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Heroic Men's Conference set for Saturday, Oct. 4 By Jay Wonacott Director Marriage and Family Life Office   Recent national events, viewed against the backdrop of the decline in men’s morality within our culture, have been discouraging, to say the least.   The larger political world is aflame with what Pope St. John Paul II called the “culture of death.”   Now, more than ever, there is a great need to strengthen the Catholic men in our community.   Jay Wonacott In a world that has lost its moral bearing, we need heroic men to step forward in the family, workplace and public square to be stronger disciples of Christ and work toward justice, peace and a civilization of love. We cannot do this work alone, nor should we even try. We need other men of faith in our lives to walk this path to a better, healthier and holier culture, church and family.   On Saturday, Oct. 4, the Diocese of Boise, in collaboration with Salt & Light Catholic Radio and Catholic Men’s Leadership Alliance, will host a Heroic Men Leadership Workshop.   This is a one-day workshop for men who have a passion or interest in growing their parish-based men’s ministry. The workshop is from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will be held at Risen Christ Catholic Church, 11511 W. Lake Hazel Road in Boise.   The day will include testimonials and keynote talks focusing on conversion, Catholic brotherhood and ministry outreach. Mass will be celebrated in addition to fellowship and food.   Speakers include Josh Dickson; Eddie Trask, executive director of Catholic Charities of Idaho; David Palmer; and Johnny Horn and Travis Wingo, leaders of the annual Idaho Catholic Men’s Conference. Joining these local men is Bill Moyer, a national leader in men’s ministry with the Catholic Men’s Leadership Alliance (CMLA) and president of the board of Heroic Men.   Moyer is co-founder and a former board member of CMLA who now serves as an advisor to Robert E. Tunmire, the organization’s CEO.   He is also co-founder of SOS Leadership Institute, an international organization committed to developing leaders who make a difference. He previously served as executive director of the National Fellowship of Catholic Men and is a founding board member of the Central Texas Fellowship of Catholic Men. He is a certified spiritual director in the Diocese of Austin. He and his wife, Rose, have four grown children and nine grandchildren.   This fast-paced day will feature delicious meals, including breakfast and a special lunch of homemade pulled pork. You might come for the food, but you’ll stay for the fellowship and the valuable insights that will help you grow as a man and as a minister to men in your parish.   I am reminded of the words of Christ to his chief Apostle Peter about his need to strengthen his brothers after he turns back. This “turning back” refers to Peter’s actions after his betrayal of Christ. Later, we see Jesus forgiving Peter by asking him to feed his sheep.   Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Peter replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you even to prison and to death” (Luke 22:31-33).   As disciples of Christ, he is asking us, as men in his Church, to strengthen our resolve to strengthen our brothers even in the face of our weaknesses and betrayal of Christ. St. Peter was one of those heroic men who shows each man the way to converse with Christ and become a better disciple.   You can sign up for this Heroic Men Leadership Workshop by going to saltandlightradio.com/heroic-men . There’s a recommended donation of $25, but don’t let finances prevent you from attending.   God’s Holy Spirit may be calling you to do something great in your parish to help other men come to know Jesus more closely.   We are living in sobering and challenging times. We can no longer stand on the sidelines and not get involved in helping men of all ages and stages to better know the love of God and support one another on the faith journey of life.   I hope to see many heroic men on Oct. 4 at Risen Christ Catholic Church.

By Father Onyema Okorie Counseling Intern Idaho Catholic Charities For the ICR           The recent tragic shooting of innocent schoolchildren during a Catholic school Mass in Minneapolis sent a chilling shockwave through the minds of American Catholics.   Fr. Onyema Okorie Then the arrest of a Catholic priest for sexual battery of a minor in the city of Nampa, Idaho, left all Catholics in the Treasure Valley in shock and caused a ripple of emotions, including feelings of disappointment and embarrassment. In both cases, the U.S. Catholic Church and church officials responded in fervent prayers for the victims and their families and collaborated with law enforcement officials in the investigations.   I want to invite us Catholics to a deeper reflection on the side effects these tragic events had on us, precisely the psychological impacts.   I would like every one of us to think of him or herself as a victim of secondhand smoking. I will use the word “priests” to refer to all those involved in pastoral ministries, including parish staff and volunteers. There is no doubt priests are jack of all trades. People come to us with all kinds of problems, thinking we are experts and hoping for some resolutions.   I often tell parishioners jokingly, “I am not Jesus and I don’t perform miracles.” But he (Jesus) promised to remain always with us and assured us we will perform mighty deeds in his name (John 14:12).   The primary vocation of every priest is to save souls — salus animarum est suprema lex  (the salvation of souls is the supreme law). But, in our vocation of saving souls, we priests ended up doing more in the service of God and humanity. I also served as a military chaplain in the U.S. Air Force — 20 years of active-duty service with four deployments.   While on active-duty military service, I was exposed to traumatic situations. One of my experiences was receiving an emergency call right before celebrating Sunday Mass to give last rites to a victim/soldier whose body was 80% burned from an IED blast in Iraq.   Afterward, I remembered celebrating Sunday Mass with my hands still smelling strong from the burn (refer to an article by Kevin Dougherty, Stars and Stripes, “Chaplains: Near to soldiers wherever they go,” June 14, 2008).   I returned home from my deployments needing psychiatric and counseling help to help me process my wartime experiences and exposures.   Priests deal with so much in our ministries, making our lives so busy and susceptible to stress. According to Dr. Judy Berry, chair of psychology at Tulsa University, “Stress is an inevitable part of life and keeps us from being bored, but too much stress makes life difficult and can threaten health and psychological well-being” ( My Clients, My Students, My Patients, Myself: Self-Care Advice for Caring Professionals , Center for Learning and Leadership/College of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 2012).   Also, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “In recent years much research has been carried out showing that stress is one of the truly major health problems facing Americans. Priests and bishops are by no means exempt from this problem” ( The Bishops’ Committee on Priestly Life and Ministry, United States Catholic Conference, The Priest and Stress,  1982).   The workloads for most priests come from dealing with parishioners’ life issues and concerns and traumas like accidents, illnesses, deaths, suicides and natural disasters like fire, flood, hurricanes and tornadoes.   Priests are often the first people most parishioners turn to in desperate times. Unavoidably, every parishioner we serve leaves behind an indelible footprint of their problems in our memory. Priests are very compassionate by nature and undeniably affected by the stories of those we serve — vicarious (or secondhand) trauma.   Vicarious trauma describes the side effects of every encounter we have. Those involved in human services like doctors, nurses, first responders, priests and pastoral ministers suffer vicarious trauma. Vicarious (secondhand) trauma is evident in physical, emotional, mental and spiritual fatigue and burnout, often suffered in silence. This is where seeking counseling help becomes very critical in helping us process our traumatic experiences and side effects.   The USCCB exhorts, “A priest may find, too, at critical times in his life, professional counseling to be valuable. For example, a priest should be aware that during certain periods of life, such as middle age, he may experience some emotional problems or crises which may take some form of depression or mood change. Counseling can be of great help at such times and should not be considered extraordinary. Such crises often accompany transition periods between stages of adult development. They are normal growth problems and not pathological.”   Mental health concerns such as burnout, chronic stress, frustration, irritability, lethargy, depression and alcoholism can develop and need to be addressed in professional counseling.   “We believe that admitting the seriousness of the problem of stress in the life of the priest today is the first step toward an answer” ( The Catholic Priest in the United States: Psychological Investigations,  1971, by Eugene C. Kennedy and Victor J. Heckler).   I cannot overemphasize the need for self-awareness and seeking self-care in professional counseling. Often it takes those around us to notice such symptoms as anger, irritability, impatience, emotional outburst, etc. These are easily noticeable in military personnel (and in civilians) following their return home from deployment.   It is important to listen and make proper notes of honest feedback. Every priest needs to have a counselor he can talk to on a regular basis. When I was a newly ordained transitional deacon, my bishop asked me: “Onyema, do you play golf?” I said, “No.” Then he said, “What kind of a priest are you going to be? Either you choose a healthy habit or you will turn to scotch and become an alcoholic.”   There are healthy and unhealthy habits. Continued self-growth of priests is critical and totally depends on each of us. Self-evaluation should be an ongoing process throughout our priestly career.   An article published by the National Library of Medicine revealed frontline health care workers experienced detrimental mental health impacts during the COVID-19 pandemic, including anxiety, emotional distress, fatigue and burnout ( www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ). It is said that those who work in health care professions are the worst at taking good care of themselves. They give so much in taking care of others, but invest little or no time in taking care of themselves.   It reminds us of the wagging tongues of the chief priests, scribes and elders at the foot of the cross while mocking Jesus — “He saved others but cannot save himself” (Matthew 27:41-42). We priests are the worst at taking good care of ourselves.   We often relegate our need for self-care while taking care of others (like biblical Martha), and in the process, we pay heavy prices of stress and burnout. Self-care is the individual priest’s responsibility. Self-care is all about the well-being of the priest — Nemo dat quod non habet (“You can’t give what you don’t have” by St. Augustine). There is no room for not practicing what we preach. A Greek philosopher, Socrates, is known for his exhortation: “Man know thyself, an unexamined life is not worth living.”   The primary focus of mental health counseling is cognitive recalibration (positive psychology) — a shift from pathological (drug) treatment to psychotherapy (counseling). The healing of my mental health, including PTSD, took place at the spiritual level — putting my faith and trust in God, engaging in spiritual and religious devotions, and my ministries as a priest in the celebrations of the sacraments, the celebration of the Mass and the reception of the Eucharist.   Father Onyema Okorie  is a retired chaplain in the U.S. Air Force and is a part-time administrator at St. Joseph Station in Melba, Idaho. He holds a master’s in mental health counseling. In 2008, the U.S. Air Force named him a “Premier Combat Chaplain” and recognized him for “Amazing ministry to isolated forces,” including Special Forces units. He is currently a counseling intern at Catholic Charities of Idaho.

