By Philip A. Janquart ICR Editor He says there is nothing better than having a place to go, plenty of asphalt ahead and time to think. And for Father Caleb Vogel — vicar general for the Diocese of Boise — there have been plenty of roads in life. Some led to the priesthood; others have carried him through Idaho’s mountains, across the country and into Canada on the back of his Triumph motorcycle. But long before he was riding motorcycles or celebrating Mass in parishes across Idaho, his most important road began in Jerome, where he grew up surrounded by family, friends and a parish that was never far from home. “It was a blessed upbringing,” Father Vogel told the Idaho Catholic Register. He was one of six children. Both sets of grandparents lived within a short bicycle ride, two aunts lived across the street and St. Jerome Catholic Church was only three blocks away. “We knew all of our neighbors,” Father Vogel said. “So, I grew up, really, with being surrounded by family. My friend group was really my family group.” Church life was a big part of that family life. St. Jerome was a close-knit parish, and the family was involved in just about everything. His parents participated in the Cursillo movement and retreats. His mother eventually became the parish’s director of religious education. Father Vogel, right, takes a break during his early seminary years to go for a ride with his brother, Nick. (Courtesy photo) And the family even helped take care of the church. “We were the janitors of the church,” Father Vogel said. He and his brother eventually took care of the parish lawn, which meant they spent plenty of time around the church — and around its priests. “So we were around the church all the time,” he said. “I got to see priests outside of Sunday, and staff people.” That early exposure gave Father Vogel a glimpse of something he would eventually come to know for himself: the priesthood was not simply what happened at the altar on Sunday. It was a life lived among people. The first person to suggest that life might be his own was his grandmother. A seed takes root Father Vogel was about eight when his grandmother told him she could see him becoming a priest someday. “I remember this,” he said. “This is a memory, whether it’s true or not.” He understood what she meant, even if he was too young to understand what becoming a priest really involved. Still, the idea stayed with him. “That idea of being a priest was really lovingly planted, that seed, by my grandma, who I really respected and loved,” he said. “And so that seed just kept growing.” By high school, the idea had become much more serious. “From a young age, I didn’t always know I was going to be a priest, but I always wanted to be,” he said. “By the time I got to high school, that was the dominant idea, and I knew I wanted to at least try.” He decided to test that calling in a straightforward way. “When I graduated high school, the only school I applied to was the seminary,” he said. His thinking was simple: “That’ll be my sign. If I make it, great.” He entered Mount Angel Seminary in Oregon in 1995, studying philosophy. In 1999, he transferred to St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, California, where he completed his theological studies. He was ordained a priest in 2004 at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Boise, by Bishop Michael Driscoll, alongside Father Dat Vu. His first assignment took him to Idaho Falls, where he served two churches as well as missions in Roberts and Mud Lake. From there came assignments in St. Anthony, Rexburg and Driggs, followed by campus ministry at the University of Idaho in Moscow. Moscow was not an assignment he expected. “I never expected that,” he said. “It was a wonderful opportunity to work with students.” It was also where he began helping with vocations. After six years in Moscow, he was assigned to St. Paul’s in Nampa. Six years later, Bishop Peter asked him to serve at the Diocesan Pastoral Center. Today, Father Vogel serves as vicar general while also serving as pastor of parishes in McCall, Cascade and Riggins. That means plenty of time on the road. “I go up on Thursday afternoon, and then try to do all that I can to serve the parish there on the weekend,” he said. The arrangement is part of a larger reality facing the Church: There simply are not enough priests. “I think the idea right now is (I’ll do this) for as long as it’s needed and I’m able,” he said. “We need more priests.” And that brings Father Vogel