Cardinal Seán's Blog

Before I move on to more serious matters, I would like to wish everyone a happy and blessed St. Patrick’s day!

As I mentioned in my post last week, there was recently a raid on a factory in New Bedford where the owner had a government contract and employed many undocumented workers and where they were working under very poor conditions. Immigration officials apprehended the undocumented workers, many of whom were young parents, and many were sent off to detention centers in other states. The raid and detentions have caused quite a bit of havoc for those families and quite a bit of upset in the local community.

I was able to have very good conversations with the head of immigration services as well as with Senator Edward Kennedy, who has been a champion in immigration reform. President Bush has also, for a long time, been trying to convince the Congress of the need for immigration reform. Certainly this incident here in Massachusetts underscores for us how important a comprehensive and just immigration policy is needed to protect all concerned. In response to this situation, I wrote the following opinion piece that appeared in Boston Globe March 15 and that I would like to share with you here:

Whenever there is a human tragedy resulting from deeply flawed public policy, as we saw in the immigration raid last week in New Bedford, the immediate response is to seek out the villains. There surely were multiple layers of illegality, failed policy and lack of humane vision in the events of last week. The company involved has been accused of violation of federal law; the response of the federal government was problematical at best; and the coordination with state government appears to the outsider to have been inadequate.

Acknowledging all of this, I hope our first priority is the families who were impacted, not a search for the villains of the episode. It is the case that most of the these families are �illegals�, that is people who do not have the proper legal documents to be in the United States. But before they are �illegal�, they are human, women and men with families, hopes and dreams, a determination to find a better life for their children. Their humanity, human dignity and � most of all � their children have the first claim on our conscience as Americans.

Our attention should be directed to two issues at this moment. First of all, these recent events provide another concrete example of why some form of comprehensive immigration reform is urgently needed. President Bush has called for it, Senator Kennedy and Senator McCain have worked for it, but the objective has been mired in political rhetoric and obstructive tactics at several levels of the political process. This country has dealt fairly and effectively with immigration policy in the past. The Archdiocese of Boston is populated with the descendants of immigrants. This shared past � a country shaped from the beginning by those fleeing persecution and poverty � should give us the foundation to build a future that includes an immigration policy adequate to the needs of our time. It is true that in a globalized economy and an interdependent world, the demands upon policymakers are greater. But, as last week demonstrated, failure to create new immigration policy that recognizes the realities of interdependence will multiply human tragedies.

The other issue that demands our attention is the fact that, while immigration reform is urgent, the needs of the women and children in New Bedford are desperate. Their condition is partly the result of a �broken system�, but the concrete, crying needs of the most vulnerable people impacted by this raid must be addressed before we set out to fix the system.

It is good that steps have been taken by federal and state agencies to respond to the needs of the families that were impacted and that the courts are reviewing this matter. But I am concerned about some of the principles guiding the response. For example, in order to be released from custody those arrested in New Bedford had to assert that they were �the sole caretaker� of their children. The question is intended to guarantee one parent or caretaker for each child, but reports indicate that this goal has not been met. More importantly, the question fails to produce an acceptable humanitarian policy. Mothers can be separated from their children, and perhaps deported, as long as there would be a caretaker for the children remaining in Massachusetts. Immigration law and policy are complex, but a test of �sole caretaker or parent� as the determinant of being able to remain united with one�s children fails the test of humane response. That failure is all too well known by the families impacted by the events of last week.

A policy that meets the immediate needs of those who were caught up in last week�s raid is not yet in place. There are many concerns that must be given consideration in the process of developing an adequate policy and this will take time. But we must not lose sight of the human reality. Those who have been detained and those left behind are mothers, fathers, children, wives, husbands and others responsible for holding families together. At another time in history those people could have been us. Our shared respect for humanity and one faith in the promise of better future calls us to do better.

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On Friday March 9 I led a Eucharistic Holy Hour in the chapel of the cathedral on the first day of a Novena to St. Patrick for vocations.

If you would like to hear an audio recording of my homily, click the microphone icon below:

The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II blessed six monstrances, one for each of the inhabited continents, for prayer for vocations. The monstrance for North America is in the diocese now as we make this novena for vocations anticipating our patronal feast � the feast of St. Patrick.