Presented by Salt & Light Radio, the conference, themed ‘Rejoice in Hope,’ was held Saturday, Sept. 6, drawing more than 750 in-person participants and another 300 virtually, either individually or through watch parties. (ICR photo/Vero Gutiérrez) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer   Embracing the call as beautiful, beloved daughters of God, renouncing lies and affirming truth were common threads at this year’s Idaho Catholic Women’s Conference.   Although none of the speakers collaborated on their presentations, each felt called in their pre-conference prayers to affirm women in their beauty, encourage them to renounce lies that mar their identity in Christ and inspire women to courageously live in Christ’s loving truth.   Presented by Salt & Light Radio, the conference, themed Rejoice in Hope , was held Saturday, Sept. 6, at Holy Apostles Parish in Meridian, drawing more than 750 in-person participants and another 300 virtually, either individually or through watch parties.   “We wanted to give people hope and for souls to be fed,” said Carol Brown, director of marketing and community relations at Salt & Light Radio. “We wanted people to experience healing and for things to go smoothly. Based on the surveys, mission accomplished!”   Mass kicks off conference Idaho Bishop Peter F. Christensen celebrated Mass to open the conference, which drew more new participants than previous years, especially young women and mothers, according to Brown. From left, Father Goodluck Ajaero, SMMM; Deacon Steven Rayburn; Bishop Peter Christensen; Deacon David Shackley; Father Caleb Vogel; and Father Vitalis Onyeama, SMMM, during the celebration of Holy Mass. (ICR photo/Vero Gutiérrez) “These days, it seems like all of us are spending a lot of time rushing to the next thing,” Bishop Peter said in his homily. “We often forget to take the time to reflect, pray, meditate and call upon God. In doing so, we fail to let our minds and hearts be in sync with God, and our emotions become more and more raw. We become vulnerable and apt to believe lies about ourselves. Lies spoken to us from years past and piling up even today.”   Too often, he said, people focus on the negative.   “The problem is, my sisters, if we hear the negative enough, we can begin to believe it,” Bishop Peter said. “The most common lie is, ‘You are not good enough.’”   The antidote to negativity, he said, is encouragement in the truth.   “We need encouragement in our lives,” he affirmed. “Every person you and I meet has a heavy burden. Each human soul harbors unseen wounds and unspoken fears.”   Bishop Peter most recently witnessed the power of encouragement at breakfast in a hotel. He saw a young mother struggling with her baby at a table when an older woman spoke up and told her, “You are a good mother.” The young mother instantly teared up as the older woman continued to encourage her and even hugged her.   Bishop Peter waited until the young mother had left the dining room before speaking privately with the older woman about what he had witnessed.   “She called these deliberate acts of encouragement for people she meets; [they are] her ‘micro drops of joy,’” he related. “She does this simply because she feels people need to be lifted up.”   Though small, they can be powerful in bringing courage to others, he said, adding that it is also a way to fulfill a command in Scripture: “Encourage yourselves daily while it is still ‘today,’ so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin” (Hb. 3:13).   “St. Paul doesn't say encourage occasionally or just when it's convenient to do so, but daily,” he emphasized. “The culture we're living in so easily tears people down. We need to build each other up. We need to make encouragement a part of our regular flow of speech.”   Discouragement is a soul crusher, but to give encouragement is to live in the life of the Holy Spirit, he explained.   “Encouragement is a beautiful way to allow the Spirit to work through us, to collaborate with God, because God is not about tearing us down; He is building us up.”   To encourage one another is to spread truth to others and affirm their identity as a truly beloved child of God.   “The Lord says to each of you, ‘Take courage. Fear not, my beloved daughter. Fear not; I am with you.’ Let this enter into your hearts. Take this as a gift, use it and be healed.” At the opening of the Idaho Women’s Conference, Padre Pio’s relic was displayed at Holy Apostles Parish in Meridian for veneration. (ICR photo/Vero Gutiérrez) Crystalina Evert Evert, an international speaker and author, delivered two talks at the conference. She and her husband, Jason, are co-founders of the Chastity Project, an organization dedicated to promoting chastity and healthy relationships among young people.   “I have found traveling all over the world and speaking with women that 90 percent of women are not living out the gifts that God has given them,” Evert said. “I myself am still learning my gifts and growing into them.”   Wherever she has been, she has found that women have a lot of wounds and brokenness. “There's a lot of sin that we hold on to that stifles our spiritual growth and does not allow us to actually step into what we were created for.”   Evert shared her testimony with the audience. When she was 2, her father left their family. When she was 11, her grandfather, to whom she had looked up, also left the family. The pattern of men in her family history abandoning their wives and children deeply wounded her identity, she said.   “When I was young, I learned the lie at a very young age that love doesn't last, but I couldn’t wait to find ‘the one.’ So, at the age of 15, I lost my virginity,” she revealed. “I thought having sex was going to cause this huge, emotional bond, and we'd be on cloud nine and so in love. But slowly I realized he was just using me. After a while, I realized he was cheating on me. We broke up. We went our separate ways.”   Evert felt like she was “damaged goods” after breaking up with her boyfriend. To escape the pain, she turned to partying, drugs and alcohol. “I just lost myself completely,” she said. “I was miserable. I hated myself. My friends would always say, ‘Oh, it's all fun and games.’ Well, the next day, when the fun and games were over, I was disgusted with myself.”   Her mother insisted she go to a chastity presentation at a church. Evert reluctantly went. However, she quickly realized the event had a message of redemption that she needed.   “The speaker had done the same things I had done, but he had peace, joy and confidence,” she explained. “He wasn't ashamed of himself. And it was that day that I said I was going to start respecting my body, start respecting God and get my standards out of the gutter.”   Her conversion wasn’t easy, but she knew God loved her and was calling her to a better life.   “God wants you exactly where you're at,” she said. “He wants you to invite Him into your brokenness, those wounds, all those places that you want to hide from the world. He sees it all. There's no age limit on your purpose, in your mission that God has given you.”   Evert became involved with the chastity ministry as a speaker and met her husband, Jason Evert. When they married, she felt she was having a fresh start and that life would be “happily ever after.” However, in the stress of raising children and running a household, she realized that her healing journey was not over.   “I was under construction. I was a hot mess,” she testified. “I was doing all the things: going to confession, Mass and adoration. Then one day in adoration, I heard the Lord tell me, ‘Go to counseling.’”   At first, Evert refused to seek a counselor, but eventually acquiesced. Each session, she found, was affirmation that she was fulfilling God’s plan for her, the decision becoming a pivotal moment in her journey toward healing.   “Each of us can hear God’s voice. Even when we keep ourselves distanced from Jesus and what He calls us to do, He is still speaking to us, and we can hear Him,” she said. “If you say you can’t hear Him, I don’t believe you because when I was at my worst, drunk or high out of my mind back in high school, I knew I heard God’s voice saying, ‘Leave. Stop. Don’t do that.’ My conscience was still alive, even though I felt dead inside.”   Hearing God’s voice and obeying Him is essential to our growth. Unfortunately, too often, she explained, we listen to the negative voices in our head that accuse us and tell us lies about ourselves, from our looks to our intelligence and worth.   “It’s unreal how we dissect ourselves and how we take on those lies about ourselves, but God is whispering to us to counter those lies,” Evert said.   As we allow those lies to take hold, we give way to fear.   “Fear is the seed of evil: if the devil can make you fearful and not believe what God is telling you about who you are, then you become your own worst enemy,” she said, adding that Catholic counseling helped her to discern the lies and end toxic relationships and thinking.   She also found a quick way to fight the devil’s lies, by declaring out loud, “Jesus, speak the truth to me.” Emily Wilson, another Catholic speaker, told Evert that “the devil hates the name of Jesus, and he hates the truth. And Jesus will tell you the truth.”   Through her journey, Evert found confession, adoration and counseling to be essential in her healing. “There are no shortcuts,” she said. “But you are not doing this alone. You are going with Jesus.” Through healing, women receive the freedom to be their true selves.   “Do not underestimate the power of your own testimony to the world and what God wants to do through you,” she urged. “Your light was made to shine. Your self-worth is within you and has been given to you for a purpose. Your beauty was given to you for a great reason as well. It is time to rise up unafraid of who you are and embrace who you are.”   Sister Maria Goretti Sister Maria, who belongs to the order of the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart in Los Angeles, also spoke at the conference.   “Every single one of you are absolutely ravishing to the Lord,” Sister Maria Goretti said, sharing a reflection from speaker Father John Burns of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee on the primary call of Eve in the book of Genesis.   “In the first moments of Eve's existence, the scripture says God brought her to the man,” she explained. “That means that when Eve was created, she was alone with the Father and no one else. As she was created, the only One who communicated her dignity, identity and beauty to her was the Father. As the Father created her and gazed on her, Eve gazed back at the Father alone and knew she was beautiful and knew that she was created to be a delight.”   As Eve was created, so each of us are created and affirmed with the Father’s delight.   “Ladies, you are created to be gazed upon with delight, the purest delight that there is,” she attested. “The only loving gaze that is going to be able to communicate to you your identity and your full beauty and full worth is going to be that of your Heavenly Father, because that is how we were made.”   When she was young, Sister Maria said she loved dressing up and being beautiful.   “Beauty is a part of your essence as a woman,” she said. “You need to know this about yourself, which is why God has it all over Scripture.”   When she entered the convent, her desire to be beautiful remained, but external affirmation of her beauty was no longer the source of her identity. Beauty, she said, is not something that women should be ashamed of or try to run away from.   “Our beauty is sacred. Your beauty is sacred on all levels of the way that God created you,” she continued. Each woman, body and soul, is beautiful.   There can be a shame around wanting to be delighted in because women think it’s vain to desire that, she added. “You think that's vanity, but ladies, it's holy.”   Because of the fear of becoming vain or the fear of falling into lust and using beauty in wrong ways, women can become afraid of the desire of their hearts to be delighted in and to be beautiful, she explained.   “But the Father is telling you, ‘Do not be afraid. You are beautiful. Show me your face. Let me see you. You are lovely,’” she said, adding that holiness is what makes women beautiful. “A woman who is in love radiates because she knows she's beautiful in the eyes of her beloved. That's why she's so radiant. She knows her beloved calls her beautiful. It's the same thing for us with God.”   To receive this gift of God’s gaze, we must listen to His voice. “Whichever voice you give more time to is the voice that’s going to take over,” Sister Maria said. “So, if you’re not giving primacy of place to the voice of your Father in Jesus, other voices are going to take over.”   The Father wants to speak truth to each of us, she added.   “You are beautiful. No matter what you've done, where you've been, and where you are right now, that is the way your Father sees you,” Sister Maria said. “But the thing is, you're not going to be able to fully receive that unless you're looking at Him in prayer on a regular basis.”   Receiving our true identity as beautiful, beloved daughters of God is a lifelong journey of healing. “Healing is not about being fixed. If Jesus wants to bring healing and freedom to your beautiful hearts, it's for intimacy with Himself.”   Our wounds become open doors for intimacy with Jesus Christ, but first we must give Him permission to enter in.   “Letting Jesus into these places can take time, and that is OK,” Sister Maria said. “It can take years for certain wounds in our hearts, certain things He needs to work through to heal, and that's all right because He just wants to be with you in the journey.”

