A Commentary for November 1st by Sr. Kathleen Yeadon, OSB

Over the years, as I have taught the Beatitudes at school, I have introduced the idea of changing Bishop Chatard’s mascot from the Trojans to the Beatitudes. It is one of the few times where there is absolute silence –including the one time, the President of the school was sitting there.

The Beatitudes have been for me a lightning rod—attractive and inviting but when I get too close---deadening. The Beatitudes are like Chapter 72 of the Rule—so awesome to think and reflect on but so beyond my wildest dreams of living up to it.I am happy to be able to say—they still call out to me—to keep trying—to believe in the impossible dream.

This week when I began reflecting ---they became a photo album of people who have mirrored them for me. They also reflected events that have gone on in my life where I attempted to guide my life by these verses.

The Gospel passage has also shown me how I have changed over the years. I used to not even be able to say the word meek because all I ever wanted to be was strong.

Peacemaker was not in my working vocabulary either. Now, I appreciate the changes that have occurred in my life.

Normally, when I can’t achieve something, I just give it up and concentrate on something else. The Beatitudes won’t let me give up, they slow down and walk with me ever so gently inviting me to try in small ways to make them visible.

Blessed are those who don’t let fear turn them from the narrow road—for they shall run with hearts wide open with inexpressible joy.

8th Graders serve at the Cathedral Kitchen

Serving God's people meant a lot to me because I got to serve food to people who don't have food to serve themselves. It was a good experience because I saw 1st hand what these people are going through. It was really cool when one of the men stood up and started saying grace. Another man came up to us and told us a joke. It was funny once I figured out what the joke meant! I liked serving God's people at the kitchen. I'm looking forward to going again the next time!

(Liam M. 8th)

Working at the soup kitchen was an interesting experience. It wasn't quite what I was expecting. I've never done anything like it before. At first I was a little nervous because I didn't know how the neighbors would react being served by kids. I could tell it meant a lot to them. Most the people were respectful. I found them to be nice and thoughtful, too. Some even asked how my morning was going and asked how I was feeling. Some told stories and others told jokes. While we were praying one man started singing a song about praising God. It was amazing. I felt close to God afterwards. Knowing that even though they hit a rough patch in their lives, they still looked to God as their Savior. It was an amazing experience and I can't wait to go again.

(Kaitlin O. 8th)

The soup kitchen was a little scary at first...but then I got used to it. Some didn't listen when I told them they could only have one juice. Some of the neighbors were nice while others were cranky. I got used to them getting upset with us. I had a hard time using the can opener because I had never used that kind before. I stayed at the juice station most of the time. It was a pretty good experience. I didn't like missing mass at Holy Name...but I was glad I got to serve God's people instead. I look forward to going again sometime.

(Lucy M. 8th)

Another article about my brother, Bishop-elect Paul Etienne

By now the word is out that my brother, Paul, is the Bishop-elect for Cheyenne, WY. I've had over a week to process the news. I'm still amazed at what our God is calling my brother to do. The other day the 4th graders and I were talking about the rich young man who asked Jesus what he needed to do to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus basically told him he needed to follow the commandments. Feeling quite smug the young man told Jesus that he did that...is there anything else I need to do? I always thought at this point he should have stopped while he was ahead! Jesus then goes on to tell the man he needed to sell all his possessions and come follow him. The rich young man lowered his head and walked away sadly. (We don't really know if the young man did what Jesus told him to do. We just know that it was a hard request to hear.) The parable tells us he had lots of treasures. I share this story with you because I couldn't help but think of my brother, Paul. He doesn't have "many earthly treasures." He does have many friends and family here in Indiana who love him and who will miss him...and whom he loves and will miss as well. Though there may be an element of sadness in Paul's heart to leave behind the people and the parish world he loves so much...his heart is not sadden because he knows he is doing the work of God whom he loves above all else. What a beautiful role model Paul is for me. Sometimes following the call of God is hard and we may be sad at what we are asked to do. Trusting that God knows what is best for us and living a life of prayer makes it easier to answer God's call...knowing full well that in saying, "YES" ultimately we will find joy and happiness. I pray to have his courage and zeal to know, love and serve God so unconditionally. Thank you Paul for saying "YES" to the call of God over and over again!

The following link will take you to a wonderful article Sean Gallagher, from the Criterion, wrote about Bishop-elect Paul.

