years, and have done more qualified?” I said, “That’s exactly
Committee, and we were
                                      than 200 articles.                  what I asked Father Schenck.”
looking at a telecommunication
                                          I’ve been involved in Rachel’s She told me to pray about it,
grant in addition to one from
                                      Vineyard retreats for healing       and it was a hands-down yes.
Lancaster Intermediate Unit 13.
                                      from abortion and director of       This is how you make the
We received a $1.7 million grant
                                      formation for the wives in the      love of God visible in the local
that created a fiber network, the
                                      diaconate program. I remember Church.
wide-area network, to connect
                                      dropping a Sister off at the            I was expecting that there
all our schools. It was my
                                      Diocesan Center when the class would be a curriculum I’d be
responsibility to write the job
                                      of deacons from 2010 was just       using. Father Schenck said to
description for the wide-area
                                      ending their formation. I said,     me, “The USCCB hasn’t made
network coordinator, and our
                                      “Holy Spirit, it would be really    a curriculum for the guys, let
IT director turned to me and
                                      cool if I could work with future    alone for their wives, so you
asked if I wanted the job. I said
                                      candidates.” Well fat chance! I     basically have open freedom
no, because I was teaching,
                                      don’t have a degree in theology, on this.” So we started with the
but a year later I took the WAN
                                      my degree is in technology.         dignity and vocation of women,
coordinator job.
                                      Fast forward, and I was asked       because there are few women
    I left teaching in a classroom
                                      to be a keynote speaker             in this world who know what
setting to come here, and
                                      for the Diocesan Council of         the Church says we’re called
that was 11 years ago. I
                                      Catholic Women at their annual to be; not what the culture calls
still maintain the wide-area
                                      convention, and I spoke for         feminism but feminism as in the
network. I’ve become a regular
                                      40 minutes about joy and the        heart and dignity of women. I
contributor to The Catholic
                                      voice of a Catholic woman. I got began there and let the Holy
Witness newspaper, which
                                      a standing ovation and about        Spirit drive me. I published
has been a tremendous gift
                                      a dozen people approached           one of my talks online so the
because I didn’t know I could
                                      me about being their spiritual      wives could go back and listen
write. Part of the grant that we
                                      director. I realized there was no to it. The new diaconate class
received for the WAN allowed
                                      list in the diocese of people who was ordained in September,
us to be part of Powerful
                                      function as spiritual directors,    and they’re my sons and
Learning Practices, which is a
                                      and there is no program to train daughters in the true sense
training session for teachers on
                                      them, either. I prayed about it     because I grew up with them. In
integrated technology within the
                                      and went to Bishop Gainer. I        September we’re going to start
curriculum. Because of my role
                                      said, “Your spiritual daughters     another diaconate class, and
here, I was considered a fellow
                                      are hungry. I have a plan but       I’ve been asked to remain as
and I began helping teachers
                                      I need your blessing.” That’s       formation director for the wives.
learn how to integrate. I learned
                                      where the conversation started
that I could write, and I learned                                            That’s a wealth of ministry.
                                      to begin a program to train lay
that people responded to the                                                What do you do to unwind?
                                      guides for the Diocese. The first
way I write; so much so that                                                  I’m an artist, so I draw, I
                                      class graduates this month.
they offered me a job. I said,                                            paint, I play with stained-glass.
                                         Also at the time, Father Paul
“No, because I wouldn’t be able                                           One of the gifts of the car
                                      Schenck was named director
to talk about God.” I approached                                          accident I was in: I carried a
                                      of formation for the diaconate
Jen Reed, the managing editor                                             piece of glass in my body for
                                      formation program, and Bishop
of The Witness, and asked                                                 25 years. I could feel it, it was
                                      Gainer said he wanted a
if she wanted someone to                                                  in my forehead. When I would
                                      program for the deacons’ wives
collaborate with. I started writing                                         More THE CALLED, page 15
                                      and that he wanted me to do it.
