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One Boise family’s journey into the Church is a microcosm of the past year’s daunting challenges. Joshua Shultz is baptized by Bishop Peter Christensen during a special liturgy last year during a time when churches across the state were shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. Shultz, an ICU nurse, sought and received permission to enter into the Church with his wife and five children due to the high-risk nature of his job and the uncertainty regarding the severity of the virus at the time. (Courtesy photo/Joshua Shultz) By Gene Fadness Editor Last year’s Rite of Election ceremonies held throughout the state were among the last “open” events before the COVID-19 pandemic closed churches across Idaho, just as the faithful were preparing to celebrate the Easter liturgies when about 800 future Catholics were to be received into the Church. Idaho’s first COVID case was reported almost exactly one year ago, on March 13. A year later the Diocese still adapts to a pandemic that, while lessening, lingers. This year, some Rite of Election ceremonies were among the first more open events on a larger scale that could be held as the state begins a hoped-for return to normalcy. Still, some parishes elected to hold their own Rites of Election with their priests rather than a deanery-wide event with the Bishop present. But for those more comfortable with a larger venue, Bishop Peter Christensen did travel through the Diocese, leading Rites of Election in Twin Falls, Idaho Falls, Coeur d’Alene, Lewiston, Caldwell and Boise. The Rite of Acceptance, the Rite of Election and the Scrutinies that lead to the Easter Vigil are memorable and sacred events, especially for those entering the Church. This is especially true for Josh Shultz, an ICU critical care nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital in Boise. Last year’s Rite of Election began a chain of events that made his entry into the Church and that of his family, even more remarkable and unusual than most. His story is a microcosm of the unusual year experienced by many of the faithful. The Shultz family with Bishop Peter. From left, Travis, Ethan, Natalie, Christin, Joshua, Trinity, Bishop Peter and Josiah.(Courtesy photo/Shultz family) BISHOP PETER could not help but take notice when he heard these names called during last year’s Rite of Election at St. John’s Cathedral: Joshua Shultz, Christin Shultz, Ethan Shultz, Josiah Shultz, Natalie Shultz and Trinity Shultz. On his way out of the Cathedral, he grabbed Josh Shultz by the arm. “What’s your story?” the Bishop asked Shultz. Shultz gave the Bishop a shortened version of his 10-year journey to Catholicism, one that took him from an evangelical and then Presbyterian background and five years of seminary study and a Masters of Divinity. Shultz grew up in a devoutly evangelical home, his dad the worship leader for their congregation. “I knew the Bible from early on, which eventually led me to Catholicism,” he said. Shultz married Christin, also an evangelical Christian. He became a registered nurse, but his love for the Bible led him to enroll at the Master’s Seminary, the seminary on the campus of the church founded by nationally known radio preacher and author, John MacArthur. He began to have problems with their view of scripture and transferred to Westminster Theological Seminary and, while there, he and his wife joined the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, a denomination that broke away from the more theologically liberal Presbyterian Church USA. While studying for his master’s degree, Shultz came across early teaching on issues such as infant baptism. Convinced that was the correct view of baptism, the youngest of their five children became the first one baptized as an infant. But that didn’t end the questions. If Rome was right on baptism, what else could it be right about, he wondered. His graduate thesis was, “Mariology and the Doctrine of Adoption,” a choice he later acknowledged, “was really a bad idea if you want to stay Protestant.” Despite his questions, he really wanted to stay Protestant. Not only did he love his church and his family, but he knew a conversion to Catholicism would create what might become an insurmountable rift with some family members on both sides of the family. “Over 10 years, I tried to do everything in my power to take myself out of the Catholic argument. I tried to be Orthodox Presbyterian, Anglican, Lutheran, anything but Rome,” he said. “I loved the church we were attending, and I remember praying, ‘Please show me where I’m wrong on this.’ ” Shultz contacted other converts who had similar backgrounds in theological study: former Presbyterian minister Scott Hahn of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology; Dr. Bryan Cross of Called to Communion; Michael Barber of John Paul the Great Catholic University; and an Anglican priest near his hometown whose entire congregation had converted to Catholicism. The more he studied, the more it seemed that con-version was inevitable. “There was that moment I remember driving home and being in tears about where I was at, knowing this wasn’t going to be an easy road,” he said. Out of respect for Christin’s equally devout upbringing, Shultz determined he not would enter the Church without her. She was clearly not comfortable with many of the things he was saying throughout the near decade of his study. Thus his surprise and “huge relief” when, on a 10th anniversary trip to Stanley, Idaho, she told him she was willing to enroll in RCIA. By this time, the family had moved to Idaho, even though his job was still in San Diego where he would work one week there and then spend one week here. ALTHOUGH IT SEEMED as if their arduous journey was about to end, that was not to be the case. The Rite of Acceptance at Holy Apostles Catholic Church in Meridian was happening on a weekend that Shultz was not in Boise. Christin called to tell her husband that she did not think she would be able to go to the ceremony. “After the call,” Shultz said, “I remember realizing that we might be done and that we would be going back to the Presbyterian Church. I remember telling the Lord, ‘I think this journey is over. If you want us to keep going, you’re going to have to handle it.’ ” However, Christin did end up going to the Rite of Acceptance. As she and her children received the Sign of the Cross on their ears, eyes, lips, hearts, shoulders, hands and feet, “something happened that is more Christin’s story to tell,” Shultz said. Christin called her husband back later that night. Having difficulty talking through her tears, she told Josh, “I know that this is what we are supposed to do for our family.” “That was the first of several miracles on our RCIA journey,” Shultz said. The next step was to start informing family. In January, about three months before last Easter, Shultz began writing letters to family members, knowing that the reaction would, at least initially, not be favorable. But, still the relief was palpable. Entry into the Church was now just a few weeks away. At the Rite of Election at St. John’s Cathedral, the family all came forward, and all met the Bishop. Later that night, Shultz had that conversation with Bishop Peter who quizzed him about his family’s long journey that was about to culminate with an Easter Vigil that, while perhaps not attended by family members, would be attended by dozens of fellow RCIA students, their sponsors from California and many friends. THEN, COVID. That Rite of Election and that encounter with the Bishop was one of the last public events in the Cathedral before the coronavirus pandemic forced the closure of churches and the delay of the Sacraments of Initiation for new Catholics for an indefinite period. For Shultz, the pandemic hit especially close to home because his job took him into the center of it. He worked 14-hour shifts for the first 12 days after the pandemic hit southern California. Because he did not want to possibly take the virus to his family or others, he slept in his van and showered in the hospital basement. The number of cases increased, including those coming into San Diego from across the border. He really wondered whether he, or the 30 to 40 nurses he supervised, would survive. As troubling as the pandemic was, so also was the specter of closed churches and delayed sacraments. Now back in Idaho, he contacted his RCIA leaders. “I told them I was an ICU nurse and would really love to see this through with my family.” Shultz was told he would have to wait. He contacted priests in southern California who told him if he and his family could make it back down, they