Renowned musical performer and North Idaho Catholic Chris James Gootherts performed a benefit concert for the St. George building fund on Sept. 19 at St. Pius X Parish in Coeur d’ Alene. The money will help St. George Parish finish its expansion project. Gootherts leads church music at Mass at three area parishes twice a month. (Courtesy photo/Trinity Music, LLC) By Lisa Ormond ICR North Idaho Correspondent   A flurry of special fundraisers over the past five months has kept St. George Parish’s coffers in Post Falls in good health, pushing construction of the new Parish Center and Adoration Chapel closer to reality.   And the momentum hasn’t shown signs of slowing anytime soon, that is, if the church body has anything to say about it.   “The church members are pouring their hearts, souls and devotion into getting enough funds to finish the new Parish Center and Adoration Chapel,” Father Sleeva Madanu told the Idaho Catholic Register (ICR), adding that he is sure that this hope will not lead to disappointment.   “For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. This love is evident in all the volunteers who keep coming up with the fundraising ideas and the hours they are working to make the events successful,” he said.   These fundraisers have kept the dirt moving, the workers on site and the overall construction moving forward with true faith and purposeful determination.   “The entire parish is also helping us succeed in our goal with prayers and participating in each of the fundraisers,” Father Sleeva said. “We are such a blessed community.”   Project status update For over four years, St. George Parish has been planning, designing, fundraising for, and building their multi-million dollar, 14,000-square-foot construction project. The community’s capital campaign, called “Making a Place to Gather and Grow,” has been a testament and steadfast anchor in moving toward their goal.   Approximately 75% of the build is completed, which represents a vital investment in their faith and the future. It includes a gathering hall with seating for approximately 255, six classrooms, multiple parish offices, a large kitchen for ministries and a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week  Adoration Chapel for prayer, peaceful contemplation and spiritual connection.   “It will allow our parish to expand our ministries, attract young families and offer more space to learn about our Catholic heritage and deepen our faith,” Father Sleeva said.   The exterior shells of the buildings are complete, and efforts are focused on completing all outside work before winter. The Parish Center’s main meeting room upstairs, called the Great Hall, is sheet-rocked, taped and textured, with work on overhead fire sprinkler suppression just beginning, and painting is scheduled to take place in three weeks.   “If we can get sufficient funds to continue the planned building, it’s possible we could occupy the new Parish Center the first week of February,” said parishioner and volunteer construction Project Manager Bob Ellis. “The kitchen won’t be done, but we will raise money for those costs after the completion of the rest of the hall work.”   Going above and beyond With holy determination and zeal for their quest, St. George’s parish community hasn’t paused a minute to raise the monies they need, creating nonstop fundraisers as outgrowths of their dedication and devotion.   In July, the church body was laser-focused on a two-day rummage sale, the church’s united efforts bringing in much-needed dollars at a critical, good-weather period to sustain building.   St. George member Roxann Zohner served as the event coordinator.   “We came together as a church family and it was an enormous success,” she said. “Thank you to everyone for being the hands and hearts of Jesus.” Zohner expressed gratitude for the 40 parish volunteers who came forward for setup, sales and tear-down.   “So many people stepped up and wanted to help out,” she said.   And the donations overflowed the church parking lot.   “We received triple the number of items than ever before. I kept running out of tables to put all the stuff!” Zohner said. “It is such a blessing to be a member of this parish.” The future St. George Parish Center and Adoration Chapel pictured on Aug. 23. If donations continue to come in and the weather cooperates, classes and meetings could start as early as January of next year.   (ICR Photo/Lisa Ormond)  Charity from across the country While endless energy, talents and time among its own church members keep the St. George center build afloat, word apparently has spread to at least one other Catholic community across the country about their need—and it is bearing fruit.   Recently, St. George Church received an unexpected delivery at its office: a box of encouraging notes, rolled coins, loose change and other sizable donations from a rural community in Minnesota that heard about the Post Falls church’s construction project and “just wanted to help,” one letter stated.   “It was such a blessing to have this package of kindness and generosity suddenly arrive at our doorstep from people who don’t even know us,” Father Sleeva said.   It is still somewhat of a mystery exactly how this donation came about, but it is believed that someone from the Post Falls parish community traveled to this rural part of the country and shared the church’s story of need.   The donations included monies from the sale of an old farm tractor at auction, sweet corn sales grown on a farmer’s land, a St. Benedict Monastery women’s group, a local teen’s babysitting earnings and more.   “We are one Catholic family, and we need to recognize that we need to lift one another up when the road gets tough through prayer and unity,” Father Sleeva reminded.   Home-cooked Indian feast attracts donors Under the inspirational guidance and direction of Father Sleeva, many hands joined together to offer a unique fundraising culinary experience—a multi-course, authentic Indian banquet—to raise money for St. George’s Parish Hall building fund over the summer.   Two feasts were offered in early June and on Aug. 27. Both sold out quickly and served 30 and 40 donor guests, respectively.   “Each dinner was a beautiful event that showcased the generosity of our Catholic community. Plus, Father is quite the chef,” commented parishioner Susan Jacobson. Susan, along with her husband Ron, sponsored and hosted both feasts at their Post Falls home in their outside garden area.   “It was our pleasure to be able to support these important church events,” Susan said. “It offered us the opportunity to socialize, and it was a special time spent discussing our precious Catholic faith.”   The culinary dining experience showcased delectable, legendary Indian dishes such as lemon rice, raita (yogurt with onions), lentil vegetable soup, butter lamb curry, chicken biryani, tandoori chicken, potatoes and pea curry, and also included wine, drinks and desserts made by the Jacobsons.   All the food was eaten up and thoroughly enjoyed by those who came.   “I’m extremely happy it was gone!” said Father Sleeva. “I do taste-test the dishes when making them, but I don’t eat any food at the event. I like to remind everyone the spices are intended to activate your taste buds, and the yogurt can help cut the heat.”   Parishioner Bill Reindel said he “liked all” of the Indian dishes.   “This is great. I didn’t want any yogurt though,” he smiled.   “It’s fresh and good, and you can tell everything here is made with love and care,” commented St. George parishioner Serena Williams. St. George’s Father Sleeva Madanu and parish member Wayne Woodard relax and partake in sweet desserts after a long day of meal preparation at the Indian Feast fundraiser held on.  (ICR Photo/Lisa Ormond) Benefit piano concert offered A music concert was also in the mix of St. George’s fundraisers. Renowned musical performer and St. George parish member Chris James Gootherts brought the Coeur d’Alene region his blend of humor, storytelling and musical talents to raise money for the St. George building fund.   Hundreds of guests attended his solo evening show on Sept. 19 at St. Pius X (host church), where he entertained audiences of all ages. Ticket proceeds were donated by Gootherts, who twice a month lead music ensembles at three Catholic parishes in the area.   Memorial bricks and tiles for sale The newest St. George fundraiser, called “Bricks to Honor Our Loved Ones,” was launched early this month by the church’s fundraising committee.   “This is a unique opportunity to leave a lasting mark on our parish’s sacred spaces,” said Debbie Ellis, St. George’s council chair. “You will be able to purchase an engraved brick and/or tile, a symbol of faith, family or a loved one’s memory, which will become a permanent part of the church’s story.”   Anyone can purchase and then choose the personal inscription. Bricks will be displayed in the outside grotto area, and tiles will adorn the church’s new entryway. Prices range from $350 (brick), $450 (tile) or $700 for both. Please contact St. George’s parish if interested. The two-day St. George Rummage sale at the end of July on church property raised thousands of dollars for the New Parish Center and Adoration Chapel building fund. (ICR photo/Lisa Ormond)   Firm faith and belief leading the way United in God and grounded in prayer and a true belief in the Lord’s mercy and ability to deliver their finished hall and chapel, St. George has its eyes looking upward with much trust and gratitude for the blessings and graces offered to their community so far.   Purposeful determination among its members continues while giving God praise and glory.   “It’s about believing in each other and the greatness that we have as a community and maintaining that belief in the Lord and each other no matter what,” Father Sleeva noted.   Seeking support from the community Donations and prayers are still being humbly requested from local and statewide Catholics who wish to help St. George’s parish reach their goal.   “Any donation can make a real difference, and we’d be most grateful,” Father Sleeva said. “Thank you for your generosity to assist us to serve faithfully as disciples.”   To donate to the St. George New Parish Center and Adoration Chapel Fund, checks can be mailed to St. George Catholic Church, P.O. Box 10, Post Falls, ID 83877, or online through their website at www.stgeorgesidaho.com .