December 23, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 15
     THE CALLED, from 14               Undefeated Courage is a non-         and there were about 20 cards
                                       profit sidewalk counseling           in line. I was determined to not
tell the story of the car accident     ministry and I was honored to        add to the air pollution, and I
and that I was saved by God’s          be asked to donate 25 pieces         turned the car off. I did this as
will, I allowed my students to         for an auction to help purchase      the line moved, and when I got
feel the glass. One kid pushed         their mobile ultrasound              closer to the window, I realized
a little hard, and I yelled, “Ow!      machine. The auction earned          I didn’t have hand sanitizer
That really hurt!” A month later,      $20,000 in one evening.              and I’d have to touch the drive-
someone asked me if they could            I’ve had one professional         through canister. I was freaking
feel it, and it was gone. Six          art show, and that was 11            out! I kept saying, “Jesus, I
months later, I got a boil on my       years ago. One of the Knights        trust in You. Jesus, I trust in
thigh and I went to the doctor to      of Columbus at the Cathedral         You.” When my turn came, the
get it lanced. Inside the boil was     Parish had an art gallery and he     car wouldn’t start. I had a dead
a piece of glass. I have a very        allowed me to show my artwork        battery. I got out and asked,
close relationship with glass.         there. It was such a gift.           “Could someone push me out
A friend of mine gave me her                                                of the way? My battery is dead.”
entire stained-glass studio, so          What advice would you give
                                                                            Some people helped to push it,
I make stained-glass windows            a snarky college student who
                                                                            and I began calling the Sisters,
and pieces of art.                     has heard the call to religious
                                                                            because the convent was just
   I’m also a seamstress. I make            life but is ignoring it?
                                                                            down the street. One didn’t
a lot of my own clothes and a lot         Search your heart and find
                                                                            answer because her phone
of the Sisters’ clothes as a sign      out what brings you peace, not
                                                                            was off. Another didn’t answer
of my own vow of simplicity and        what the world says brings you
                                                                            because she didn’t recognize
poverty. I had a small sewing          peace. As bizarre as it might
                                                                            my number. A third just didn’t
business in college to help            be, think about what gives you
                                                                            answer. And they were all
make a buck.                           peace, and then go for it. Not
                                                                            sitting around the same table!
                                       money, not fame, but peace that
 How important is it for you to                                             The fourth one answered, and
                                       lasts, because that’s the peace
   find time for your craft, and                                            I asked her to come so that
                                       God wants for you.
 how does it connect you with                                               we could jump my car. I was
            your beloved?                  Is there anything else you       standing there waiting with the
    My very first spiritual director            would like to share?        hood up and about a dozen
was a priest from Portland,                 I live in the Holy Spirit       people stopped and asked if I
Maine, stationed in Columbia           Hospital convent with 14             needed help.
Presbyterian Hospital. He was          amazing women. The youngest              I still hadn’t done my banking.
an artist, a sculptor. He made         is in her 30s and the oldest is      A teller came out and asked
me own my artwork. I remember          way beyond her retirement age,       if they could help with the
drawing a picture of Christ            I’ll put it that way. They make      banking, so they got all my stuff
on the Cross when my dad               me want to be holy.                  done. The Sister came, we
was dying of lung cancer. My                My father said that, for him,   jumped the car, and I headed
spiritual director said, “You did      proof of God is that women can       back to the convent. As I was
this? Well, you’re going to do         share the same kitchen without       driving, I was growling at God,
more.” When I would go to him,         killing each other. We do that       “Come on. Why did this have
he would say, “Draw. Draw what         24/7.                                to be so hard?” He said to me,
you’re feeling.” He made me             How have you been changed           “Are you done yet? You were
own my artwork as an extension                    by the pandemic?          afraid to touch the drive-through
of my spiritual journey.                    I wrote an article for The      canister. You didn’t have to. I
    I “live” with a piece of artwork   Witness when the pandemic            took care of you. I will take care
until it stops speaking to me,         had just started. I offered to       of you through all of this.”
and then I can let it go. I sell       go to the bank for one of our            The pandemic has been a
it, but most of them I give            Sisters who is the treasurer. I
away. That’s part of the gift.         drove up to the drive-through         More THE CALLED, page 16
December 23, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 16

                                                         THE CALLED, from 15
                                 rollercoaster ride, don’t get me wrong. I mind the loneliness. One
     Diocesan                    of the downsides of being a confident and competent woman is,
                                 people don’t realize you need help.
  Youth Protection                   A bigger issue with Covid is that we’re in this together. The
     Program                     entire world is facing the same thing, so this is really a lesson in
                                 community. It’s funny how our culture has become divisive instead
To report suspected abuse of     of united, and part of that is fear. Get down on your knees and say,
a minor, call the toll free PA   “It’s Ok. God is in charge.” We are his creatures. To find that peace
    Child Abuse Hotline:         and love is what this is all about.
      1-800-932-0313             (Interview conducted by Chris Heisey, The Catholic Witness.)

To report suspected abuse of
a minor by a church official,
employee or volunteer, also                          Respect Life Mass
                                       On the 4th Day of the 9 Days for Life Novena, the Diocese of Harrisburg
 please call the Diocese of                  will offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for expectant fathers
Harrisburg Youth Protection            to lovingly support the mothers of their children in welcoming new life.