Bishop-designate Etienne reflects on episcopal appointment

Students reflect on Adoration Part 4

Adoration is a very peaceful time for me. I can talk to God. I can pray the Rosary. I can feel God right next to me. I can also feel God's grace. (Josie B. 5th)


Adoration is different from mass. There is not a lot of kids or older people at Adoration. The church is filled with incense. The church is very quiet. When we went to Adoration I prayed the Rosary. (Dylan L. 5th)


There was Adoration in the air! It made me feel peaceful. It made me closer to God. I enjoy the smell of incense in the air. The Monstrance looks like the sun. Adoration makes my soul happy! (Nicole F. 5th)


Adoration was very holy to me. It was almost like reconciliation. It let me confess my sins to God. I felt pure of heart. I liked praying the Rosary. I got three decades in. It helped me communicate better with God. (Grant D. 5th)


When I walked into Church, I felt I was in the holiest place. It was like God saying hi to me. I felt I was face to face with God. I said one decade of the Rosary. It was different than mass. (Chris T. 5th)

Fr. Matthias Neuman's Homily for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Oct. 25, 2009

Readings: Jer 31:7-9; Heb 5:1-6; Mark 10:46-52

This homily is the last of my series on the theology of consecrated life in recent Vatican documents. For the great majority of items in these documents that I’ve been exploring, you can honestly say, "We are doing all that." But there are some issues that will challenge and push some communities to sharpen their understanding and practice. We want to look at some of those today. I think it helps if you see all of these points as efforts to apply teachings of the Second Vatican Council to communities of consecrated life. They won’t appear new to us because we have been doing them for over twenty-five years, but they are new to official church teaching about consecrated life.

The first is the theme of the "community charism." Vatican II in its decree, Perfectae Caritatis, instructed all such communities to re-discover the primitive inspiration of the community and its development in history. (#2) The Congregation would like to see that communities have done that. Most Benedictine houses, federations and congregations have been doing that for thirty years. An added piece, however, is making sure that the various components of the community charism are attended to in the formation programs, both initial and ongoing.

That brings us to the second theme, formation programs, and specifically "ongoing formation." Again, this begins from Vatican II’s more historical and developmental view of persons and communities as seen in the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World. The Vatican documents really incorporate some good psychological and sociological information in conjunction with this point. Our ongoing formation program at St. Meinrad really didn’t get started until the mid 1980s. Up until that time what a person got after final vows was pretty meager. The abbot was supposed to give us a spiritual conference two or three times a year, and that was it. In the fifteen plus years that I was in that situation, I only remember one abbot’s conference. Abbot Gabriel Verkamp came in one time and began by quoting chapter 16 of Jeremiah, in which Jeremiah complains about all the "filthy things" going on among the people of Israel. Then the abbot said, "There are filthy things going on in this monastery." All our ears pricked up—something juicy was coming. Then he urged us to conversion, to give up all the "filthy things" that were going on in the monastery. Unfortunately, he never specified what "filthy things" he was referring to. We all left the conference disappointed.

The third theme is "relations with the laity." Before Vatican II a good monk or sister was to basically avoid them. But Vatican II defined a new place for the laity in the Church. They were endowed by God with charisms of their own. (LG ##30-38) These Vatican documents encourage openly many positive interactions between members of consecrated communities and the Catholic laity, and they express this beautifully: "Appropriate contact between the values characteristic of the lay vocation, such as a more concrete perception of the life of the world, of culture, politics, economics, etc., and the values characteristic of religious life, such as the radical following of Christ...can become a fruitful exchange of gifts between the lay faithful and religious communities." They also call us to offer the laity a sharing in the spiritual charism of our community. You have your Oblate program and are in good stead in that regard.

The last theme is "ecumenical relationships." Vatican II was a new beginning in relations with other Christian churches. Communities of consecrated life are called to be a part of that in prayer and activities. In reading all these pages the one passage that jolted me the most was this: "The Synod on Consecrated Life highlighted the close connection between the consecrated life and ecumenism. .... There is an urgent need for consecrated persons to give more space in their lives to ecumenical prayer and genuine evangelical witness. No Institute of Consecrated Life should feel itself dispensed from working for this cause." Again with your Women Touched by Grace program you are in good shape.

Fr. Paul Etienne...Bishop-Elect of Cheyenne, WY

The following is a press release from the Diocese of Cheyenne. The entire Etienne Family wants to thank everyone for your prayers, support and congrats over the last few days. It has been an overwhelming experience. Bishop-elect Paul feels a deep sense of peace and is excited about serving God's people in the Diocese of Cheyenne. My family will be traveling to Cheyenne for this amazing celebration which will be December 9th. Please keep us in your prayers as we promise to do the same for you!