would find a way for his family to receive the Sacraments of Initiation. But flights were closed, and he worried about exposing his family to increased risk. The friend who was a former Anglican priest who had led his entire congregation into the Church suggested that Shultz write the Bishop and share his unique circumstance. On Holy Thursday, Shultz wrote Bishop Peter, but being Holy Week, he knew he might not hear back right away. He watched a livestream of the Easter Vigil Mass with Bishop Peter almost alone in the Cathedral. This was supposed to have been the culmination of a 10-year journey, a night of celebration with family and friends. “Watching that Saturday night vigil was one of the darkest moments in my life. I have never had my spirit attacked that much. I couldn’t finish watching it.” The following Tuesday, a call came from Bishop Peter. He told Shultz how his letter had moved him, especially the comment that he may not live to celebrate the Catholic faith with his family. The Bishop asked Shultz when he had to return to California. When Shultz said he would have to return just two days later (Thursday), Bishop Peter asked him if he could bring his family to the Cathedral the following night with just himself, his family and sponsors present. If they could do so, he would give them the Sacraments of Initiation. Shultz immediately called his sponsor, Deacon John Gabriele in San Diego. He and his wife, Angie, drove all night to make the 14-hour trip to Boise. Bishop Peter, with the help of Father Mariusz Majewski and Father Dominique Faure, heard their confessions, baptized those who needed baptism, confirmed them, gave them First Holy Communion and blessed their marriage. “It was the most amazing night of our lives, having that peace with my wife and kids,” Shultz said. “It gave me so much confidence and joy to be able to go back to San Diego and minister to people as a nurse over the next year.” Bishop Peter describes the night in the small chapel in the Cathedral’s basement as a “clandestine catacomb experience.” The Shultz family were not the only ones blessed by the experience. “For me, it was a resurrection moment,” Bishop Peter said. Shultz now works full-time at St. Luke’s Hospital in Boise. He and is family are parishioners at St. John’s Cathedral. If you enjoyed this story and would like to read more like it, please consider buying a subscription to the Idaho Catholic Register. Your $20 yearly subscription also supports the work of the Diocese of Boise Communications Department, which includes not only the newspaper, but this website, social media posts and videos. You can subscribe here , or through your parish, or send a check to 1501 S. Federal Way, Boise, ID, 83705: or call 208-350-7554 to leave a credit card payment. Thank you, and God bless you.

The following story appeared in the March 12 issue of the Idaho Catholic Register Above, Father Nathan Dail leads an outdoor Mass at the recent SEEK Conference. Father Dail becomes chaplain at the center on July 6. (ICR file photos) Bishop Peter Christensen has named Father Nathan Dail, currently parochial vicar at All Saints Parish in Lewiston, as the chaplain at St. Paul’s Catholic Student Center on the Boise State University campus. The appointment is effective July 6. Since 2014, Jesuits have been assigned to the campus center, but a joint agreement between the Diocese of Boise and the Jesuits West Province returns diocesan priests to the center, also called Bronco Catholic. The current chaplain is Father Mahn Tran, S.J., who has been assisted by Kyle Baker. In a statement read during Masses at the student center, Bishop Peter Christensen thanked Father Tran and Baker and said Father Dail would be a “good fit” as chaplain. “Although Father Nathan Dail was ordained just three years ago, he has already proven himself to be a highly energized promoter of young adult ministry.” Bishop Peter said. Father Dail will work closely with Andrew Furphy, who remains administrator of campus ministry programs. “Also, I am so grateful for the presence of our FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) missionary team at BSU,” Bishop Peter said. “I know Father Nathan will work in collaboration with FOCUS, bringing the Gospel to the BSU campus.” Father Dail was hiking in the St. Joe National Forest north of Lewiston when Father Nathan Dail he saw on his phone that he had missed a call from Bishop Peter. “That’s when you start high-tailing uphill to find a place where I could get enough service to call him back,” Father Dail said. “It’s hard to put into words what first came to mind when the Bishop told me of my new assignment,” he said. “I was overlooking a deep valley with a slow moving river, scattered snow and evergreen trees all around and below me. It was a moment of great peace,” he said. The priest said “held a deep peace about the next step,” as well as a “sense of loss as I thought of all the wonderful families in Lewiston that I will soon be leaving. They’ve done so much to help form me into the priest I am today,” he said, jokingly adding, “I blame all my defects on them.” If you enjoyed this story and would like to read more like it, please consider buying a subscription to the Idaho Catholic Register. Your $20 yearly subscription also supports the work of the Diocese of Boise Communications Department, which includes not only the newspaper, but this website, social media posts and videos. You can subscribe here , or through your parish, or send a check to 1501 S. Federal Way, Boise, ID, 83705: or call 208-350-7554 to leave a credit card payment. Thank you, and God bless you.

On March 17, Bishop Peter celebrated the annual Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. During this Mass, our priests renew their solemn vows to the Bishop and to the People of God. In many urban dioceses, the Chrism Mass is celebrated on Holy Thursday, but it is not possible to do that in geographically large rural dioceses like the Diocese of Boise because some priests would not be able to return in time to their parishes for Holy Thursday night liturgies. Thus, while this Mass took place on March 17, Holy Week, especially Holy Thursday, is an appropriate time to be reminded of the sacred call of priesthood, both the ordained priesthood and the priesthood of believers. This video, taken from the Chrism Mass in Boise, was produced by Sophia Chumich. During the same Mass, the sacred oils that will be used in the parishes of the Diocese for Baptisms, Confirmations and Anointing of the Sick are consecrated by the Bishop. About 55 priests attended the Mass. Bishop Peter said he believes that is the highest attendance of priests throughout the Diocese in the seven years he has presided at a Chrism Mass. Bishop Peter also paid tribute to priests celebrating hallmark anniversaries: Father John Legerski, 40 years; Father Antony Chinnabathini, 25 years; and Father Calvin Blankinship, 25 years. Below is the homily the Bishop shared with the priests and others in attendance: Welcome to this Chrism Mass, this time when we bless the oils - the tools of our trade as priests – and we make a renewal of our priestly promises. We say “I am” to the promises we have made and remake at this liturgy today. The third promise is worthy of our reflection in a special way today. It reads: Are you resolved to be faithful stewards of the mysteries of God in the Holy Eucharist and the other liturgical rites and to discharge faithful the sacred office of teaching, following Christ the Head and Shepherd, not seeking any gain, but moved only by zeal for souls? Isn’t that what Jesus does? He moved through this life with a zeal for souls, to bring them home to salvation for His Father in Heaven. His zeal is apparent as He makes His mission statement when He begins his public ministry, proclaiming it by reading the passage from the Prophet Isaiah, which prophesized of Jesus’ coming centuries earlier. When handed the scroll of Isaiah in His own synagogue, Jesus knew right where to turn. The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; He has sent me to bring good news to the afflicted, to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, release to the prisoners, To announce a year of favor from the LORD and a day of vindication by our God; To comfort all who mourn; to place on those who mourn in Zion a diadem instead of ashes, To give them oil of gladness instead of mourning, a glorious mantle instead of a faint spirit. … You yourselves shall be called “Priests of the LORD,” “Ministers of our God” you shall be called. … For I, the LORD, love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing; I will faithfully give them their recompense, an