          Hotline:
 1-800-626-1608 or email:
      ReportAbuse@
      hbgdiocese.org

Para reportar la sospecha del
abuso de un menor, llame al
número de teléfono gratuíto
 Línea de Ayuda Abuso del
     Niño Pennsylvania
      1-800-932-0313
Para reportar la sospecha del
abuso de un menor a manos
   de un official, empleado
  o voluntario de la iglesia,
también llame al número de
 teléfono gratuíto de ayuda
          diocesana:
   1-800-626-1608 o envíe        Principal Celebrant
     correo electrónico:         Most Reverend Ronald W. Gainer
       ReportAbuse@              Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 9:30 a.m.
       hbgdiocese.org            Cathedral Parish of Saint Patrick • Harrisburg, PA
                                 Live Stream Available: www.youtube.com/hbgdiocese
                                 9 Days for Life Novena, January 21-29. Sign up today at www.9daysforlife.com
                                                             The Respect Life Mass is sponsored by the Diocese Office of Family and Respect Life Ministries
                                                                                                                            www.hbgdiocese.org/respectlife
December 23, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 17
Obituary:                                              Campaign Medal and Unit Citation of the Vietnam
Father Robert F. Berger, KHS                           Cross of Gallantry.
                            Father (Colonel) Robert       Father Berger is a life member of the American
                          F. Berger, KHS, died         Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He
                          at his family home on        was a member of the Knights of Columbus, 4th
                          December 14, 2020.           Degree and was selected as Knight of the Year,
                          He was a priest of the       Mary Gate of Heaven and State Exemplification
                          Diocese of Harrisburg for    Honoree in 2016. He is a graduate of Command
                          58 years.                    and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth.
                             He was born August           Father Berger earned three master’s degrees,
                          30, 1935, in Locust Gap,     one in Psychology and two in Theology, and
                          the son of the late George   wrote training manuals for the first class of
                          Francis and Josephine        permanent deacons in the Diocese and another
                          (Heiser) Berger.             for marital counseling. He was given the
                             He graduated from         ecclesiastical honor of Knight of the Equestrian
                          St. Charles College,         Order of the Holy Sepulchre (KHS) in Jerusalem
Catonsville, Md., in 1956, and from St. Charles        by Cardinal Edwin O’Brien.
Seminary, Overbrook, Pa. and was ordained on              Father Berger was preceded in death by his
May 19, 1962, by Bishop George Leech.                  parents, George Francis and Josephine, his
   Throughout his priesthood, Father Berger’s          sister, Sister Patricia Ann, and nephew, Robert
various parish assignments in the Diocese were         Christian. He is survived by his sister, Kathleen
as assistant pastor at Good Shepherd Parish,           Ferdock, of Bloomsburg and brother Francis of
Camp Hill; Assumption of the Blessed Virgin            Elysburg, and many nieces and nephews
Mary Parish, Lebanon; St Francis Xavier Parish,           Mass of Transferal will be celebrated at Our
Gettysburg; and pastor at Mary, Gate of Heaven         Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Mount Carmel
Parish, Myerstown. He entered the Pennsylvania         on December 29 at 7 p.m. by Father Jonathan
National Guard and then served on active duty as       Sawicki. Father Berger’s body will be present at
a chaplain from 1967-1993. In January 1993, he         the church from 5-6:45 p.m. for private prayer. A
was appointed pastor of Mary, Gate of Heaven           Rosary will be prayed at 6 p.m., before the Mass
Parish until his retirement on January 31, 2017.       at 7 p.m. Private prayer will follow until 9 p.m.
   Father Berger was an avid reader who did             The Mass of Christian Burial will be a Latin High
extensive research for the more than 600               Mass, by invitation only, at the Carmel of Jesus,
thought-provoking homilies he printed and filed        Mary and Joseph in Elysburg on December
for future use. He founded the WW II Chaplains         30 at 11 a.m. Bishop Ronald Gainer will be the
Memorial Foundation to bring attention to the          celebrant. Burial will be in All Saints Cemetery in
important roles of chaplains and to preserve their     Elysburg.
stories, artifacts and photos, including being            Live streaming of both services will be
involved in the effort to have Chaplain Ignatius       available online at
Maternowski promoted to sainthood for his              https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt-u-DeduO_
selfless actions on D-Day, June 6, 1944.               YKu_DE-M4-Ig
   While in the Chaplain Corps, Father Berger             In lieu of flowers, contributions in Father
advanced from the rank of Lieutenant to that of        Berger’s name may be sent to Carmel of Jesus,
Colonel. He served at Fort Bragg and Vietnam           Mary and Joseph Monastery, 430 Monastery Rd,
with 173rd Airborne Brigade, in Korea with the         Elysburg, PA 17824, or to the WWII Chaplains
2nd Infantry Division, and in Germany with the 3rd     Memorial Foundation, PO Box 67, Elysburg, PA
Infantry Division; at Fort Benning and Fort Bliss      17824.
and was Post Chaplain at Fort Leonard Wood                Family and friends may send online
and Fort Stewart. His military awards include:         condolences to www.cjlucasfuneralhome.com.