In Ireland, St. Patrick�s Day has always been a very religious holiday. I remember as a child I was always amazed that the president of Ireland and the Taoiseach, the prime minister, and so many lord mayors of Dublin and other cities would be in the United States for St. Patrick�s day. I always wondered to myself, Why they weren�t home having their own parades?

It was only later on that I came to realize that our celebrations here have always been of a more civic, social nature � with parades and parties and the like � whereas in Ireland it was a day where everyone went to Mass. It was a holy day, really.

As so often happens, the secular culture can co-op our religious traditions and figures. For example, St. Valentine has been completely lost to the greeting card, florist and chocolate industries. They have completely usurped any memory of the martyr-saint who was St. Valentine. Also take the case of St. Nicholas who is a very important saint in the history of the Church. He participated in the Nicene Council. He is one of the fathers of the council who wrote the creed that we pray at Mass every Sunday. Yet he has been transformed into a fat man in a red suit who wriggles down people�s chimneys to give them Christmas gifts that they don�t need.

Delivering my homily

St. Patrick has, in some ways, been eclipsed by the green beer and the parties and the silly hats. For this reason, I am enthusiastic about the fact that we are working to make it more of a religious holiday here. St. Patrick is our patron saint. He was a great bishop, a great missionary and a great evangelizer. He faced incredible opposition and difficulties in his ministry but he was on fire with the love for Christ and his desire to share that love and faith with the Irish people, in fact the very people that had enslaved him. He wanted to bring them the Christian faith. So all of us who are of Irish descent have a great debt of gratitude to this apostle who evangelized our ancestors.

The holy cards which were distributed with the novena prayer

Indeed, St. Patrick had a special knack for turning people into evangelizers and making the country that he converted to Catholicism the center of missionary activity. So many of the countries of Europe were evangelized in the Middle Ages by Irish missionaries, and in modern times our foreign missions, in great part, have been staffed by priests, sisters and lay people from Ireland. The Legion of Mary, in particular in missionary countries, was one of the most effective instruments of evangelization. And all of these things are rooted in the faith and the ministry of St. Patrick.

So I am very pleased that here in Boston which is in some ways a very Irish place, (though we rejoice in the great diversity we have and if you read this blog regularly you see just how diverse we have become) we are able to look at the Gospel message of the life of this saint and to use it as t time to pray for vocations. We pray that all Catholics will have a sense of their vocation, and discipleship and to be transformed by the love of Christ in the grace of their baptism and feel the Holy compulsion to share with others the faith and the joy they find in knowing Christ and following him.

This year our Men�s Conference will be on St. Patrick�s day itself and the Women�s conference the following day. I hope that many of the readers of this blog will be joining us for these wonderful events that are coming up this weekend.

Boston is the only place in the United States, I think, where St. Patrick�s Day is a civil holiday � it�s Evacuation Day. We also anticipate St. Patrick�s Day with many celebrations and St. Peter Parish in Cambridge always has theirs a week ahead of time to be one of the first. Father Kevin O�Leary has celebrated a Mass to memorialize the Irish Potato Famine that caused so many Irish to come to Boston and to the United States. And his parish was founded by people fleeing hunger and religious persecution in Ireland. So each year he has that Mass and afterwards a lovely Irish meal and Irish music, and this year he actually had the very famous and outstanding Irish Tenors. When my secretary Father Bob Kickham and I heard the Irish Tenors were going to be performing, we thought it must be some group from Dorchester! We didn�t know it was going to be the real McCoy. It was a pleasant surprise to see that Father Kevin had actually landed such a famous singing group and the parishioners enjoyed it thoroughly. Bishop Boles and his sister were there, and a number of priests from the archdiocese. And of course, it was a sellout crowd with St. Peter�s parishioners.

Father O’Leary and myself with the
Irish Tenors, Anthony Kearns, Karl Scully and Finbar Wright

Last year, Father Kevin O�Leary got up and sang and he has a great voice and he�s quite a showman, so it was a lot of fun. But when the singers are this professional I think it discourages us amateurs from putting in an appearance!

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Over the weekend I was pleased to take part in a retreat for women considering a vocation to the religious life. There were 20 young women who joined with a number of sisters representing both contemplative and active religious communities who are present in the archdiocese. It was a wonderful day of prayer and reflection. I gave them a short talk and was able to dialogue with them. I was very encouraged by the deep interest of these women in the consecrated life and I am grateful to Sister Marion Batho for organizing it.