to another kind of road. Father Maruisz Majewski, St. Thomas the Apostle in Coeur d'Alene, and Father Vogel take time for a quick photo before heading out on a long trip to the Arctic Circle north of Canada. (Courtesy photo) The road itself His love of motorcycles goes back to childhood, when he watched his father ride a Honda Trail 90. Over the years, Father Vogel has owned several motorcycles, including a Kawasaki Ninja, a Honda VFR 800 and a Yamaha 750 Special. He has ridden across much of the country and into Canada. One trip took him to Florida and then to Slave Lake in Canada’s Northwest Territories with Father Mariusz Majewski. More recently, he completed a 4,500-mile trip. These days, he often rides with Father Mark Uhlenkott. “We’ll go on big adventures,” he said. But for Father Vogel, riding is not really about speed or the power of the motorcycle. It is about experiencing the journey. “It’s just such a great way to travel,” he said. “I feel like when I’m driving, I’m not driving.” On a motorcycle, there is nothing between him and the world around him. He feels changes in temperature. He smells the trees, the river and everything else along the road. He sees wildlife and scenery that might otherwise pass unnoticed. “It’s completely open,” he said. “I get to be fully exposed to nature, meaning I feel every change in temperature, all of the smells, good or bad.” The difference is especially noticeable on the ride to McCall. “I’m not boxed in by a car,” he said. “I see everything, and I’ve seen so much beautiful scenery and wildlife, and it just changes my mindset when I ride a motorcycle.” It also changes the way he thinks about time. On the way to McCall, there are plenty of places where he can pull off the road. Sometimes he does. “I’ll bring a little lunch, and I’ll just pull off,” he said. He might find a spot along the river, set up a camp chair and sit for half an hour. “I’ll set up my camp chair down by the river, and I’ll have lunch,” he said. “And just take, like, 30 minutes or whatever.” That is something he rarely does in a car. “The motorcycle changes my mindset to where I’m much more engaged in what’s happening, like, in the travel and nature,” he said. “Whereas in a car, I’m all about business.” A car is about getting somewhere. A motorcycle makes the trip itself part of the experience. “On my motorcycle, I’m like, ‘I’m on a trip,’ even when I’m going to do Mass.” For him, that feeling is less about freedom than about being alive and present. “I feel like maybe more alive,” he said. “I feel energized. Again, it feels like I’m on a trip, like on a vacation.” And sometimes, the ride becomes something more. A quiet place For Father Vogel, one of the best things about riding is the quiet. Not necessarily literal silence, but the chance to step away from everything else. “It’s a real undistracted time, and I’m just there with my thoughts,” he said. “So it’s a real peaceful time for me because all I’m doing is just driving.” Sometimes he listens to an audiobook or soft instrumental music. Often, though, he simply rides. “Most of the time, I’m just there quietly,” he said. That quiet can become prayer. “It’s uninterrupted,” he said. “And it can be prayerful. It can be thoughtful. It could be just mindless. I could be working through problems. It could be all kinds of things.” There is something about being on the road, with little else to do but ride, that allows everything else to fall away. “It’s just like the world disappears almost,” he said. “And it’s just me, the road, the bike, and the world there. And my thoughts. It’s pretty cool.” Of course, Father Vogel knows motorcycles can be dangerous. He learned that firsthand during a heavy thunderstorm near Meridian. His motorcycle hit standing water and hydroplaned. “I hit that lake at 55 miles an hour,” he said. “When I hit it, the bike just completely hydroplaned, and it just started fishtailing, and it just laid down.” He was wearing his protective gear and escaped serious injury. The experience reinforced something he had decided years earlier as a young priest: If he was going to ride, he was going to do it responsibly. “I owe it to the Church. I owe it to myself, but really to the Church, that I always wear my gear,” he said. “I have a great helmet. I wear top-grade gear. I don’t really mess around with that. I wear it. I use it because it really works.” For Father Vogel, the motorcycle has become more than a way to get from one place to another. It is a way to slow down.