Bronze star (2ndOLC), Meritorious Service Medal        Condolences may be sent to Father Berger’s
(6thOLC), Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal           brother, Francis Berger, at P.O. Box 20
(2ndOLC), Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam               Elysburg, PA 17824.
December 23, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 18
 Meekness, St. Joseph and the Beatitudes:                                 reminds us
                                                                          that those
        A Quarantine Connection                                           who appear
By Sister Geralyn Schmidt, SCC      found in the link at the bottom of    hidden
     The Catholic Witness           this article1, I thought, “COVID      or in the
   It’s midway through Advent as    has certainly taught all of           shadows
I write this article, and I pause   humanity about the beatitude          can play
to wonder. During the course        of meekness and St. Joseph.”          an incomp-
of the last few days, I have        To quote him, “My desire to           arable
experienced the pandemic first      do so increased during these          role in the
hand. You see, COVID, the           months of pandemic, when              history of
international traveler, made a      we experienced, amid the              salvation.      “Thoughts from a
visit to my little convent. The     crisis, how ‘our lives are woven      A word of      Catholic Evangelist”
Sisters that contracted it are      together and sustained by             recognition
getting better day by day. I        ordinary people, people often         and of gratitude is due to them
was tested and it revealed an       overlooked. People who do             all.” (Patris Corde – Introduction)
amazingly negative diagnosis!       not appear in newspaper and               Each of the individuals that
   So what have I learned during    magazine headlines, or on             Pope Francis mentioned have
these days of quarantine? Since     the latest television show, yet       strength not only because they
the experience is still too fresh   in these very days are surely         are Sons and Daughters of
for me, I cannot put to words       shaping the decisive events of        God but also because of their
the total lessons learned. At a     our history. Doctors, nurses,         ministry and the work they
very high level, I can truly say    storekeepers and supermarket          do for others. For me, they
that this entire journey has been   workers, cleaning personnel,          epitomize meekness to the
a grace, since I have thought a     caregivers, transport workers,        “nth degree!” They go about
lot about the global experience     men and women working to              their work often unnoticed and
of so many people who are           provide essential services and        under-appreciated, doing every
experiencing sorrow, grief, fear,   public safety, volunteers, priests,   tiny work for another purpose:
frustration, and the list goes on   men and women religious, and          to serve someone else and to
and on.                             so very many others. They             make someone else’s life a little
   At the beginning of my           understood that no one is saved       bit better.
quarantine, and the same day        alone… How many people daily              So, what is meekness
in which my Congregation            exercise patience and offer           actually? Meekness is not
celebrated its patronal Feastday,   hope, taking care to spread not       weakness. A meek person is a
December 8, Pope Francis            panic, but shared responsibility.     person who possesses personal
issued an Apostolic Exhortation     How many fathers, mothers,            power, yet chooses to keep that
about the Year of St. Joseph.       grandparents and teachers             power under control. Jesus,
In addition to this, I have been    are showing our children, in          the Incarnated Word of God,
praying and thinking about          small everyday ways, how to           announces, “Learn from me
the Beatitude, “Blessed are         accept and deal with a crisis by      because I am meek and humble
the meek for they shall inherit     adjusting their routines, looking     of heart” (Matthew 11:29). Jesus
the land” as I continue this        ahead and encouraging the             had to learn human meekness
series about the Beatitudes.        practice of prayer? How many          from St. Joseph. Joseph’s entire
Ponderings on three distinct        are praying, making sacrifices        life was lived in obedience to
topics – meekness, St. Joseph       and interceding for the good of       God. When Mary is found to be
and the Beatitudes – somehow        all.’ Each of us can discover in      with child, St. Joseph decides to
interconnected in my heart this     Joseph – the man who goes             divorce her quietly until he was
week. Let’s dive into each, shall   unnoticed, a daily, discreet and      told by an angel that the child is
we?                                 hidden presence – an inter-           of the Holy Spirit. Over and over
   Upon reading the exhortation     cessor, a support and a guide in
by Pope Francis, which can be       times of trouble. Saint Joseph          More MUSINGS, page 19
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