everlasting covenant I will make with them. Their offspring shall be renowned among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; All who see them shall acknowledge them: “They are offspring the LORD has blessed.” (Isa. 61:1-3, 6, 8-9) Harry White and Liz Ramey bring forward the Sacred Chrism to be consecrated by Bishop Peter to anoint the newly baptized, seal candidates for Confirmation and anoint the hands of priests at their ordination. (Photo courtesy of Mark Bolland) Jesus brings new order to this world He created, a world that had collapsed due to the Original Sin of Adam and Eve. They had fallen to seduction to sin by the great seducer, Satan. Jesus now has come to restore order using His priesthood, a priesthood that has been passed on to those He has chosen to follow in the great work of making all things new in him. You are His chosen priests! Let’s look at his Mission Statement as He proclaimed it in His home synagogue: It begins by saying that His Mission is an anointed one, anointed by God the Father. Jesus is anointed as the Christ, the Savior sent to redeem the world. Anointed, as we heard, to bring glad tidings to the poor. An announcement is being made of a new order coming: Jesus is the Prophet , bringing glad tidings to the poor, announcing the plan of good news as it is now being revealed to all peoples. Jesus has been sent among us to proclaim liberty to captives. Jesus is the giver of a new sort of law. He comes as a Judge , but one who judges with mercy and forgiveness. He gives recovery of sight to the blind. Jesus is a powerful doctor of sorts, able to reverse blindness, giving sight to allow people to see things they have never seen before. Jesus makes all things new by His healing power. He comes to us to let the oppressed go free. Jesus is the great warrior who alone can engage in a battle against the evil one. He moves forward, as does a general at war, having the ability to change the course of history, tipping the scales of oppression to new freedom for the people who all upon him in their need. Jesus proclaims a year acceptable to the Lord. Now He is revealed as King , able to do what only a King, a Lord, is able to announce with assurance: This is the acceptable time, and all of this is fulfilled in your hearing. All of this Jesus will do because He is true priest, prophet and king. My brother priests, we have been appointed by Jesus the High Priest to carry on in the mission He has handed on to us at this time in the history of our world. He gifts us with a share in His own Spirit, His own Holy Spirit giving us the ability to do as He has done. We are to be a prophet , announcing the Kingdom of God present, a time of favor coming to those who are poor in spirit, to those who know they need the glad tidings of Christ, the anointed Son of God who is sent to earth for their salvation. We are to judge rightly the things of this earth, freeing those enslaved and held captive by the imprisonment of their own sins and held in bondage by a lie chosen and lived. We are to liberate with mercy and forgiveness those who seek the freedom Christ has shown, a freedom that He has proven to be able to deliver. We are doctors of souls . We are practitioners who give clarity of sight and new strength for others to see the way of Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life, thus allowing those we are called to serve to see the world aright -- our patiently teaching others that the truth matters! We are to be warriors of justice . We need to be courageous, going against the tide of false-hoods present in our own culture today by not giving into the pressures that surround us and not changing the handed-down teachings of our Church by a kiss of lies that only can lead, once again, to an ultimate betrayal. As our King protects His people, know that Jesus has entrusted you and me to do the same: to watch over and care for the flock we have been given to guard. We are His priests, His prophets, His representatives – representatives of the Great King. We are called to protect. Together, as His beloved priests, we are to announce a time of favor to all who gather to hear us. This is the time of salvation, the time that Our Lord continues to announce. The Preface for the Eucharist that we will hear today concludes with these words: As they (your priests) give up their lives for you and for the salvation of their brothers and sisters, they strive to be conformed to the image of Christ Himself and offer you a constant witness of faith and love. It is asked of us, and it has been made possible for us, to give up our lives for the salvation of our brothers and sisters. How do we do this and how do we get the strength to carry on? It is simply this – know and believe, as He has already told you so many times before: you are loved. You are His beloved, His chosen one. He has called you to Himself as His priest. Upon you His favor rests, as you experienced on the day you were ordained. My brothers, today hear the words Jesus speaks to your heart. Let yourselves be loved. Let yourself be loved by your Lord. Hear it often, accept it often. Doing so will allow us to move forward in your ministry with zeal for souls. God bless you and thank you for the service you offer in His Name and by His strength! If you enjoyed this story and would like to read more like it, please consider buying a subscription to the Idaho Catholic Register. Your $20 yearly subscription also supports the work of the Diocese of Boise Communications Department, which includes not only the newspaper, but this website, social media posts and videos. You can subscribe here , or through your parish, or send a check to 1501 S. Federal Way, Boise, ID, 83705: or call 208-350-7554 to leave a credit card payment. Thank you, and God bless you.

BOISE – Bishop Peter Christensen of the Diocese of Boise today affirmed a statement issued by the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that says Catholics may use the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines against COVID-19. Use of the AstraZeneca and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccines are also morally acceptable, but only if no other vaccines comparable in safety and efficacy are available. “Many faithful Catholics have expressed reservation about using vaccines with cell lines harvested from aborted babies,” the Bishop said. Catholics should always be very cautious about the morality and ethics of participating in any medical research with direct links to abortion, he said. Two of the vaccines – Pfizer and Moderna – do not include cells from aborted babies. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are the ones administered by Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, according to hospital officials. Bishop Peter referred to a Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities statement that says that cell lines from aborted babies were used decades ago to research vaccines to combat rubella and chicken pox. Those same cell lines can be and are reproduced indefinitely for research. While the cell lines were used to test the efficacy of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the cells themselves are not present in the vaccines that patients receive. There is, however, additional moral concern with the AstraZeneca and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccines because an abortion-derived cell line was used not only for testing, but also in development and production. The Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities said it can be morally acceptable to receive a vaccine that uses abortion-derived cell lines if there are no other available vaccines . “If it is possible to choose among a number of equally safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, the vaccine with the least connection to abortion-derived cell lines should be chosen,” the statement said. Bishop Peter emphasized that the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities statement (which is available in both English and Spanish at usccb.org/prolife ) is in accord with guidance issued four times to date by the Holy See, through the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and the Pontifical Academy for Life. “Currently, there are hundreds of vaccines for COVID-19 in development worldwide, with more than a dozen in final stages of testing, so it is important that the worldwide Church is vigilant in its protection of life, not only for the pre-born, but for those receiving the vaccines as well,” Bishop Peter said. The Bishop commended the faithful for their attention to the always pre-eminent issue of life from conception to natural death.