‘Under the lighted pines event’ slated for Sept. 17 Two volunteers sort through clothing during SVdP North’s early years. (Courtesy photo) COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — In 1946, Coeur d’Alene was a small lumber and mining community emerging from World War II. Seeing widespread local poverty, a handful of parishioners at St. Thomas Catholic Church began gathering clothing and basic necessities for neighbors in need. They began with a simple clothing closet, relying on volunteers and their own vehicles to get necessities to local families. From the beginning, help was offered to anyone experiencing hardship, regardless of religion, race or background. They could not have known they were beginning an organization that would still be serving North Idaho 80 years later. In 2026, St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho celebrates its 80th anniversary, honoring eight decades of people who saw a need and found a way to help. “This history belongs to North Idaho,” said Scott Ferguson, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho. “St. Vincent de Paul is here today because generation after generation of people in this community chose to care for their neighbors. The needs have changed and our work has grown, but dignity, compassion and community remain at the heart of who we are.” Local children donate change at a fundraiser. (Courtesy photo) Growing Alongside North Idaho As Coeur d’Alene and the surrounding communities grew, St. Vincent de Paul grew with them. The clothing closet grew into the Salvage Bureau and thrift stores. Emergency assistance expanded into dedicated shelters and permanent affordable and supportive housing. Over time, the mission grew to include the H.E.L.P. Center, Warming Center, Father Bill’s Kitchen, Trinity Group Homes, family programs and an expanding network of services designed to meet people wherever they are in a moment of need. Behind that growth were people. Employees like Minnie McDonald, who spent more than 43 years behind the thrift-store counter. Leaders like Lynn Peterson, whose two decades as executive director helped transform the organization’s housing and homelessness work. And generations of volunteers, board members, donors, churches, businesses and community partners who saw what was needed and helped make it possible. What a clothing closet became Today, St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho’s network of care includes: 329 affordable and supportive housing units and 55 shelter beds Emergency shelter, the Warming Center and homelessness services Father Bill’s Kitchen, meals, showers and laundry Emergency assistance, case management and connections to community resources Mental health supportive housing, family programs and thrift services The scale is different. The heart of the work is not. An 80-year historical timeline, accompanying this release, tells the fuller story through photographs, newspaper clippings and memories of the people, places and milestones that shaped St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho from 1946 to today. A group of St. Vincent de Paul supporters gather to read a poster detailing the needs of the building project. (Courtesy photo) A celebration 80 years in the making On Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, St. Vincent de Paul will invite the community to celebrate this remarkable history at Under the Lighted Pines, its 80th Anniversary Celebration at Camp Lutherhaven on Lake Coeur d’Alene. The evening will include a cruise and lakeside dinner, the unveiling and sharing of St. Vincent de Paul’s 80-year history, and a celebration of the people and partnerships that have carried the mission across generations. Funds raised that evening will help ensure St. Vincent de Paul continues to be here for North Idaho neighbors experiencing homelessness, housing instability and crisis. “Eighty years ago, a few people saw neighbors who needed help and responded,” Ferguson said. “That same choice has been made thousands of times since. This celebration honors those who built the legacy and invites all of us to help carry it forward.” Under the Lighted Pines: Celebrating 80 Years of Hope Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. Camp Lutherhaven | Lake Coeur d’Alene Tickets and event information are available at www.stvincentdepaulnorthidaho.org North Idaho St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store (Courtesy photo) About St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho Founded in Coeur d’Alene in 1946, St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho has grown from a small clothing closet at St. Thomas Catholic Church into one of North Idaho’s largest networks of housing, shelter, meals and compassionate care. Through eight decades of extraordinary change, one thing has remained constant: neighbors helping neighbors with hope, dignity and love.