Audrey Weiss and John Stone explain which wall be pushed back to make room for more seating within the sanctuary of Risen Christ Church in southwest Boise. (ICR photo/Philip A. Janquart) By Philip A. Janquart ICR Editor   A parish that began gathering in a school cafeteria more than 30 years ago is preparing for a major expansion to keep pace with rapid growth.   What started with a few families eventually expanded to hundreds. Today, Risen Christ Parish appears to be bursting at the seams, making the “Rooted in Christ, Rising Together” expansion campaign a necessity.   “They started gathering in 1992,” Risen Christ Parish Life Coordinator Audrey Weiss told the Idaho Catholic Register (ICR), recalling some of the church’s history. “And that was over at Lake Hazel Elementary. In 2000, the building committee was formed to build this space, and then they started the groundbreaking in 2003.”   Weiss, who is also a member of Risen Christ’s campaign cabinet, said that for the first few years, Masses were celebrated in the parish dining hall. By 2004, the sanctuary was completed, giving the parish a permanent worship space. But leaders say the church was always designed with an eye toward the future.   “That is true,” said Risen Christ parishioner John Stone. “It was built with the idea that one day it would be expanded.”   That day has come. An architectural drawing of the expansion. The highlighted portion is the south side of the church. (ICR photo/Philip A. Janquart)   According to Weiss and Stone, the parish has grown from about 200 families to 900 in just three years, a pace leaders describe as both a blessing and a challenge.                                 “At the 10:30 a.m. Mass, it’s just bananas,” Weiss said. “You have folding chairs in the narthex, 60 to 70 people, because there is not enough room in the building. Fr. Ben was asked by the Risen Christ Finance Council how he felt about the prospect of a building project, and his response was, “I would like for our family to be under one roof for Mass.’”   Stone, a parishioner since 2007, leads the parish building committee. He retired after a career working on transportation projects throughout the Valley and now directs the effort to expand the sanctuary.   The project will increase seating in the sanctuary by 196 and add a cry room that can accommodate 34 people. With the added capacity, codes also require expansion of bathrooms and the parking lot.   “We’re looking to expand the south side,” Stone explained. “Even though the parking lot’s not really shown, that’s all part of the project too, including handicap parking spaces and accessibility.”   Originally, the plan included expanding the north side of the sanctuary as well, but was adjusted to reflect cost and current need.   “This is the right size to accommodate the growth we have, the number of people attending [Mass] and the available funds we have,” Father Ben said.   Planning for expansion began in earnest in January 2023. The timing was significant: by July 2023, the parish had paid off its original mortgage, freeing up resources for the next phase of growth. By May 2025, the parish had about $800,000 in reserve for the project. An exterior view of the southside wall that will be pushed further south to make room for more seating inside. (ICR photo/Philip A. Janquart) “Parishioners who were donating to the original mortgage moved their donations over to what we were calling the building improvement fund,” Weiss said. “By the time we actually employed [the Steier Group], we had over a million dollars in savings. From these contributions and a few large one-time donations.”   The parish turned to the Steier Group, a firm that specializes in Catholic fundraising campaigns, to help organize the effort. Leaders say the group brought structure and experience, allowing the parish to roll out a well-coordinated campaign.   In August, the parish launched the public phase of the three-year campaign. Members received information packets, letters from Father Ben and pledge cards.   “So now everybody in the parish should have received this information,” Weiss said.   The project’s total cost is estimated at $6 million. The Diocese of Boise requires parishes to raise 70% of project costs before granting a loan. So far, the parish has raised $2.7 million, including its reserve savings.   Stone said much of the early effort has focused on communication and transparency.   “We’ve had extensive conversations with different parishioners and hosted conversations after Mass with project drawings to be able to show them what we’re doing,” he said.   The parish is also working with familiar partners. Architect Greg Ugrin, who designed the original church, has returned to oversee the expansion. Leaders say the continuity is helpful, both for design and for preserving the spirit of the original building. The southside entrance of Risen Christ Church. The wall that will be pushed out is to the immediate left. (ICR photo/Philip A. Janquart)   Though the church resembles an arc to some from a structural standpoint, that was never the intention, according to Weiss who said that once both sides of the building are extended, the church will be in the cruciform shape.   Weiss emphasized that the expansion effort is not just about bricks and mortar, but about people. She said the parish has experienced remarkable growth in part because of its commitment to welcoming newcomers.   “Part of the reason that we’re growing so much is trying to get every parishioner here to practice radical hospitality,” she said. “Our parish is welcoming, and it’s something we really strive for. I think that contributes to the growth. And the Holy Spirit is at work. The growth is unheard of.”   The idea of radical hospitality is part of the Risen Christ mission, a culture Father Ben has been helping to nurture since he arrived in 2022.   “This campaign is about more than adding seats,” he states in the campaign’s brochure. “It’s about making room for more hearts to be transformed, more families to feel at home, and more lives to be anchored in Christ.   Father Ben said that as a growing Christ-centered community, we all need to respond to others’ needs, “and right now.”   He added that the expansion “will be a visible sign of our mission: a place of radical hospitality, vibrant faith and unified purpose.”   From the beginning of the campaign, Father Ben has emphasized everyone gathering together in one space to celebrate the Eucharist.   Parish leaders say they are confident the community will meet the goal. For now, they are focused on inviting parishioners to prayerfully consider their pledges and help build for the future.   As Stone put it, the project is the next step in a journey that began decades ago in a borrowed cafeteria.

La parroquia de St. Jerome, en coordinación con la Oficina Diocesana para el Ministerio Hispano/Latino y la Oficina de Matrimonio y Vida de la Diócesis de Boise, ofrecerá los días 25, 26 y 27 de octubre el taller titulado “Autoconocimiento personal, de la pareja, de nuestras familias de origen; de nuestra relación interpersonal, con la familia y con Dios”, como parte del curso “Vida Exitosa en Pareja”. Diácono Carlos Urquijo Pedroso El encuentro será impartido por el Diácono Carlos Urquijo Pedroso, profesor del Instituto Pastoral del Sureste (SEPI) en Miami, Florida, y asesor en la Universidad de Notre Dame. Los talleres de Vida Exitosa en Pareja se realizan desde hace diez años en Cuba, gracias a la iniciativa del psicólogo y sociólogo Dr. Ignacio Marquínez Callejas, de Madrid, España, y auspiciados por la Comisión Nacional para la Familia de la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de Cuba. Desde entonces, más de 200 parejas han participado en esta experiencia que fortalece los lazos conyugales, familiares y espirituales. El programa busca: Fortalecer la relación de la pareja a través de vivencias y nuevas herramientas de comunicación. Promover un estilo de vida más pleno en el presente y con esperanza en el futuro. Impulsar la pastoral de las familias, colocando a la pareja como núcleo fundamental, en línea con el V Encuentro Hispano/Latino. El taller iniciará el viernes a las 6:00 p.m. y tendrá una duración de 16 horas, concluye con la celebración de la Eucaristía. La cuota de recuperación es de $40 por pareja, e incluye alimentos y material de trabajo. Para más información y pre-registro comuníquese a: Informes: Parroquia de St. Jerome: 208-324-8794 Oficina del Ministerio Hispano/Latino de la Diócesis de Boise: 208-350-7543

Lc 16, 19-31 Vigésimo Sexto Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario En el Evangelio de hoy, Jesús vuelve a advertirnos sobre la relación que existe entre el uso de las riquezas y la salvación o condenación. En la parábola del rico y de Lázaro, Jesús hace una ilustración catequética de las bienaventuranzas: “Bienaventurados los pobres, porque de ustedes es el Reino de Dios… Pobres de ustedes los ricos, porque ustedes tienen ya su consuelo…” (Lc 6, 20-26). El rico de la parábola se condena. No porque fuera rico, pues según la enseñanza del domingo anterior (Lc 16, 19) el dinero puede transformarse en instrumento de salvación. El rico tuvo la posibilidad de hacer esto, de poner su riqueza al servicio de la liberación del pobre, y esta oportunidad se llamaba Lázaro. Pero el rico se encerró en su riqueza y se condenó. El rico era un idólatra del dinero, un pecador. Por eso no estaba abierto a las necesidades de Lázaro. El pecado y el infierno son el resultado de no abrirse al “otro”, al pobre; de no salir de sí mismo para entrar en el mundo del “otro”. La condenación es el no amor, el encierro estéril en sí mismo; la salvación es la plenitud del amor y de la apertura a los demás. El mensaje de Jesús nos obliga a un replanteamiento de la vida; al escuchar el Evangelio de hoy, necesariamente se nota la invitación a comprender de manera radicalmente nueva el sentido último de todo y la orientación decisiva de nuestra conducta. Será difícil permanecer indiferente ante la palabra de Jesús, al menos si uno sigue creyendo en la posibilidad de ser más humano cada día. Es difícil no sentir inquietud y hasta cierto punto malestar al escuchar palabras como las que hoy nos recuerda el texto evangélico: “no se puede servir a Dios y al dinero”. Es imposible servir a un Dios que es Padre de todos y vivir al mismo tiempo esclavos del dinero y del propio interés. Solo hay una manera de vivir como hijos de Dios, y es vivir como hermanos de los demás. El que vive solo para sus intereses no puede ocuparse de sus hermanos, y no puede, por tanto, ser hijo fiel de Dios. La parábola termina con el diálogo entre el rico condenado y Abraham. La última parte es importante para entenderla en toda su significación: “Padre Abraham, si un muerto va a verlos, se arrepentirán”, dice el condenado y Abraham le contestó: “Si no escucharon a Moisés y a los profetas, no harán caso aunque resucite un muerto”. Es sorprendente con qué sencillez desenmascara Jesús nuestras falsas ilusiones. Escuchemos de nuevo sus palabras: “No pueden servir a Dios y al dinero”. Nosotros creemos que nos servimos del dinero; Jesús nos habla de que servimos al dinero. Nosotros pensamos que somos dueños del dinero, y no vemos que el dinero es nuestro dueño y señor. Creemos poseer las cosas, y no nos damos cuenta de que las cosas nos poseen. Así pues, para orientar nuestras vidas, no podemos menos que escuchar las palabras proféticas del evangelio, en las bienaventuranzas y en los discursos de Jesús.