Pamela Simcock, who serves on the Diocesan Review Board, was received into the Church in 2015. (Courtesy photo/Pamela Simcock) By Pamela Simcock Recently, I attended a meeting with Bishop Peter Christensen. After the meeting, the Bishop warmly greeted each of us. When he reached me, and kindly inquired how I was, I mentioned the momentous day that he baptized me at the 2015 Easter Vigil Mass. He smiled and asked, “Did it take?” I laughed, “Most definitely.” The Bishop then asked if I was happy with my decision to become Catholic. I have thought a lot about the answer to his question since our conversation and about the meandering path that led me to Catholicism. I grew up in a small south-central Idaho town with a mom who was raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a dad who was raised stringently Pentecostal. The compromise my parents ultimately reached between those two diverse theologies was to abandon both. Before they reached that decision, however, my grandfather personally baptized me into the LDS Church at age 8, and I received a good dose of Mormon Sunday school. I remember loving then, as I do now, the books and the stories in those Sunday School classes. I also remember asking a continuous stream of questions, much to the consternation of my teachers. My persistent inquiries were discouraged to the point that eventually the Sunday school leaders suggested that maybe it would be better if I didn’t attend classes without a parent present. When my mom and dad left the Mormon Church, I was set spiritually adrift. My high school graduating class was just shy of 200 students. I was close with a group of friends who, I believe, were the only girls in our class who did not attend the Mormon seminary classes. Two of my girlfriends were Catholic. I knew where they went to church and every time I drove by, I was drawn to the brightly colored statue of Mary near the entrance of the small white stucco building. It intrigued me that a church would include a spiritual image who looked more like me. My college years began at a private women’s institution and involved many theoretical courses in comparative religion and Western and Eastern philosophy. Practically, I had always felt God’s presence in my life, no matter how difficult life became. I was always looking for a way to strike up a conversation with Him. My first marriage lasted a decade, and the violence I endured during that marriage brought me to my knees. After I left the marriage, my desire to feel God’s presence in my life intensified. I left Idaho to stay safe during the divorce process, working on a consulting project for a year in Manhattan and Las Vegas. During this time, I attended many different churches and studied diverse faiths and philosophies. I was mesmerized by the soaring sound of Baptist choirs. I felt a soothing sense of calm during Quaker meetings. I was drawn to the intellectual approach of Christian Science and felt academically at home in their reading rooms. I spent six months studying with Buddhist monks whose serenity and kindness constantly moved me to tears. Wherever I went, the Mormons found me, due, I suspect, to the concerted effort of my maternal grandmother. I talked with the missionaries and visiting teachers who came to see me and read Mormon theology. I asked persistent questions and eventually realized that the answers to my questions were not found there. I felt guilty about not wanting to return to the church of my childhood, especially because of my grandparents, but I knew it wasn’t right for me. I remember coming home to Idaho one weekend, primarily to visit family. I searched the internet for churches in the Boise area, seeking a faith tradition to explore next. The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist came up in my searches, and I found myself returning again and again to the lovely images on the Cathedral website. I looked up the worship schedule and decided to attend my first-ever Mass on a Saturday. Walking up the sandstone steps toward those towering wooden doors that night felt like taking a step both back in time and toward myself. I walked into the building and was enveloped by the grace, beauty, and richness of the Cathedral. My eyes were drawn first to the figure of Christ on the cross above the altar. After that, I wasn’t sure where to look next: at the jewel-toned stained glass sparkling in the setting sun, at the faithful worshippers reverently kneeling on the floor, or at the stunning architecture reaching toward the heavens. It was a moment of sensory stun as I realized how and why such imagery has the power to connect us immediately to the miracle of God. As I caught my breath, my eyes settled on the statue of Mary to the left of the ambo, her head bent in prayer. I was taken back in time to the image of Mary outside the tiny Catholic church in my hometown. I stood there feeling Mary’s invitation settle over me as the priest entered the Cathedral and the Mass began. I sat in one of the rows directly in front of the statue of Mary. As Mass progressed, I found myself staring intently at Mary’s loving face, feeling an unprecedented level of peace, healing, and comfort. I didn’t understand what was happening during the Mass. I didn’t know when or why to kneel or stand. I didn’t know the words to the prayers or what to say back to the kind people in front of me who shook my hand and wished me peace. I did know, however, that something inside of me sparked to life that night, something I had hoped would ignite my life. After that first Mass, I found myself searching for Catholic churches in whatever city I happened to be. I loved the Latin Masses in larger cities. I equally loved the quaint, wooden churches in smaller towns. Every time I went, I found myself searching for images of Mary and felt her healing presence as I sat in Masses that I still didn’t understand, feeling the tears stream down my face as my wounded heart knitted itself back together again. In retrospect, I realize that those numinous experiences with Mary were the first of three reasons why I converted to Catholicism. The second reason manifested itself as I became healed enough to ask the same types of questions of Catholic theology that I had asked my Mormon Sunday School teachers. To my surprise and delight, each time I asked a deacon, priest, or canon lawyer why the Catholic Church taught what it did, I was provided a clear line of reasoning that traced back logically through scripture and centuries of doctrine. The answers to those questions satisfied my need to understand why the Church taught what it did, and I never once felt that I was doing something wrong by asking questions. I also never felt that I was doing something wrong when I continued to feel concern or even disagreed with a Church position. Whenever those moments occurred, I heard a version of, “The answers you seek are ultimately between you and God. Pray and ask for His guidance,” from whomever I was speaking with at the time. I never felt judged, even though I knew that the spiritual leaders with whom I spoke may have had strong beliefs that were different from my own. I was encouraged to explore and think and pray. I felt respected and trusted. The third and final reason that led me to the Catholic baptismal font was based on my own morals and values, independent of theology or doctrine. One of the religion classes I took in graduate school explored the question of what religion means to me. In that class, we explored many different definitions and paths of religious experience. Some of those paths were traditional such as family history. Some of them were spectacular such as visions, revelations, and miracles. And some paths to religious truth were more individual such as devoting oneself to monastery or committing oneself to a life of service. The path that felt most right to me was, and is, committing to a path of service to others. Several years before taking that graduate school class, I had elected to leave for-profit consulting and to devote myself to advocating for victims of relationship violence: child abuse, dating violence, domestic violence, and elder abuse. I believe that this is the work to which God has called me. On this path, I feel that I am doing some small amount of good in the world as He patiently sands down my faults and rough edges. The more I learned about Catholicism, the more I realized that my individual way of being religious in the world was very similar to the Catholic Church’s collective way. The Church’s history of advocating for public health and education is inspiring. The work that Catholic Charities and other Catholic ministries do today to serve the public good is equally humbling. I love that the Church offers service to all those in need, not just those who are Catholic and in need. This is one of the primary reasons I am so happy with my decision to become Catholic. When I completed RCIA and was baptized in 2015, I went through a period of worrying about whether or not I was Catholic enough. I worried if I missed Mass. I fretted if I didn’t say the rosary often. I added stacks of Catholic literature to my reading list each week and felt a sense of failure if I didn’t get through it all. I tried to add being a Catholic to my other roles of wife, mother, advocate, teacher, student, activist, volunteer, writer and researcher. Eventually I realized that being Catholic isn’t about adding another role to my already full life. Rather, being Catholic is about allowing the teachings of Catholicism to permeate who I am, no matter what I’m doing. When I finally got this, I stopped worrying about how Catholic I was and started focusing on how my Catholic values are expressed in all my endeavors. I’m not perfect at doing this, but since I have given myself permission to not have to be a certain way in my religion, I have ironically, become a more kind, respectful, and giving person. Today, my relationship with the Catholic Church fosters the ongoing conversation with God I have longed for since I was a child. Sometimes I get busy and preoccupied, and the Church and I drift apart. But then, something happens, and I go back to the relationship. I feel compassion for those people who have decided that religion isn’t worth their effort and perhaps have rejected religion. They are missing out on an incredible source of guidance, strength, and inspiration. I am so blessed to have found Catholicism. And while I have forgiven myself for not being a perfect Catholic, I also have stopped expecting Catholics to be perfect for me. Working in victim advocacy, I feel great challenge when an incident of abuse is brought to light in the Church, especially if the abuse involves children or other vulnerable populations. I am concerned at times about the role of women in our faith and the Church’s ongoing response to discrimination, violence, and injustice. Still, I feel hopeful and see evidence that the Church is working to thoughtfully respond to these important issues. In my final analysis, it is easy to affirm a resounding “yes” to Bishop Peter’s question. I am so happy with the decision I made to become Catholic. I pray that in the years to come that I will continue to evolve as a person and as a Catholic. I pray that I will find ways to give back to the Church that has given so much to me. And I pray that each of you will feel the comfort of Mary in your lives, find meaning in your religious experience, and be accompanied by peace and hope as you walk your own paths through this miraculous and, at times, tumultuous life. If you enjoyed this story and would like to read more like it, please consider buying a subscription to the Idaho Catholic Register. Your $20 yearly subscription also supports the work of the Diocese of Boise Communications Department, which includes not only the newspaper, but this website, social media posts and videos. You can subscribe here , or through your parish, or send a check to 1501 S. Federal Way, Boise, ID, 83705: or call 208-350-7554 to leave a credit card payment. Thank you, and God bless you.