Dynamic marriage equips couples to take their marriage to the next level. This course provides the vital tune up needed to keep the complex dynamics of marriage healthy and strengthen the intimate connection between husband and wife. TESTIMONIALS Kirk and Nina Loy St. Charles Borromeo, Salmon We highly recommend this course as it offered tremendous insight into our marriage from the very first session. We learned how to communicate with each other in a more respectful and loving way. It was surprising to finally shed light on things we were doing that were hurtful to each other. During the class, we identified the “love busters” that were causing harm. We also identified and prioritized each other’s emotional needs during the class. In doing so, we learned how to better express our love in a way that will meet those needs. With improved insights into these unique needs, communication has improved greatly. Before, we assumed that any act of affection toward our spouse should render a positive response and evoke feelings of being cherished. Now, we realize there is nuance to our spouse’s emotional needs. When our actions are informed and conducted with tact and care, we can better show love and appreciation in ways that best suit our spouse’s emotional needs. It is imperative that we view meeting each other’s emotional needs as a gift to our spouse, rather than as an obligation. This course proved to be a valuable time investment. We set aside many hours each week to complete “homework” together. That time shared was surprisingly intimate. We never would have guessed that homework would have strengthened our bond and have us fall deeper in love. The weekly group meetings were another enjoyable time commitment. Seeing that other couples also have ups and downs and can grow stronger together despite [difficulty] offers a helpful perspective. It’s tempting to think we are the only ones with a particular struggle, when, in reality, there is nothing new under the sun. Another portion of the time commitment is making time to pray with our spouse each day. This was extremely beneficial and strengthened our faith and spiritual bond. There’s nothing quite like watching your spouse humble themself before God and ask Him to improve our marriage and ourselves. Also, the Bible verses curated for this course were not only inspirational but felt like just the thing we needed to hear at the right time. These words provided us strength and encouragement to boldly live out our marriage vocation. Once again, we highly recommend this course to all married couples. Mark & Teresa Tavelli My wife and I participated in the Dynamic Marriage Course led by Shelly and Shannon Batman in January and February of 2026. Based on our experience, I would recommend this course to couples of any age or number of years married. The course was much different than I expected in that it did not feature lecture-heavy or theory-heavy content but rather focused on practical skill-building designed to improve daily communication and change behavior patterns. We both appreciated and enjoyed this approach. Some of the strengths of the program I valued most included: Giving us a common vocabulary for our emotional needs and associated damaging behaviors Providing very practical tools that facilitate delving into specific problem areas and getting to the heart of the matter Facilitated group format (with eight other couples) that fostered accountability, provided shared wisdom and insight and had a community feel that was evident even though the meetings were over Zoom Course materials which were all well-written and helpful in bringing to surface specific issues in our marriage and identifying potential solutions We covered a lot of ground in the nine weeks, and a lot of work went into completing the various chapters. Some of the issues we were led to discuss were, in all honesty, difficult to get through as it required us to face up to changes related to behaviors practiced over decades. We learned that these changes are difficult and require concerted ongoing effort, practice and repetition to become habit. It all starts with identifying what needs to change and this course was instrumental in that. I am grateful for the opportunity the Dynamic Marriage course offered me. Kudos to our skilled facilitators, Shelly and Shannon Batman, who did a great job of organizing and getting us though the course. It was obvious that the other participants were getting a lot out of the course as well. Jim & Mary Ellen Nourse St. John the Evangelist, Boise Back in Fall 2023, we attended a Marriage Enrichment evening at our parish, St. John’s Cathedral. During the evening, we met Shannon and Shelly Batman, who facilitate Dynamic Marriage classes. Shannon and Shelly were so friendly and enthusiastic about the Dynamic Marriage program that we decided to reserve our Monday evenings to take the class. Earlier this year, as a gift to ourselves, we enrolled in the Dynamic Marriage class a second time. This “Dynamic Marriage Take 2” was a repeat, refocus, and reset for us. Since our initial class back in Fall 2023, life has changed markedly and unpredictably for us. After we almost lost each other due to unexpected illnesses, we decided that we wanted to fully live out, as a couple, however many days, months or years the Lord has planned for us. In addition, we have family commitments that we didn’t have in 2023. Dynamic Marriage enabled us to refocus on each other as a couple, as we worked through the course together. Once again, Monday evenings were set aside for us to repeat, refocus, and reset through the Dynamic Marriage class. This class was an excellent way to know what important likes & dislikes make your special person. One take-away for us is that, from 7:00 to 9:00 weekday evenings, we turn off our phones and social media so we can spend uninterrupted time together. We also are committed to de-cluttering our home. Dynamic Marriage is an excellent program for couples – whether you’ve been married five years or 50!