A partir del primero de julio del presente año, el Sr. Obispo Peter Christensen reabrió la Oficina para el Ministerio Hispano/Latino de la Diócesis de Boise, designando como director a Leonardo Guillermo ( Memo) Gutiérrez, quien desde 2018 se ha desempeñado también como coordinador de eventos diocesanos. En el estado de Idaho, aproximadamente el 13.3 % de la población es de origen hispano/latino, lo que equivale a unas 252,000 personas. De este grupo, alrededor del 42.3 % profesa la fe católica. Actualmente, en nuestra diócesis, 28 parroquias celebran misa en español, respondiendo así a la creciente presencia y vitalidad de la comunidad hispana/latina. Los decanatos donde se concentra la mayor población hispana/latina son: Decanato del Sur (Jerome, Twin Falls, entre otros) Decanato del Oeste (Nampa, Caldwell, etc.) Decanato del Este (American Falls, Pocatello, entre otros), y Decanato del Centro Oeste (Boise, Meridian, etc.). La comunidad hispana/latina en nuestra diócesis continúa creciendo rápidamente. Como Iglesia local, estamos llamados a atender las necesidades pastorales y espirituales de estas comunidades, promoviendo la unidad del Pueblo de Dios. Precisamente esta fue una de las principales razones que motivaron la reapertura de esta oficina diocesana. Durante la Reunión de la Oficina Regional del Noroeste para Asuntos Hispanos, realizada el 13 de junio de 2025 en Portland, Oregón, incluyendo al obispo auxiliar Eusebio L. Elizondo Almaguer de la Arquidiócesis de Seattle. (Foto/ Edwin Ferreyra) Desde su llegada a la diócesis, Memo Gutiérrez ha trabajado de cerca con las parroquias que atienden a las comunidades hispanas/latinas, así como con los sacerdotes que las acompañan. En 2018, por invitación del entonces director de la oficina, el diácono Salvador Carranza, Memo se integró al equipo de trabajo que participó en las Asambleas Regionales (Región XII) y en la Asamblea Nacional del V Encuentro para el Ministerio Hispano/Latino. De estos encuentros surgió el Plan Pastoral Nacional para el Ministerio Hispano/Latino, titulado “Discípulos misioneros en salida con alegría”, publicado por la USCCB. Actualmente, Memo Gutiérrez cursa el tercer año de formación para el diaconado permanente. Cuenta además con certificación en Competencias Interculturales para el Mi- nisterio por parte de la USCCB, así como en Planeación Pastoral, otorgada conjuntamente por la USCCB y la NCADDHM. Asimismo, forma parte de la Oficina Regional del Noroeste para Asuntos Hispanos (NWROHA), lo que le permite estar en diálogo y colaboración con otras diócesis de la región. En palabras del propio Memo Gutiérrez: “Como director de esta oficina, mi propósito es crear y fortalecer los puentes de comunicación necesarios entre las oficinas diocesanas y las parroquias con las comunidades hispanas/latinas”. Memo afirmó que sus principales responsabilidades incluyen evaluar continuamente la situación pastoral, abogar por y con la comunidad, coordinar los esfuerzos de los ministerios existentes, desarrollar recursos y programas específicos, y formar y capacitar a líderes pastorales. Priorizo la atención a las familias, a los jóvenes adultos y a las vocaciones. Estos esfuerzos fortalecerán la unidad del Cuerpo de Cristo, a la vez que honran y celebran la diversidad cultural de la Iglesia. Celebración de la comunidad Hispano /Latina en la parroquia de Saint Paul en Nampa en honor a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en Diciembre de 2022. ( Foto ICR/ Vero Gutiérrez) Finalmente, anunció que es importante comenzar a trabajar desde ahora para preparar y conmemorar, con esperanza y fe, el 500 aniversario de las apariciones de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en 2031.

Jessica-lee and Wesley Pokorney, and their two sons, Fyodor, 5, and Clark, 7. (Courtesy photo/Wesley Pokorney) Gene Fadness For the ICR FRUITLAND – From high school and on, there were few things Wesley Pokorney enjoyed more than debating people who believed in God. Using arguments gleaned from a favorite teacher in his Caldwell High School philosophy class, he relished the idea of making naive believers squirm. Wesley grew up in a home where his dad liked to argue with people about faith issues. His only connections to religion as a young child were the few times his mother, a non-practicing Christian, took him and his siblings to a Salvation Army church. When he was 12, his parents divorced and his dad moved out. The family moved from Boise to Caldwell. During his high school years, Pokorney befriended a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Pokorney was impressed by his LDS friend’s family life. “Doing those familial things, like praying before dinner and family devotionals, seemed a lot more stable than the home in which I grew up,” he said. “That led to questions about where their family practices came from.” Wesley visited the LDS Church with his friend and even kept attending with the family after his friend left for a church mission. “I enjoyed their family life, but I didn’t see the appeal of their church. I considered myself an atheist and wanted to disprove LDS teaching.” He read the Book of Mormon and a biography of church founder Joseph Smith. “I used the same tactics to argue against them that I used against Christianity in general,” Wesley said. While attending high school, he began dating the woman who would later become his wife, Jessica-lee. They had two children together before they married in 2017. The standard arguments he used against Christians were challenged for the first time when he happened, entirely by accident, on to Salt & Light Catholic Radio. He wasn’t interested in Catholicism, but enjoyed listening to Catholic apologetic programs like “Catholic Answers” because, he said, “I was into debates.” It was the Christian pro-life stance that turned the once proud atheist, now a young father, into a Christian. He listened to abortion debates online and on Catholic radio. Particularly troubling to him were the pro-abortion views of his favorite leading atheists, including podcaster and “The End of Faith” author Samuel Harris. According to Wesley, Harris said the human becomes viable and valued only after a heartbeat is detected. Other prominent atheists, he learned, go further, supporting infanticide, or the taking of a baby’s life even after it is born. “I could not believe that well-respected atheist philosophers were not able to recognize the horrific violence against a human person,” he said. “I realized that an atheist can act morally, but still have no basis or foundation for that moral behavior, thus nearly all of them are totally fine with the murder of innocent children.” The Christian view on the sanctity of life “made me Christian,” he said. At about the same time, he discovered Catholic radio, Wesley and Jessica-lee befriended a handyman working on projects in their home. He was a member of an Anabaptist sect called the Old German Baptists. A breakaway sect from the Church of the Brethren, they believed in baptism only of adults by triple immersion. They eschewed any instrumentation in their services, singing only a cappella. Men sit on one side of the church while women, heads covered, sit on the opposite side. Like other Anabaptist groups such as the Mennonites and the Amish, they are part of the historic “peace churches,” declining to take up arms against other nations. The handyman invited Wesley and Jessica-lee to dinner with his family and fellow members. “Again, I was impressed with their family life and their view of marriage as a lifelong commitment,” he said. They began regularly attending church at the Baptist congregation, not missing a Sunday for nearly four years. However, they never officially joined because they had trouble accepting the church’s view that Jessica-lee, who had been baptized at age 12 at a Baptist church camp, had to be re-baptized to become a member of the church. Their objection was based, in part, on what Wesley was hearing on Catholic radio about baptism. “I had become convinced that the Catholic position that we are baptized only once was the correct position.” Jessica-lee was not at all interested in Catholicism and, like Wesley, was impressed with the family life of the Anabaptist congregation. However, she felt the same unease as Wesley about their Anabaptist congregation’s requirement that she be re-baptized. Wesley continued to listen to Catholic radio and became familiar with Catholic apologists and podcasters. “I thought we would probably end up Catholic, but I didn’t tell my wife because, at the time, she said we could visit any church but the Catholic Church. that she would never set foot in a Catholic church.” His high school philosophy teacher, who was the inspiration behind his earlier life’s opposition to Christianity, again influenced Wesley’s life, but not in the way he would have expected. “When I was in high school, I kind of latched on to him as a father figure.” Years after high school, Wesley came across a Facebook photo of the teacher at the Catholic baptism of one of his grandchildren. “I can’t believe this!” he told himself at the time. “He’s so smart. Why is he