It�s a great concern to me that many of our young people have never met a religious sister and don�t have a clear grasp of what consecrated life is about. A day like this is a wonderful opportunity for Catholic women to become more acquainted with religious life and have the opportunity to actually experience life with the sisters and to pray and reflect with them.

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Also, earlier this week I traveled to Washington D.C. to take part in a board of trustees meeting at the Catholic University of America. I am one of a number of bishops on the board.

I have a great affection for Catholic University. I studied there, received my doctorate there and even taught there for a couple of years. It�s always a joy to go back to see the progress that they have made. The university�s president Father David O�Connell has done an extraordinary job of advancing the campus life and the Catholic identity at the university.

The CUA campus with the Basilica Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception in the background

Also that day there was a groundbreaking ceremony for a new seven-story residence hall that will be known as Opus Hall.

The ground breaking ceremony

An architect’s rendering of the planned Opus Hall.

Greg Athanas poses for a photo with me

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On Wednesday, March 14 I was the featured speaker at the first talk of a new lecture series that will be held at St Mary-St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Charlestown. It is named for the late Father Henry Gallagher who died in 1991 and was especially noted for his love and service of the poor and concern for the young and their education.

There was quite a good crowd

It was a very nice turnout. I was surprised to see a big cross-section of the parish. Father Jim Ronan who was a missionary in the St. James Society and who worked in the Bishop�s Conference in the Latin American office is doing extraordinary job, bringing the Catholics of Charlestown together and serving the Hispanic community at St Mary-St. Catherine�s.

Father Ronan

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Finally, on Thursday afternoon, I attended a meeting of the St John�s Seminary Board of Trustees. We have a number of priests, bishops and lay people on the board who are very dedicated. It was a very productive meeting. It was announced at yesterday�s meeting that, in addition to the other bishops who are already part of the board, Bishop Tobin from Providence will join St. John�s Board of Trustees.

The board meeting in the seminary library

This was also Father John Farren�s last board meeting as our rector and the board thanked him for all of his work during this very challenging period of the history of the seminary.

Father Farren and I speak before the board meeting

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For my photo of the week I have chosen the image which was used for the holy cards used for novena prayer to St. Patrick.

Through the intercession of St. Patrick, may God grant us the courage to announce His Gospel with our words and deeds — even when it seems beyond our strength!

Here in Massachusetts news reports have been filled with alarming news about a situation in New Bedford in which over 300 undocumented workers were apprehended by immigration services last Tuesday. The problem seems to be compounded by the fact that the owner of the factory had a huge government contract and then used that money to run a sort of sweatshop in which the workers were treated very poorly.

We are concerned that some parents were apprehended and their children were separated from them. I understand that the government is trying to rectify that.

The other problem is that some of the immigrants are being shipped off to other parts of the country to be put in detention centers. That will certainly make it more difficult for them if their relatives and friends are here in Massachusetts.

I have appealed to Sen. Edward Kennedy and the head of immigration services to see what can be done on behalf of the workers so that those families will not be separated. They were very receptive to my appeals, and both of them assured me that they would do whatever they could.

This event underscores the great need we have for immigration reform in the United States. In many areas of the country, we do not have enough workers to perform certain types of labor. Our economy is dependent upon immigrants. It is, therefore, important that people be allowed to immigrate in an orderly and legal way so that they will have the protections that all workers have. In that way, their human rights and dignity will be safeguarded.

In the past there has been too much exploitation of workers who are allowed to be in the country when it is convenient for us and then are often exploited or expelled when it becomes inconvenient. That is not a way to treat people. We are hoping that the United States Congress will approve comprehensive and fair legislation that will take into account the needs for security and the protection of workers� rights.

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Last weekend I made a trip to Charlottesville, Virginia to celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving for the 50th wedding anniversary of Frank and Marleen Veraat at the St. Thomas Aquinas University parish. Frank was my vice-chancellor in the Virgin Islands. Originally from Holland, he migrated to the Netherlands Antilles and then made his way to the Virgin Islands where he ran a bakery. He was a master baker, and so we were all very happy to have him working in the chancery because he brought all kinds of wonderful pastries. He baked chocolate cake called �death by chocolate� which was wonderful� lol!

Frank worked practically full-time volunteering for the diocese in the Virgin Islands and was instrumental in setting up many social programs. He was a wonderful example of the ministry of deacons in the Church. I was delighted to be a part of the celebration with his family.