Anthony Dandrea and his family show the world what it means to remove fear and step out in faith. Anthony competes in basketball, track, soccer, football and swimming. The Boise High senior is headed to Coastal Carolina University this fall. (Courtesy photos/Dandrea family) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer After being the team manager for four years for the Boise High School basketball team, Anthony Dandrea was at last able to get on the court with his team for the first time this February. When he scored a 3-point basket, his teammates, as well as the opposing teammates and the fans in the gym cheered loudly. The moment was captured on KTVB, Boise’s NBC news affiliate. Many of Anthony’s family members and friends cried as they watched him fulfill his dream. It was a hard-won victory, realized through years of perseverance in maximizing his abilities. Anthony, 19, and his parents, Trace and Jennifer, do not let Down Syndrome define him. Anthony Dandrea with his parents, Trace and Jennifer, creators of IncludeAbility. Trace and Jennifer Dandrea, parishioners at Holy Apostles Parish in Meridian, are cradle Catholics who have been married for 25 years and have let their faith infuse every part of their lives. They knew the risk of having a Down Syndrome child was high with both of their children. They refused invasive testing, knowing that they would not abort. Their first born, a daughter, Katie, was born without any special needs. “When Anthony was born, it was a bit of a whirlwind,” Jennifer said. “No one in the hospital congratulated us. People in the medical field do not know the joy and love these kids can bring a family and how it changes a family immensely for the good.” Despite the somber attitude of the medical staff, Trace and Jennifer embraced their son with unconditional love. They took some time to grieve that he was not healthy, but by the second day, the couple looked each other in the eyes and said, “We can do this!” Their frustration with the medical community continued after Anthony came home from the hospital. Despite meeting developmental milestones, such as rolling over as an infant, doctors complained that he wasn’t accomplishing them as a child without disabilities would. The Dandreas focused on the positive, noting that Anthony found a way to meet milestones. “We’re faith driven,” Trace said. “We believe that God gave us these gifts and strengths to use,” he said. “He gives you gifts to get out there and make things happen,” he said. By removing fear and stepping out in faith, little miracles happened that encouraged them and Anthony to persevere. Too many people allow fear of failure to stop them from trying sports and pursuing a dream, Trace said. Even failure is a form of winning, he said, because failing is learning. Their efforts paid off many times over. Anthony has pursued basketball, track, swim team, soccer and football. Through his involvement, he has developed intellectually and socially, as well as physically, Jennifer said. “He went to preschool and kindergarten with kids that he still goes to school with at Boise High,” his mother said. “He has lifelong friends who have his back and love him.” This fall, Anthony will attend Coastal Carolina University near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. His older sister’s enrollment at a university a few years ago made him more determined to go to college as well. The Dandreas found a program, “Think College,” that helps people with disabilities attain their goals for university. The Dandreas participated in RODS (Racing for Orphans with Down Syndrome), a program to help couples adopt orphans with Down Syndrome. Because kids in the Boise area wanted to be involved in races to raise money for RODS, the Dandreas created a junior version of the organization. The Dandreas witnessed the impact it made on people to see kids with disabilities race in mainstream competitions. “It became about more than raising money; it became about the value of inclusion,” Jennifer said. That led the Dandreas to create more opportunities to include kids with disabilities in the school community. They created IncludeAbility, an organization that works with the mainstream sports community, schools and clubs to include kids with all abilities. (See includeability.org.) “The more the community encounters kids with disabilities, the more people will value their dignity and worth,” said Trace, himself an athlete who competes in Ironman triathlons. “By seeing how amazing Anthony’s life is, we’re hoping people think differently about Down Syndrome,” Trace said. The Andreas are hoping that fewer people will choose to abort when they see that children with Down Syndrome are not broken. “God doesn’t make mistakes,” Trace said. Jennifer and Trace never backed down from including Anthony in the community, and Anthony has overcome every obstacle to pursue his passions. “He rose to expectations each time,” Jennifer said. Anthony’s passion is not limited to sports. He is an altar server at Holy Apostles Parish in Meridian and is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Boise High. Throughout the pandemic, Anthony has continued to meet with fellow Christian athletes through Zoom each Friday for Bible study. He enjoys sharing Bible passages and prayer with his friends. “We trust God. You have to believe. If you give up, you’ve already lost,” Trace said. If you enjoyed this story and would like to read more like it, please consider buying a subscription to the Idaho Catholic Register. Your $20 yearly subscription also supports the work of the Diocese of Boise Communications Department, which includes not only the newspaper, but this website, social media posts and videos. You can subscribe here , or through your parish, or send a check to 1501 S. Federal Way, Boise, ID, 83705: or call 208-350-7554 to leave a credit card payment. Thank you, and God bless you.