Catholic?” Despite many questions, the Pokorneys continued to attend their Anabaptist church, still in search of an alternative that would be satisfying to both. Another turning point for Wesley came when he discovered a YouTube video of a leading Anabaptist preacher claiming that the founder of the movement, Alexander Mack, accepted the Catholic book of Tobit as prophetic. The Book of Tobit is one of seven books in the Bible that are not accepted by most Protestants. “That was a game-changer for me. I felt somewhat betrayed by our leaders never saying anything about it,” Wesley said, referring to Mack’s view of the Book of Tobit. With that came also an acknowledgement that the Bible is not the “be-all, end-all,” of truth, Wesley said, noting that the Church existed for more than three centuries before the canon of scripture was completed and the Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, determined which books would be included in the Bible. “No longer believing in sola scriptura (the Protestant view that the Bible alone is the authority for the Church) eliminated every Protestant faith in my mind,” he said. “When my wife finally asked me if we were ever going to be members of this (Anabaptist) church, I said we were not.” In response, Jessica-lee told her husband, “Then, I need you to take us to the church where we can be members.” He called Corpus Christi Church in Fruitland, and they visited the following Sunday, the OCIA leader meeting them at the door. Neither had ever attended a Mass. “We were definitely outsiders and some parts of the Mass were strange to us,” said Jessica-lee. However, by this time, Wesley had studied Catholicism thoroughly. “Even though parts of it were strange, it was also familiar. I knew it was the true form of worship, even at the first Mass,” he said. For Jessica-lee, it was a “test of faith,” to pursue Catholicism, not so much faith in a church, but faith in her husband to lead their small family. “I had a really good person to lead me,” she said. She had to confront a father wound in her own life. Like Wesley, her father also left the family when she was very young. “That deterred me from loving and appreciating a Heavenly Father,” she said. She was also frustrated at their former church leaders’ inability to answer her question as to whether the Holy Spirit remains with one who turns away from God. Jessica-lee, the onetime obstinate opponent of all things Catholic, read all seven additional books in Catholic scripture (she had already read the rest of the Bible). She and Wesley started OCIA classes four months after that first Mass. “We talked about the sacraments and how you could get the Holy Spirit back through Confession,” Jessica-lee said. “I also came to believe that the Eucharist was necessary to feed my soul. I couldn’t understand how just the Word of God (the Bible) is what fed you.” And, finally, her inner struggles with the insistence of some that she be baptized again were settled once and for all when in OCIA she learned that her Triune baptism at age 12 was all that was needed. And the idea that infants could not be baptized – the view that made the Anabaptists distinctive – also no longer made sense to her. The second chapter of Colossians equates circumcision to baptism, she noted, and Jewish boys were baptized at only eight days old. “How could Jesus be inclusive, but not for babies?” she asked herself. “Certain things that were hurdles were starting to make sense.” The Pokorneys started attending OCIA in the fall of 2024. At Easter this year, Wesley and their sons, Clark, 7, and Fyodor, 5, were baptized. Also, Wesley and Jessica-lee were Confirmed and their marriage was convalidated in the Church. They feel welcomed by their much larger family at Corpus Christi, but there is one thing from Wesley’s peek inside the LDS faith and their joint venture in the Anabaptist movement they find lacking in their new faith. “The people are friendly, but no one stays after church,” Jessica-lee said. “No family potlucks, everyone just zips out.” She’s hoping to start a “Family Friday” evening for young families and a Bible school for kids. “I figure if there’s a problem, I should be part of the solution by volunteering,” she said. “It has been great, and I’m growing in my love for the Church,” Wesley said. “With Anabaptists, doubts and questions came later and grew over time. With Catholics, the questions and doubts came first, but diminished as time went on.”

Bishop Daniel Mary Gorman, Cathedral of St. John Parish priests and Holy Cross Sisters, background, in front of the newly-completed St. Joseph’s School in 1925. The original building, with its distinct red brick, still sits on the original corner of 9th and Fort streets. It had eight classrooms and cost $38,000 to build. (Courtesy photo/St. Joseph’s School) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer Classrooms at Diocese of Boise Catholic Schools began opening up in mid-August and early September for the new school year, accounting for approximately 4,000 Catholic students around the state of Idaho. Elementary classrooms were decked out in colorful arrays of posters, calendars and other teaching aids. Parents gave hugs and good-byes to children of all ages as they laughed and ran to greet friends. Priests blessed students and faculty. (See more photos on pages 8 and 9). Each school year, a series of milestones begins for students from pre-kindergarten through their senior year of high school, from learning the alphabet to preparing for First Communion to submitting a college application. One milestone of the 2025-2026 school year is the 125th anniversary of St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Boise, the parish school of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. St. Joseph’s is the oldest Catholic school in the state. “We asked faculty and staff to think of things that are younger than St. Joe’s,” said Brittany O’Brien, Dean of Students at St. Joseph’s School. “It was so fun to see the list of the things they came up with, like penicillin. Can you believe that we haven’t had penicillin for 125 years?” In 1900, Bishop Alphonse Glorieux of the Diocese of Boise opened St. Joseph’s School as an all-boys school in the newly enlarged and remodeled St. Patrick’s Hall at Ninth and Bannock Streets. Sister Lucy, a Holy Cross Sister on loan from St. Teresa’s Girls Academy, was the first principal. Five years later, Bishop Glorieux decided to move St. Patrick’s Hall and St. John’s Church to their current location at Eighth and Fort Streets. First Communion 1934.  (Courtesy photo/St. Joseph’s School) However, the church building struck a power line during the move and burned down. A temporary church building was constructed until the Cathedral, made of stone and designed by Hummel Architects, was completed in 1921. St. Joseph’s School continued in the relocated St. Patrick’s Hall until 1925, when the red brick building on Ninth and Fort Streets was completed. The building cost $38,000. The school also expanded its grades to high school. Holy Cross Sisters continued to lead and educate the students of St. Joseph’s for decades. They were not given a salary for their work, of only $25 per month, until the Most Rev. Daniel Mary Gorman was made Bishop of Boise in 1918. In 1927, the Most Rev. Edward J. Kelly was made Bishop of Boise. As the enrollment of St. Joseph’s School grew, he decided to make the high school co-educational at St. Teresa’s Academy so that the lower grades could occupy the entire campus of St. Joseph’s. St. Joseph’s gymnasium was not added until 1948. Five years later, St. Teresa’s campus was changed entirely to a co-educational high school, and St. Joseph’s became a co-educational elementary and middle school. In 1991, a multi-phase, 20-year expansion and renovation began. This project included the Media Center, additional classrooms, new heating and air conditioning system and energy efficient windows. In this current photo, St. Joseph’s school has changed very little over the last 125 years. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) The school office and library were remodeled, and changes to the office increased school security and productivity. The 2010s brought more remodeling and expansion to the school, especially through grants by the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation. Following the COVID pandemic in 2021, St. Joseph’s installed a new multi-purpose playground and community recreation area through the Playtopia Capital Campaign. St. Joseph’s theme for their anniversary is “Rooted in Faith.” They are kicking off celebrations on Friday, Sept. 12 with a happy hour for alumni from 6 to 8 p.m. at the school campus. The happy hour will include school tours, light appetizers and drinks. On Saturday, September 15, at 5 p.m., the school will host its 125th Anniversary Mass at the Cathedral. Following the Mass is St. Joe’s Fall Carnival, from 6 to 9 p.m. Everyone in the community, alumni or not, is invited. The carnival includes food trucks, games, live music and a beer garden. Visit stjoes.com for more information about the celebrations and upcoming events.