Salt & Light Radio helped them learn about the faith James and Jena Murrell (ICR Photo/Emily Woodham) By Emily Woodham For the ICR James Murrell believed that miracles happen. However, he never expected to receive one at a Catholic Mass. He went to Mass for the first time at the beginning of 2024 simply out of curiosity. “I told a cousin of mine about all the things that I had learned in my studies about different Christian denominations, especially my findings about the Catholic Church,” James told the Idaho Catholic Register. “He suggested that we go to the Cathedral. He’s a Baptist youth minister, but he is Filipino and has a lot of Catholic family members.” His venture to the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Boise turned into daily Mass at the Cathedral’s chapel. At the time, James, his wife, Jena, and their four children were members of a Pentecostal church, where James’ parents, Brett and Sherry Murrell, also attended. Brett, an engineer with a deep love of theology, led a men’s study group there that leaned toward an academic understanding of Scripture. “That study group was, in many ways, an extension of what was instilled in me in childhood,” explained James, who works as a website designer and administrator. “It was about how to assess historical records, (examine) theology systematically, determine whether information or accounts are true or false or the best that you can find in between —all kinds of nerdy stuff.” James’ parents were both raised in the Episcopal Church, but they joined a Reformed Baptist church before he was born. The church taught that the gifts of the Holy Spirit ceased after the time of the Apostles, a doctrine called “cessationism.” After graduating from high school, he went to a Baptist college in Oregon, where he met his wife, Jena. “Growing up, she experienced a lot of churches. Some were Pentecostal and most were Evangelical,” James said. “Also, her family was very anti-Catholic. At one point, though, she needed to live with an aunt and uncle who were Catholic. That experience helped her to know that Catholics weren’t completely evil.” "We don't want to get too far into theology" James and Jena married in 2013 and moved to Boise. Not long after their move, James’ parents switched to the Pentecostal church. James thought that church was “a little weird,” but he and Jena decided to join anyway. “Theologically speaking, Pentecostalism basically borrows Baptist theology and then puts mysticism on top of it,” he said. Through different difficulties and health concerns, James and Jena found themselves unable to deny “God’s faithfulness and the reality of miracles,” James said. “The Pentecostals changed my perspective on the mystical aspects of the Holy Spirit and that God fully works in the world.” However, because the Pentecostal church emphasized spiritual experience over intellectual study, only a few men were interested in consistently being a part of the study group led by James’ father. “‘We don’t want to get too far into theology’ is the exact sentence that was said so many times among us,” James said. However, their desire to know more about the reasons for the differences in theology in Christianity was stronger than fears about being too academic. The Murrell family poses for a picture in front of their beautiful rose bushes. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) Enter Salt & Light Radio In 2023, around the same time that the group was becoming more intentional in their research, James and Jena got a second car. “I got my parents’ old Dodge Caravan that only has a cassette player and radio — not even a CD player. So I began listening to some talk radio while I drove.” One day, James came across a radio program that was discussing theology. “They started talking about things that were specifically Catholic that I’d never heard before in my life. It was fascinating.” The station was Salt & Light Radio, the only Catholic radio station broadcast from Idaho. James brought his new discoveries about the Catholic Church to the study group. “Things from a Catholic perspective were all kind of new to everybody in the group for the most part. It sparked a quest not so much about the Catholic Church but to find out what all the different groups of Christians actually believe. So, being that a bunch of us in the group were engineer-types, naturally the thing we had to do was make a spreadsheet.” The study group created an Excel document to plot the answers from each denomination or branch of modern Christianity to every controversial theological question. Their spreadsheet became so detailed that they created a quiz from it for Protestants to see where their individual beliefs matched with other denominations. “All this research also begged the question: ‘What was early Christianity like?’ So, we started slotting answers from the early Christians. And then it got really scary because the answers were the same as in the Catholic and Orthodox groups.” In the late spring of 2023, James announced to Jena and some of their friends that he wanted to start praying for the intercession of the saints. Jena became very angry. She was raised to believe that Catholics were idolaters. She also feared that by praying to the saints, James would make their family vulnerable to demonic attacks. Eventually, Jena was able to be at peace with James even though she disagreed with his decision to seek the saints’ help. St. Francis de Sales makes an appearance That summer, their family went to the Oregon coast for vacation. On the way back home to Boise from the beach, they stopped in Baker City. James noticed a cathedral as they were driving and suggested the family visit it out of a love for history and architecture. He kept silent about any religious reasons, but Jena was