The following story appeared in the Feb. 12 issue of the Idaho Catholic Register. From left, Father Jesús Cruz and Father Moisés Urzúa of the Missionary Servants of the Word, who began serving in eastern Idaho last week. (ICR photo/Vero Gutiérrez) By Vero Gutierrez Idaho Catholic Register IDAHO FALLS – The newest priests to serve in the Diocese of Boise arrived here on Jan. 27, eager to experience a snowfall for the first time. They were disappointed, but not for long. A week later on the way to their new home in Idaho Falls they saw their first snowfall. Serving in eastern Idaho, they will become accustomed to it. Father Moisés Urzúa Torres and Father Jesús Cruz Hernández belong to a religious order called Missionary Servants of the Word. Both come from Mexico, where winter does not include snow even on its coldest days. They have been commissioned by Bishop Peter Christensen to support the diocese’s Eastern Deanery, which includes Pocatello, Idaho Falls and the rural communities surrounding them, ministering in particular to a Hispanic community that now comprises more than half the Church in Idaho. Both priests will be based at Christ the King Parish in Idaho Falls. According to Father Urzúa, the priests will support the pastoral work of the parishes, including offering Bible studies, weekend retreats and other opportunities for Christian formation. “The purpose is for the faithful to be formed so that they too can share an apostolate within the Church,” he said. “We want the Hispanic faithful to be committed and, as a fruit of seeing more Christian families in Idaho, we will see vocations to the consecrated life increase.” Father Moisés Urzúa Torres, 43, was born in Guadalajara in a Catholic family where the grandparents led the family in praying the Rosary every day. He is the fifth of eight children who were in his family, including five brothers and two sisters. Although he was not part of any youth group in his parish, he was inclined to prayer from childhood and would visit the Blessed Sacrament on his own initiative. In 1999, as a young man, he traveled to California. Focused on work and earning money, he stopped participating in the Church. However, at age 24, he did become involved in a youth group for the first time. It was while attending youth group that he heard a talk from Mother Eva of the Missionary Servants of the Word who came to his California parish to give a talk on missionary life. “Her experience impacted me,” Father Urzúa said. At the end of the talk, members of the religious order invited him to participate in a vocational retreat where they shared their concern for missions and the consecrated life. But, Father Urzúa was not yet convinced. He was also considering the vocation to marriage. He began a courtship that became serious enough that he and his girlfriend began making wedding plans. Because the call to consecrated life still lingered within him, he knew he had to make a decision. After a period of reflection, listening to the advice of his spiritual directors and having a strong encounter with the Lord, he decided that the best way to serve the Lord was in the consecrated life. He said yes to the invitation of the Missionary Servants of the Word, whom he already knew well. Father Urzúa’s training began with basic instruction in the gospel, primarily through biblical courses. Then, the study progressed to include more doctrinal training on the sacraments and the Church. He then dedicated a year to missionary service, followed by a request to enter the community to begin training for religious life. He spent two years as a postulant and they one year in the novitiate to study the charism of the community. Then came 2 ½ years of a stage called “desert’ where they delve deeper into their personal spirituality and then four years of study in theology. After 13 years of training, Father Urzúa was ordained a priest in June 2019, in Cuautitlán, near Mexico City. Among his favorite hobbies are playing basketball, gardening, hiking, reading and cooking. Father Jesús Cruz Hernández, 32, was born in San Luis Potosí. The youngest of five children, he has a brother and three sisters, one of whom is also a member of the Missionary Servants of the Word. Seeing the joy of his sister, Bianca, who entered the Missionary Servants of the Word six years before he did, had a large influence on Father Cruz’s decision to also choose the consecrated life. His entire family is devoutly Catholic, leading Father Cruz to maintain closeness with his faith from an early age. His parents were members of the local Charismatic Renewal group. He noticed an awakening to his vocation as he accompanied his parents to some of their meetings. Still his parents “never imagined that any of their children would consecrate their lives to God,” Father Cruz said. Father Cruz was initially attracted to the study of psychology, but after participating in a number of retreats with young people, he began to feel attracted to the life of the missionaries. They were always cheerful, he said, and he liked their preaching. Once he had decided to pursue the consecrated life, Father Cruz considered a number of religious orders. In October 2006, he participated in a vocational retreat and decided to live with the community of the Missionary Servants of the Word. Initially, Father Cruz intended to dedicate only one year to living in community. However, that experience was so meaningful that he renewed for another two years. During those two years, he visited different parts of Mexico and eventually made the decision to begin formation for religious life. After his first two years of training with the Missionary Servants of the Word, Father Cruz was still not sure that he should enter this particular religious order. With the help of his formation directors and much prayer, he made the decision to choose this order. He was ordained a priest of the Missionary Servants of the Word in June 2019. His first assignment was to come to the Diocese of Boise, but the pandemic forced a considerable delay. This is Father Cruz’s first visit to the United States. His interests are varied. He enjoys soccer, hiking, reading, working with farm animals and sewing. If you enjoyed this story and would like to read more like it, please consider buying a subscription to the Idaho Catholic Register. Your $20 yearly subscription also supports the work of the Diocese of Boise Communications Department, which includes not only the newspaper, but this website, social media posts and videos. You can subscribe here , or through your parish, or send a check to 1501 S. Federal Way, Boise, ID, 83705: or call 208-350-7554 to leave a credit card payment. Thank you, and God bless you.

Counsel from the priest who counsels Idaho’s priests The following story originally appeared as part of a series of stories on the topic of suicide in the Jan. 15 issue of The Idaho Catholic Register. We will post more stories from the series in the days ahead. From the ancient world to the modern, suicide loss has pained people of all religions and back-grounds. People instinctively turn to priests when they are in crisis, and Father Dr. Ray Carey, Ph.D. wants to ensure that the seminarians in his classes at Mount Angel Seminary in Oregon – where most Idaho seminarians are formed – are prepared to give effective help. “Without fail, priests will be involved with folks who are entertaining suicidal ideation and threatening suicide,” Father Carey said. Unfortunately, priests will also have experience with people who complete suicide and will need to help their families and friends grieve. Those in pastoral care, he said, need three essential things in dealing with suicidality: humility, compassion, and commitment to loving service. A psychologist and priest with the Archdiocese of Portland and an adjunct professor for Mount Angel, Father Carey has traveled more than 2 million miles around the world to direct retreats and educate clergy and laity on counseling issues, including suicide prevention. He received his doctorate in clinical psychology after being ordained in 1970, and has shared his experience and knowledge of counseling at Mount Angel Seminary since 1986. Although Father Carey cautions seminarians that priests are not the same as counselors, his goal is to equip them to recognize when people need professional counseling, including emergency intervention for suicide. Father Carey said there are four primary myths to keep in mind when helping people who are contemplating suicide: 1) If they are talking about suicide, they probably won’t do it. That is not correct. Most people will talk about killing themselves before completing suicide. 2) If the first suicide attempt was unsuccessful, then they aren’t serious about it or are just seeking attention. Also not true. Those with the highest risk of suicide are those who have attempted it before. 