The Most Reverend Paul D. Etienne, is named the new Bishop of the Diocese of Cheyenne.

Cheyenne, Wyoming. October 19, 2009 – The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, today announced the appointment of the Most Reverend Paul D. Etienne as the Eighth Bishop of the Diocese of Cheyenne.

Bishop-elect Etienne will take possession of this Diocese at a special ceremony in early December.

Bishop-elect Etienne, 50, is pastor of St. Paul in Tell City, Indiana and St. Mark in St. Mark. Bishop-elect Etienne was born on June 15, 1959, as the second son to Paul and Kay (Voges) Etienne. Two of Bishop-elect Etienne’s brothers, Bernard and Zachary, are priests for the Diocese of Evansville, Indiana and one of his two sisters, Nicolette, is a Benedictine Sister with Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove, Indiana. Another brother, Richard, is married and lives in Newburg, Indiana, and another sister, Angela Kellems, is married and lives in Evansville, Indiana.

He graduated from Tell City High School. Before entering college he was Manager of Siebert’s Clothing Store in Tell City, Indiana. He attended Bellarmine College in Louisville, Kentucky (1983-1984), and graduated from the University of St. Thomas / St. John Vianney College Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. In 1986-1987 he served with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) as Assistant Coordinator for Papal Visits for Pope John Paul II to the United States. From 1988-1992 he attended the North American College in Rome and received a STB (Bachelor of Sacred Theology) at the Pontifical Gregorian University.

Bishop-elect Etienne was ordained a priest on June 27, 1992 for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. His first appointment was as Associate Pastor at St. Barnabas in Indianapolis and Associate Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. From 1994-1995 he attended the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, receiving his STL (License in Spiritual Theology).

Following assignments and appointments:
1995-1998 Vocation Director, Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Pastor, St. Anne, Jennings County; Pastor. St. Joseph, Jennings County
1998-2007 Pastor, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Albany, Indiana
2007-2009 Vice-Rector, Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary, Indianapolis
2007-2008 Pastor, St. Simon, Indianapolis
2008-2009 Pastor, St. John the Evangelist, Indianapolis


Other assignments include:
Spiritual Director, St. Meinrad School of Theology
Archdiocesan Review Board
Advisory Board, Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary
Board of Consultors
Council of Priests
Vice-Postulator for the cause of Servant of God, Bishop Simon Bruté

Bishop-elect Etienne will become the Eighth Bishop of the Diocese of Cheyenne, succeeding the Most Reverend David L. Ricken who served the Diocese of Cheyenne from September 2001 to August 2008. Since August, Father Michael Carr of the Diocese of Cheyenne has been the Diocesan Administrator. He will continue in this capacity until the newly appointed Bishop is installed in early December.

Established in 1887, the Diocese of Cheyenne is home to over 53,000 Catholics. It has 36 parishes and 36 missions. There are 52 active priests, 17 retired priests, 22 deacons, and 15 sisters.

Students reflect on Adoration Part 3

Today the Eucharist was displayed in a special holder called a Monstrance. During Adoration we go to church to pray and worship Jesus. Sr. Nicolette took us to church. We brought Rosaries to pray with as a group. It was really holy when we went to church and knelt before the Blessed Sacrament. It was cool going to church with Sr. Nicolette. (Jack S. 5th)

When we went to Adoration I felt peaceful. I felt close to God. I smelled the incense and it felt like God was right next to me. I prayed for my family in the silence. After I said some prayers, I said some Hail Marys and Our Fathers. When we came out of Adoration I felt peaceful. (Katie D. 5th)

I thought Adoration was a very special time because it was very quiet. I prayed to God the entire time. I asked for forgiveness. I got to see Jesus. Nick G. 5th)

I enjoyed Adoration because I got to talk to Jesus alone. I enjoyed talking to Jesus alone because I got to tell him some things. When I was at Adoration I enjoyed praying the Rosary in church. When I was at Adoration I also go to see the Eucharist which is Jesus. Adoration meant a lot to me because it was a very prayerful moment. I think Adoration is a very good time to talk to Jesus alone. (Alexis F. 5th)

Adoration means that hour I love Jesus when He comforts me. Jesus is really there. I love Jesus for dying on the cross for me. For giving me my parents and for protecting my entire family. I love Jesus . (Madilyn B. 5th)