skeptical. When a person at the cathedral let James and the children in, Jena was lagging behind. The door shut before Jena could get to it. When she tried to open the door to join the family, it was locked. “Because I knew Jena’s feelings about the Catholic Church, I thought she didn’t enter because she didn’t want to be in the church. I now know that I should have checked to see what was really happening. It was a darkly ironic circumstance.” A priest gave James and the children a tour. Then, he let them know that the cathedral was under the patronage of St. Francis de Sales. “I had just finished reading Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales. It was one of the best books that I’ve ever read on the topic of living as a Christian. The coincidence of just reading the book by him and then being at that cathedral just really hit me. It seemed to happen out of nowhere.” In the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales, a shift happened within James. “Catholicism went from being a secretive hobby that I’m trying to integrate into my life to figuring out a path to the Church itself. My poor wife was so upset all the way home because she kind of knew what was happening, even though I didn’t explicitly say it. She could just tell.” James did not immediately rush to join an Order of Catholic Initiation of Adults (OCIA) class. “I sorted out a deal with Jena. I told her I have to become Catholic but that I was not going to leave her and the kids. I kept going on Sundays with the family to the Pentecostal church.” A strange kind of hunger Then in January 2024, his Baptist cousin said he would go with James to Mass. “We went to daily Mass at the chapel in the cathedral in Boise,” James said. “Firstly, I never expected to hear that much Bible in the Mass. Secondly, the priest celebrating the Mass was Father Tim (Segert), who is a convert and has a Pentecostal background.” When Father Segert, parochial vicar at the Cathedral, fractured the Host and elevated it, suddenly James became hungry. “The strange hunger was kind of freaking me out, but it was also really cool.” James decided to go up to Father Segert in the Communion line with his arms crossed so that he could receive a blessing. “The blessing was simple, but it felt great. When I sat down in the pew, I realized that my sciatica was gone.” James suffered from a sciatic nerve condition following a sports injury that happened when he was 15. “For years, I couldn’t sit or drive for long periods of time without it hurting,” he said. “Then, after the blessing by Father Tim (Segert), the pain was just gone.” The sciatic nerve condition was completely healed and has not returned. Later, James met with Father Segert. “He gave me very good advice, which was to focus just on being a good father and husband. ‘Love your wife. Don’t argue with her so much. Give her the space to go through the same process that you went through without trying to rush it with your own impositions of answers.’ Following that advice began to bring healing into our marriage.” James went to church with Jena and their children each Sunday at the Pentecostal church. He quietly went to a Catholic church for Mass at another time during the weekend or to daily Mass during the week. Then in 2025, things rapidly began to change. “Our whole life started to fall apart in a lot of respects,” James said. “Due to some disillusionment with the prosperity-oriented teachings at the Pentecostal church, both Jena and I wanted to take our family elsewhere for church. We decided to go to an Assemblies of God church, which is still Pentecostal but with more structure and not prosperity-focused.” That spring, James lost his job working remotely for a large corporation. Then his father had to be hospitalized for a neurological disease. However, by the end of the summer, things began to work out for the best. James’ father had a long recovery, but it helped to bring James and Jena closer together. James decided to step out in faith and start his own web design business, which further united the husband and wife. The Murrell family stands in front of Holy Apostles Church in Meridian where they attended OCIA and were eventually brought into the Church. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) An interior embrace of maternal love Jena was still upset that James was continuing to pursue the Catholic faith until later in 2025, on the night she came down with a violent stomach flu. After James tucked their children into bed and made sure Jena was resting, he sneaked into his office to get his hidden rosary. “I prayed the rosary quietly in my office with the intentions of Jena’s well-being, hid the rosary, then sneaked back to check on her. To my surprise, she was sitting up in bed and glaring at me as I entered.” Jena asked James if he had prayed the rosary. He told her he had and then asked how she knew. “She explained that a while after I left, she felt an interior embrace of maternal love followed by an end to the nausea.” After this miraculous encounter of the Blessed Mother through the rosary, Jena and the children began going with James to Mass. Welcome home James and Jena entered OCIA at Holy Apostles and were confirmed in the Church on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. “The children are delighted. Our older two are on track for OCIC, and the younger two will be baptized as soon as possible,” James said. As for his former study group, another member of the group entered OCIA this month. Although his parents have chosen not to become Catholic, they are supportive of James’ and Jena’s decision. “They came to our Confirmation and gave us a very kind congratulations card. For now, they seem content to observe us being at peace together and passionate about Christ,” James said.