3) If you question a depressed person about whether he or she is thinking about suicide, it might put the idea there. On the contrary, asking helps. Asking lets people know that you are concerned for them. It does not give them the idea to do self-harm. 4) If a depressed person is suddenly happy, then the worry that he or she will commit suicide is over. That is not true. Ambivalence is common among those who are contemplating suicide. In fact, the appearance of happiness may mean that someone has made the choice to go through with completing suicide. The idea to take one’s life is not something quickly or easily acquired, Father Carey said. “There is usually an acquired capacity to kill oneself. To work against evolution and our will to stay alive is not easy. So people build up to suicide.” Hardening oneself to suicide, he said, is usually done through violent self-harm such as cutting or hitting oneself. That builds a tolerance to pain and breaks down boundaries of self-preservation. The risk to suicide increases if a person feels he or she is a burden and makes others miserable, or if a person feels that he or she does not belong, Father Carey said. Those most likely to commit suicide are those who have attempted suicide, he said. Also, males over 50 are most likely to complete a suicide, partly because men often have a more difficult time integrating into a community, especially after retirement. Although females threaten suicide four times as often as males do, males are four times more likely to complete it, he said. “One reason why men complete suicide more often is that men generally choose more lethal and irreversible means to do so,” he said. The statistics apply to male and female adolescents as well. However, teens are more likely to complete a suicide than are adults, Father Carey said. The Centers for Disease Control reported in 2019 that suicide was the 10th-leading cause of death for the entire population, but the second-leading cause of death for adolescents. (These statistics were compiled before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.) Teens can move from a “life-is-great” mentality to suicide very quickly, Father Carey said. They can perceive a seemingly insignificant event as catastrophic – a teacher embarrassed them or someone looked at them wrongly. Teens are more vulnerable to choosing to complete suicide after hearing of another suicide. This is known as the contagion of suicide or the “copycat phenomenon.” Because of this, Father Carey recommends that communities are careful not to memorialize or create a hero out of one who has completed suicide. To deter copycat suicides, Father Carey advises communities to open dialogue with teens. He suggests youth ministers and pastors invite teens to try and understand the painful consequences for the families and friends of those who completed suicide. Instead of memorializing someone who killed him or herself, Father Carey asks teens in a community setting: “What do you think their parents are thinking or feeling? What do you think their siblings are thinking?” This, he said, takes away any perceived honor or fame in suicide and connects it to the tragic pain of loss. One of the most difficult tasks a priest will ever do is give a homily for a young person who completed suicide, Father Carey said. The priest needs to communicate to the family that God loves their child more than they ever could. “The message needs to be God’s lavish love for the person who completed the suicide and for their families. No judgment, no concern about anything else. God is love.” Family and friends, he said, need help understanding that suicide is truly not their fault. “It is a public health issue and not a matter for shame. This isn’t something that goes away easily for those who are surviving,” he said. For laity, the most important thing they can do to prevent suicide is to build a loving community in their parishes, he said. “The more you build a community where people are loved and valued for themselves, the better people cope with the ups and downs of life.” Build a community where everybody is precious and belongs, as opposed to a parish with an emphasis on finance, buildings and programs, said. “That’s why the hospitality ministry of the parish is as important as any other ministry. Welcome others, know names, greet others and treasure the kids instead of complaining.” Being open and welcoming to people at Mass and church events is life-giving, he said. Father Carey recommends the research of Dr. Thomas Joiner, Ph.D., psychologist, author and professor at the Florida State University as a reliable source on suicide. If you enjoyed this story and would like to read more like it, please consider buying a subscription to the Idaho Catholic Register. Your $20 yearly subscription also supports the work of the Diocese of Boise Communications Department, which includes not only the newspaper, but this website, social media posts and videos. You can subscribe through your parish, or send a check to 1501 S. Federal Way, Boise, ID, 83705: or call 208-350-7554 to leave a credit card payment. Thank you, and God bless you.

Preston's Tilio Perez looks for every opportunity to serve at St. Peter's Chapel. He continues to discern the diaconate. Tilio and Amparo Pérez. (Photo/courtesy Pérez family) Editor’s note: From time to time, the Idaho Catholic Register will profile Hispanic Catholics who have overcome obstacles and achieved much to assimilate into their new home. by Vero Gutierrez Idaho Catholic Register PRESTON – It snows a lot in this small eastern Idaho community. So much so that there are times when Father Sipho Mathabela, the pastor at Good Shepherd in Soda Springs, cannot make the 30-mile drive to St. Peter’s Chapel in Preston. That’s when Tilio Pérez, studying to become a deacon, will preside at a communion service. In a very simple way, but with great emotion, Tilio spoke of the moment during Mass that Father Mathabela appointed him as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist. “I cannot explain the great emotion that I felt when I put the alb on for the first time and went up to the altar to help the priest,” he said. Although Preston is a city in Franklin County, Idaho, it is part of the Logan, Utah, metropolitan area. So, even though this is a heavily Mormon community, the small chapel typically hosted more than 100 Catholics for Mass before the pandemic. Tilio married his wife, Amparo, 26 years ago in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. Tilio, who has been living and working in the United States for 30 years, has his own heavy-duty vehicle in which he transports construction materials. When their children were young, Tilio began to feel a call to the diaconate. His priest, who was also his spiritual director, recommended waiting until his five children were grown. Together with his family, they attended Mass without getting too involved. Tilio thought he was not qualified to help in any ministry in the church. During one Mass when the lectors did not attend, Tilio offered to help. From that time forward, he was available to serve as a lector. One day in 2011, Father Robert Irwin, then the pastor at Good Shepherd Parish, called him. “He said, ‘You are famous! We had a parish council meeting and everyone voted for you to represent the Hispanic community.’ I told the Father I didn’t know anything, but he said not to worry because they would teach me.” Tilio began attending every parish council meeting and stepped up when the need arose for a new parking lot. The Diocese helped financially and Tilio helped secure the materials for construction. The trials and, at times, rejection he has experienced have helped him develop humility, he said. He is always on the lookout, he said, for opportunities to help the Church. For example, when the former choir could no longer continue, Tilio and Amparo organized another choir. When Father Gemán Osorio became pastor in Soda Springs, he helped Tilio to begin his formation process to become a permanent deacon. He is currently in his third year and is scheduled to be ordained in 2022. Tilio and Amparo Pérez celebrated their 25th anniversary last year. Amparo is grateful to God for their decision to have Tilio pursue this vocation, which has drawn both of them closer to the Church. “I know that in most families it is the woman who encourages the man to get closer to God and to the Church,” Amparo said. “But in our family, it was Tilio who encouraged me to attend. Now, I thank him for having done that. And every time I see him discouraged, I encourage him.” When Tilio started his own business, the family had a difficult time, sometimes going months with very little income. “During one difficult time, the priest said they were going to paint the church. I offered to help with everything necessary,” Tilio said. However, the week after he volunteered, work at his own business picked up. Through the years, Tilio has been an important help to every priest who has served as pastor in Soda Springs, serving primarily as the liaison to the Hispanic community to involve them in parish projects. “You just have to be patient and the reward always comes,” Tilio said, recalling the moment when Father Mathabela gave him his blessing to institute him as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist. “Every time the priest needs help, I will be available to proclaim the Word and give communion to the community. In the future, when I become a deacon I want to attract people to the Church by serving with humility and teaching Hispanics to better understand the scriptures.” Para ver esta historia en español, haga clic en el ícono en español en la parte inferior.

The following video about the Year of St. Joseph was produced by Thomas Smith, a retreat and parish mission director based in the Diocese of Boise. He is a parishioner at Holy Spirit Catholic Community in Pocatello.