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From Virginia I flew to Puerto Rico to give a day of recollection for the diocesan priests of the Archdiocese of San Juan. I had been invited by Archbishop Roberto Gonzalez, who was formerly an auxiliary bishop here in Boston. I was pleased to be a part of it.

San Juan Archbishop Roberto Gonzalez Nieves

I have known Archbishop Gonzalez since before he was a priest. When I met him, I was a young priest, and he was a seminarian. Of course, I have known him as auxiliary bishop here and now as archbishop. It is always a joy to be with him. He is a dear friend.

He has very fond memories of Boston and, of course, many questions about the priests and people here. We also have a large Puerto Rican community in Boston that is close to him and identifies with him.

The theme for the retreat in Puerto Rico was the mercy of God and the priesthood. I spoke to the priests about God�s mercy in the Gospels and how it expresses itself, particularly in the sacrament of reconciliation, of which we are the ministers. I spoke about the Cure d� Ars � St. John Vianney � Padre Pio and our own relationship with the sacrament. I tied that into the Lenten season and the spiritual renewal to which we are all called.

Spending time in prayer

The priest has a special role as the dispenser of God�s mercy. As priests, we need to take time to deepen our own relationship with the Lord and experience His mercy so that we can dispense His mercy to His people. We also celebrated a holy hour and benediction with the priests.

Holding forth

The day of recollection was very well attended. Nearly all the priests in the archdiocese were present. I could see that they enjoyed being together and many of them took advantage of the opportunity to go to confession. There were about 150 in all, along with the retired archbishop of San Juan, Cardinal Aponte, and auxiliary bishop Msgr. Negron. Some religious priests who work in the archdiocese also attended.

Around 150 priests were present

The day of reflection was held in Carolina, in the church of the Inmaculada Concepci�n. I knew many of the priests from the days I was in the Virgin Islands. I also had been the apostolic visitator at the seminary there. So some of the men who were seminarians when I visited are now ordained and working in the archdiocese.

Greeting the priests during the retreat

To my right, Piarist Father Rafel Crespo and
Monsignor Herm�n Negr�n, auxiliary bishop of San Juan

I had worked in Puerto Rico when I was a sub-deacon back in 1968, in a town called Utuado, which was in the mountains where the people have coffee farms. In those days they did not have highways, so the trip from Utuado to San Juan took a full day. Back then, the only cars you saw in Utuado were Jeeps, and people rode horses.

The Capuchin church there was 300 years old and there were many chapels in the mountains. Our job was to go out and visit the people in the countryside. I was only there for a few months but it was a wonderful experience. I thought I would go back to work in Puerto Rico after my ordination, but as I told them, �El destino me burlo,� �My fate tricked me,� paraphrasing the lyrics of a popular Puerto Rican song, �En Mi Viejo San Juan.�

An aerial view of San Juan

I ended up never going back there to work. However, when I was in the Virgin Islands, it was only 40 miles away, so I went to visit the friars and people often in Puerto Rico. I received a great deal of help from Puerto Rico when I was in the Virgin Islands.

This is a portrait of Fray Pablo Benigno Carrion de Malaga, OFM Cap. who was bishop of San Juan in between 1857 and his death in 1871. He assisted at the First Vatican Council.

And people say I look like Santa Clause…

There is a great history in this Archdiocese. The first bishop of San Juan, 500 years ago, was Don Alfonso Manso. He arrived at Christmas Eve 1512. He was also the only bishop who attended the funeral of King Ferdinand, the husband of Queen Isabella, who helped Columbus in his voyages to the new world. He was bishop for almost 30 years. Many bishops, of course, have followed and the current Archbishop Gonzalez carries on a great tradition in the archdiocese of San Juan.

As we are preparing to celebrate our bicentennial in Boston, it�s good to remember that San Juan is preparing to celebrate its 500 years as a diocese!

St. John the Baptist Cathedral in San Juan.
It is one of the oldest churches in Puerto Rico

An aerial view of the cathedral

In the very old Cathedral, nearly 500 years old, one of the Spanish conquistadors, Ponce de Le�n, is buried.