Por Memo Gutiérrez Director de la Oficina del Ministerio Hispano/Latino Bajo el lema: “Migrantes Misioneros de la Esperanza” , la Semana Nacional de la Migración es una celebración única en los Estados Unidos y se basa en las ideas presentadas en la Jornada Mundial del Migrante y del Refugiado (JMMR) auspiciada por el Vaticano.  Esta es una oportunidad para que la Iglesia mundial y los fieles católicos participen en la oración, la reflexión y la acción en nombre de nuestros hermanos y hermanas que se ven obligados a huir de sus hogares. Recordemos que esta Semana Nacional de la Migración nos sirve de preámbulo para vivir el Jubileo del Migrante, que se llevará a cabo el 4 y 5 de octubre en la Ciudad del Vaticano.   El propósito de la Semana Nacional de la Migración es crear conciencia de la realidad de la migración en el mundo y el papel de la Iglesia dentro de estas realidades a nivel nacional y global. Esta jornada es una oportunidad para que la Iglesia reflexione sobre las circunstancias que enfrentan los migrantes, incluidos inmigrantes, refugiados, asilados, niños, víctimas y sobrevivientes de la trata de personas. Durante más de 40 años, la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos (USCCB) ha llamado a todas las diócesis en el país a participar en esta semana de educación, oración y compromiso.   Como católicos, estamos llamados a orar y servir al que lo necesita. Los invitamos a que durante la semana del 22 al 28 de septiembre oremos juntos el Rosario, teniendo como intención principal a todos nuestros hermanos y hermanas que, por causas muchas veces ajenas a ellos, tienen que dejar sus países.   Los invito a que se pongan en comunicación con su párroco para que juntos puedan organizar jornadas de oración, adoración eucarística, celebrar la Santa Eucaristía por todos aquellos que están pasando por una situación difícil por ser migrantes. Comparto con ustedes la oración que el Papa Francisco nos dejó en el 2024 durante la 110.ª Jornada Mundial del Migrante y del Refugiado en el 2024.  Dios, Padre todopoderoso Somos tu Iglesia peregrina Que camina hacia el Reino de los cielos. Cada uno de nosotros habita en su propia patria, Pero como si fuéramos extranjeros. Toda región extranjera es nuestra patria, Sin embargo, toda patria es para nosotros tierra extranjera. Vivimos aquí en la tierra, Pero tenemos nuestra ciudadanía en el cielo. No permitas que nos constituyamos en amos De la porción del mundo Que nos has dado como hogar temporal. Ayúdanos a no dejar nunca de caminar Junto con nuestros hermanos y hermanas migrantes Hacia la morada eterna que tú nos has preparado.   Abre nuestros ojos y nuestro corazón Para que cada encuentro con los necesitados Se convierta también en un encuentro con Jesús, Hijo tuyo y Señor nuestro. Amén   -       SS Francisco.

Por Vero Gutiérrez Editora Asistente Caridades Católicas de Idaho en colaboración con abogados y estu- diantes de derechos brindará asesoría legal gratuita a todos los residentes permanentes que están interesados en obtener la ciudadanía estadounidense el próximo 20 de septiembre “Día de la Ciudadanía 2025”. Además de Caridades Católicas colaboran en este proyecto otras organizaciones como el Capítulo de Idaho AILA en colaboración con la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad de Idaho, y El Comité Internacional de Rescate. Por varios años estas diferentes organizaciones han unido esfuerzos para apoyar a los residentes permanentes cuya situación legal migratoria se encuentra en regla para que obtengan la ciudadanía estadounidense. La abogada Mariella del Pilar Díaz, especialista en temas sobre inmigración, participó con el Juez retirado Sergio Gutiérrez en entre- vista con Sal y Luz Radio Católica para hacer la invitación a todos los que son ciudadanos permanentes para dar el siguiente paso. En primer lugar, aclaró que va dirigido a personas que ya son residentes permanentes y mantienen limpio su expediente. Básicamente la abogada del Pilar destacó que es importante para los residentes considerar hacerse ciudadanos para buscar la estabilidad tanto de ellos como de sus familias y obtener derechos y privilegios por medio de las vías legales que ofrecen las leyes de este país. Por su parte Gutiérrez, afirmó que el Taller de Ciudadanía gratuito es un esfuerzo que viene del corazón de los abogados para ayudar a la comunidad. Además, añadió que ser ciudadano le permite a las personas tener mejores oportunidades laborales, educación y en el campo espiritual pueden obtener los medios para poner a trabajar los dones que Dios les ha dado para anunciar el Plan de Salvación pero también para alcanzar una vida más saludable y exitosa. Martha Alejandre, Representante Acreditada del Departamento de Justicia de Caridades Católicas de Idaho, atendiendo a solicitantes en el día de la ciudadanía durante el 2019 . (Foto ICR/ Archivo) El año pasado, a través del Taller de Ciudadanía se logró ayudar a 35 personas para hacerse ciudadanos y la meta de este año es lograr superar esta cifra y mejorar los servicios que se ofrecen haciéndolos más agiles y cómodos para los solicitantes. Es muy importante que las personas se comuniquen para hacer una cita antes de la fecha programada para el taller, porque en ese momento de llamada se les hará saber si son elegibles para dar el siguiente paso a la solicitud de la ciudadanía y se les indica cuales son los documentos que necesitan presentar el día del Taller de Ciudadanía. Mariella del Pilar explicó algunas de las diferencias entre la ciudadanía y la residencia permanente en la que básicamente la persona no puede salir más de 6 meses del país. Los ciudadanos pueden votar y participar en los procesos de elección de sus gobernantes y legisladores y se establece un vínculo directo con Estados Unidos en términos cívicos. En el taller participará todo un equipo de profesionales en temas de inmigración integrado por abogados voluntarios, estudiantes de derecho, asistentes legales y voluntarios que estarán disponibles para ayudar a las personas a llenar sus formularios para solicitar la ciudadanía y guiar a las personas en este proceso legal. Su tarea es ayudar a las personas a completar el expediente y los solicitantes deben enviar el paquete y hacer el pago correspondiente al gobierno estadounidense. El Taller se realizará en el edificio 501 W. Front St. en Boise de 9:00 a.m. a 2:00 p.m. sin ningún costo. Para participar en el Taller solo tiene que comunicarse al teléfono 208-350-7488 o también puede hacer preguntas a la dirección de correo electrónico idahoailachapter@gmail.com.