Sister Beth Mulvaney, CSC, reads to a young patient at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center. The beloved Sister retires after 21 years at the hospital. (Courtesy photo/Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center) By Emily Woodham Idaho Catholic Register BOISE – Service to the patients, staff and volunteers at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center was such an integral part of the work of Sister Beth Mulvaney, CSC, and her older sister, Sister Patricia Mulvaney, CSC, that the huge medical campus on Boise's west side named a building after them. The Mulvaney Medical Office Building on the Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center campus in Boise is named in honor of Sisters Patricia and Beth Mulvaney, CSC. Sister Beth Mulvaney of the Sisters of the Holy Cross has been a mainstay at the hospital for 21 years and retires at the end of this month. Sister Patricia Mulvaney, her older sibling who passed away in 2018, was the last religious administrator – the equivalent of president and CEO – for the hospital in the 1970s. The Mulvaney Medical Office Building just behind the hospital’s main building is a testament to their more than 50 years of service. The Mulvaney sisters are part of an extended family of Sisters. Sister Beth was born in Wyoming, the youngest of three girls and two boys. All three girls entered religious life. They were inspired by an aunt, also of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, who visited the family regularly. Sister Beth’s maternal grandfather and his family converted to Catholicism while he was a professor of music at St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana. Her mother’s sister became a Sister of the Holy Cross and was a huge influence on the Mulvaney girls. “She was always so much fun,” Sister Beth said of her aunt. “And the other Sisters who came with her were wonderful to us children.” Her two older sisters had made professions with the Holy Cross Sisters when Sister Beth was in grade school. During her years at college, Sister Beth began to discern what would make her life meaningful. "By the time I was ready to graduate, I was pretty sure that God was inviting me to His way of life." She graduated with a degree in English from a Dominican college and it was there that she discerned her calling. She made her first vows in 1967 with the Holy Cross Sisters at St. Mary's College in Notre Dame, Ind. She did not begin her ministry in health care, choosing education as her focus instead. From the Mother House, her work took her to Idaho (teaching English at Bishop Kelly High School from 1968-71), California, Colorado, Utah and the Holy Land. “My Dad used to tease and say, ‘Join Holy Cross and see the world,’ ” Sister Beth said. After teaching in California for a year, Sister Beth returned to Boise to work for the Diocesan Education Office in 1972, the same year she made her perpetual vows. For six years, Sister Beth worked with some of the Benedictine Sisters from St. Gertrude's in Cottonwood and with the late Father Bill Wassmuth. Part of their work was to help formulate catechesis for parishes to incorporate reforms from the recently concluded Second Vatican Council. “This was when all the exciting, wonderful changes were happening in the Church,” Sister Beth said. “After Vatican II, there was an expectation that every member of the Church had a role, that everybody was called to holiness and to be a disciple and even called to be evangelists to share this good news.” Before Vatican II, she said, there was less emphasis on personal responsibility for one’s faith. “It was more about accepting things at face value and doing a checklist of do’s and don’ts,” she said. The influence of Vatican II, she said, has been to prompt Catholics to be willing to ask, “What does this faith really mean in my life?” In 1978, she left Idaho to return to the Mother House at Notre Dame to work with the community. During the 1980s, she spent time in Colorado, helping to form young women for religious life with Holy Cross. She also helped with religious education in parishes in Utah. In 1992, she was asked to coordinate an education program in Galilee, Israel. “Women from different communities in Africa and Asia would come there for a semester. They would have the opportunity to study the scriptures, to make a retreat and to travel to the places where Jesus ministered,” she said. It was only in her most recent calling, for the last 21 years at Saint Alphonsus, that she devoted her ministry to health care. "I think Catholic healthcare offers the whole perspective of Catholic social teaching in a very practical way," Sister Beth said. "The social teaching of the Church is really based on the dignity of the person. When people are sick, that's when they really need that kind of reverence and encouragement of their worth – even when they are not at their best.” At the end of this month, she retires from her role of Mission Educator, a role she has loved. “I’ve been able to offer opportunities for education for staff to really see what’s underneath our mission statement. I can explain why we have these core values of reverence and commitment to whomever comes in the door, and to help them see where that comes from in our Catholic tradition,” she said. A favorite aspect of her work at Saint Al's has been forming relationships with staff, but the COVID-19 pandemic has changed her role significantly. "Rules are changing, and everything is being taught virtually," she said. A replacement has yet to be named. Sister Beth is asking Catholics to pray for a new Mission Educator. Sister Beth is staying in Boise after retirement and is “retiring more into religious life,” looking forward to having more time to read and study. However, she will not be sedentary, she said. She will be accompanying other Sisters who need to discern retirement. I’ll see how I like it myself and then whether or not I can encourage them,” she said with a laugh. “I have been so blessed in my life. God has always opened ways for me,” she said. “It’s such a shame that religious vocations have been declining. I would encourage every young woman to consider a vocation to religious life. It is a fabulous way of relating with God and with other people. Pretty much all along, I’ve been aware that this is really where God wants me.”

Avenues for Hope Campaign raising funds to alleviate a housing crisis that will be compounded due to COVID-19 pandemic Volunteers from St. Vincent de Paul regularly visit clients to check in on their well-being and make an assessment to provide for their needs. (Courtesy photo/Grant Breidenbach) By Emily Woodham Idaho Catholic Register Eradicating homelessness has always been a goal for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. But the challenge will become even more daunting after the first of the year when government-imposed moratoriums on evictions to help people during the pandemic are set to expire. The Avenues for Hope Campaign helps St. Vincent de Paul and other nonprofits in their mission to assist those who are homeless or in crisis. Using an online platform for donations, the campaign enables St. Vincent de Paul to raise funds to help families and individuals avoid homelessness. For those who do become homeless, the campaign helps them to secure shelter and, eventually, affordable housing. “Forty percent of Idahoans are living paycheck to paycheck without a safety net,” said Grant Breidenbach, marketing director for St. Vincent de Paul Southwest Idaho in Boise. “Just one small or medium financial crisis can send a family into the spiral of homelessness. St. Vincent de Paul believes in providing assistance before that spiral even begins, while people are still in their homes.” Although individuals and businesses are mired by the impact of COVID, they continue to give help to those less fortunate, said Larry Riley, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho in Coeur d'Alene. "People have not lost sight of the most needy among us," he said. From its headquarters, the HELP (Helping Empower Local People) Center, St. Vincent de Paul North provides more than 20,000 social services annually, including shelter, food, clothing and low-income housing. Its outreach includes veterans, the elderly and those with mental health challenges. St. Vincent de Paul Southwest responded to more than 8,800 requests for assistance last year, according to Breidenbach. “We were able to help more than 24,000 people stay financially stable, continue in their home and maintain a viable lifestyle.” "The services we provide are possible only through financial generosity," he said. The ability of staff and volunteers of St. Vincent de Paul to respond to requests for help comes through donors, he said. Avenues for Hope is sponsored by the Home Partnership Foundation of the Idaho Housing and Finance Association, with corporations giving additional sponsorship to match donations. The campaign began on Dec. 10 and runs through Thursday, Dec. 31. Each nonprofit has its own page for donations on avenuesforhope.org . The Avenues for Hope fundraiser is “unique and wonderful,” Breidenbach said, because corporate sponsors provide prizes and matching gifts to organizations who can expand the number of their respective donors. The corporate incentives result in an increase of individual donations by as much as 50 to 100 percent, Breidenbach said. With many fundraising events cancelled because of the pandemic, helping families and individuals through Avenues for Hope is especially important, said north Idaho’s Riley. “For people to think about others, when they’re struggling themselves, is incredibly humbling. The Christmas season is definitely going to be different this year. Having Avenues for Hope by our side to help keep us from falling is very rewarding.”