The tomb of Juan Ponce de Le�n in the Cathedral and his statue which stands outside.
Ponce de Le�n founded the first settlement in Puerto Rico in 1508

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With Archbishop Gonzalez, also a franciscan,
and a group of Puerto Rican friars

Fray Roy, me, Fray Francisco, Fray Alfonso (the provincial)

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After I returned to Boston, we had a planning session on Wednesday with our cabinet to discuss the priorities for the upcoming years. It was a day long meeting with all the cabinet members and in the afternoon several pastors came in to critique the ideas that had emerged. A number of very interesting things came up: evangelization, morale of priests and the need for religious formation for our young people. It was a good meeting.

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On Thursday, I visited Lawrence Central Catholic High School. They have 1,300 students there, and the Marist brothers have served at that school for quite a long time. There are still several brothers on the faculty including Marist Brother Rene Roy, who is the president of the school.

Joseph Reganto, Betty Desjardin,
me, school president Brother Rene Roy and Sister Terry Gauvin

With the faculty and staff

I celebrated Mass for all the students in their gymnasium, and the liturgy was beautiful. I was impressed by how attentive they were. They participated and paid attention to the homily. They have a wonderful group of musicians and a choir that did a very nice job. The singing was exceptional! After the Mass, they gave me some socks to wear with my sandals in the cold weather and a huge umbrella. It�s one of these big golf umbrellas, and it has red on it!

Delivering my homily

Students bringing up the gifts

Members of the Classes of ‘07 and ‘08 at the reception after Mass.

Following the Mass, there was a reception with the student council, teachers and students involved in campus ministry. It was encouraging. They told me that this year 800 youngsters took the entrance exam to attend the school next year. They will not be able to take them all, but it goes to show how that school is thriving.

Great joy and energy in this group

This week I also met with Carmelite Father Stephen Watson, definitor general of the Carmelite community for six Carmelite provinces: The Dutch Province of the Netherlands, Malta of Malta, the Anglo-Irish Province excluding Australia which is a Regional Vicariate, and the three United States Provinces, that is, the California-Arizona, the Washington and the Oklahoma Provinces.

Carmelite Father Stephen Watson,
definitor general of the Carmelite community

The Carmelites have been active in the archdiocese for many years and, in fact, a Carmelite Father, Father Herbert Jones is a member of our Presbyteral Council. They have a house right next to St. John�s Seminary in Brighton. They are planning to make it their house of formation again, so I was encouraging him to send his seminarians to St. John�s. We already have several religious communities sending their men here and we would be very pleased to have them join us.
The Carmelites also look after our titular church in Rome, Santa Maria della Vittoria.

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My titular Church in Rome

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I also met with the Consul General of Venezuela in Boston, Mr. Carlos Osorio Escobar. He is a Catholic and the meeting was cordial. Though it was a courtesy visit, it gave me an opportunity to inquire about the relationship between the Church and his government.

Consul General of Venezuela in Boston, Carlos Osorio Escobar

I asked him about his government�s views on the role of the Church in education. I said the Church is very concerned about the schools, and he assured me that the government was respectful of the Church�s role. I also expressed my concern about restrictions on the freedom of the Church to evangelize and to have access to the means of communications.

He also assured me that the relation between the government and the Church has improved recently. He acknowledged that there have been tensions but that the government and the Church are now working together.

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As everyone is most likely aware, St. Patrick is the patron of the Archdiocese of Boston. We will begin a novena to him on Friday. I realize that for some St. Patrick�s Day implies parties, parades, drinking green beer and eating what we call the �Irish Seder� meal of corned beef. But in the archdiocese, we are trying to underscore the religious significance of St. Patrick�s Day as they do in Ireland where it is a very religious day. It is a holy day of obligation, and everyone goes to Mass there.

In anticipation of our patronal feast, we will start a novena for vocations. St. Patrick, a great missionary bishop, will intercede for us. We hope that his life and service to the Church will be a source of inspiration for young people to say �yes� to a life of service in the priesthood and consecrated life. You can find the schedule of the Novena here.
We are also looking forward to the Men�s and Women�s Conferences that will take place on St. Patrick�s Day and the following day. They are an important part of our Lenten renewal. Once again, we want to urge all those who have not yet signed up to check out conferences� Web sites. Many of our blog readers will hopefully be present. I will be glad to greet you all there.

I leave you with my photo of the week: A view of the golf umbrella I received at the Lawrence Central Catholic School — no bad luck opening this one inside!

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Yours in Christ,

Cardinal Se�n

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