Father John Mosier says a prayer to start the annual Good Friday Cross Walk back in April. PHOTO CREDIT: Dan Long By Philip A. Janquart ICR Editor Men at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Boise will have a new opportunity this fall to deepen their Catholic faith, strengthen their families and build relationships with other men through a program fittingly called “That Man Is You!” The national Catholic men’s formation program, developed by Paradisus Dei, is designed to help men grow in their relationship with Christ while exploring the vocation and responsibilities of Catholic manhood. Father John Mosier, pastor of St. Mark’s, said the program is part of a broader effort at the parish to provide Catholics with multiple opportunities for faith formation. “We’re trying to present a portfolio of ways to engage where an individual can say, ‘Oh, I like all of them. I like this one. I like none of them,’” Father Mosier said. “We just want to make it available to them. To do what? To teach the faith.” That Man Is You! That Man Is You! is offered in more than 1,500 parishes across the United States, according to program information. It combines professionally produced presentations with small-group discussion and is intended for men at various stages of life, including husbands, fathers, young men discerning their vocation and men who may be considering the priesthood. The program at St. Mark’s will follow the school-year calendar. Men will gather Saturday mornings at 6 a.m. for coffee and fellowship before watching a roughly 30-minute presentation. Participants then will divide into small groups of eight to 10 men to discuss questions prompted by the presentation. Each meeting will last about 90 minutes. The first session will focus on leadership, with subsequent sessions addressing various aspects of Catholic faith and masculinity. Fostering conversation and developing relationships Father Mosier said the format is intended to foster conversation among men of different ages and experiences. “The younger men learn from the older men. The older men learn from each other,” he said. “Sometimes the older men can learn from the younger men.” An important goal, he said, is to develop relationships that extend beyond the meetings themselves. “We want to develop that mentorship,” Father Mosier said. That could mean an older man being available to a younger husband or father who is facing challenges in his marriage, parenting or vocation. “How do I engage my wife? How do I talk to my 14-year-old daughter, my 14-year-old son? How do I navigate this question or this moment?” Father Mosier said. “That peer-to-peer or older-man-to-younger-man mentoring is so powerful because it’s a been-there-done-that experience. It’s credible.” The program also is intentionally multigenerational. Organizers said they hope men will avoid forming groups exclusively with others their own age and instead benefit from the experience and perspectives of men at different stages of life. Providing catechesis For Father Mosier, the need for this type of formation is connected to a larger challenge facing the Church: helping Catholics know and understand their faith. He said many Catholics who grew up in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s received limited catechesis and may have reached adulthood without a strong understanding of Catholic teaching. That Man Is You!, along with other formation efforts at St. Mark’s, is intended to help address that gap. “It is, first of all, let’s learn our faith,” Father Mosier said. The parish also is launching programs focused on discipleship and apologetics, which Father Mosier said complement the men’s program. He noted that converts to Catholicism sometimes enter the Church with a deeper knowledge of Catholic teaching than Catholics who were raised in the faith. Some “cradle” Catholics have observed and acknowledged this fact, leading them to seek further formation and education in their faith. Father Mosier said his own understanding of the faith has continued to grow throughout his priesthood. “As a priest, I should know things,” he said. “I had a concentrated time in seminary, for sure, but there’s always something new I’m learning. Always.” He said a deeper knowledge of Catholic teaching also can lead to a deeper appreciation of the Mass. Deepening knowledge of liturgy and the Mass “There’s history in the liturgy, or the statement the priest makes is anchored in history, or it’s anchored in Scripture,” he said. “‘Oh, that’s where that came from.’ And it’s so beautiful when you discover that.” St. Mark’s parishioner Deacon Peter Lauder was “tasked” by Father Mosier to bring TMIY to St. Mark’s. Fellow parishioner Dan Long, who is helping to implement the program, said he has participated in meetings of the program at Holy Apostles Catholic Church in Meridian and appreciates its emphasis on Catholic teaching. “What goes up in front of the man’s ears is not someone’s opinion,” he said. “The Catechism, the Catholic Church, says this. The Catechism is right dead center. This is Catholic teaching.” The presentation provides a topic and questions, he said, allowing the men to discuss the material and share their experiences. The program’s emphasis on Catholic teaching is intended to help keep conversations grounded in the faith rather than becoming simply a discussion of personal opinions. “What does the Catholic Church have to say about this particular topic?” Father Mosier said. “And then we deploy that knowledge and help give guys the tool sets, the toolkit, if you will, to work through different things that come up.” Exploring the vocations of husbands, fathers, and priests The program also will explore what it means to live as a Catholic man, including the responsibilities of husbands and fathers. Father Mosier said authentic Catholic masculinity is not defined by aggression or domination but by a man’s relationship with God and his vocation to love and serve others. “What does it mean to be a son of God? What does it mean to be a man?” he said. “What does it mean to be a man after God’s own heart?” The program is not intended merely to increase attendance at St. Mark’s, Long said. Rather, organizers hope it can become a model that eventually can be used more broadly throughout the Diocese of Boise. Evangelization and faith formation Father Mosier said the Diocese of Boise already has numerous initiatives aimed at evangelization and faith formation. The goal is to make proven resources available rather than developing every program from scratch. “There are so many good initiatives taking place in this diocese,” he said. “There are so many inspiring things happening.” He said Bishop Peter Christensen gives priests and lay Catholics latitude to develop and implement initiatives that respond to the needs of their communities. Organizers at St. Mark’s already have formed a core team of about 16 men to help launch the program. They plan to promote it at weekend Masses and encourage men to register. Long said he hopes wives will encourage their husbands to participate. “Encourage your husbands to step forward on this,” he said. For Father Mosier, that encouragement can be part of a broader effort to strengthen Catholic families by helping men understand their vocation and responsibilities. The program will begin in the fall and run through the school year, with a break during the Christmas season and the summer months. Men interested in participating can register through the QR code provided by St. Mark’s. The program is open to men of various ages and stages of life. Ultimately, Father Mosier said, the goal is simple: to help men encounter Christ, know their Catholic faith and support one another in living it. “Let’s learn our faith,” he said, “and engage God’s design for masculinity and help form men — both current husbands and fathers and future husbands and fathers, as well as potential priests.”

By Marco Roman, Ph.D. Director of Communications “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Mt 19:14). “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believes in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea” (Mt 18:6). There are few things more beautiful than the face of a young child. Their innocence, trust, joy and simplicity remind us of the goodness of God’s creation and the hope He places before the world. Every child is created in the image and likeness of God (CCC 1700), possessing an inestimable dignity that no one can ever diminish. Parents are the first educators of their children Each is entrusted to parents, families and the entire Christian community to be loved, protected and given the truth about humanity’s true vocation in Jesus Christ, together with the commandments and virtues that preserve innocence, form conscience and lead young people toward authentic freedom, holiness and lasting happiness. The Catechism teaches that parents are the first educators of their children in faith and virtue (CCC 2221–2231), a sacred responsibility that no culture, institution or technology can ever replace. Parents are called to create a home “where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity and disinterested service are the rule” (CCC 2223). The Christian home is therefore not merely a refuge from what is harmful. It is meant to be a school of love and virtue, where children first encounter the goodness of God and learn what it means to live as His sons and daughters. Whenever I see young children at Sunday Mass or encounter them in everyday life, I often find my eyes filling with tears. They are not tears of sentimentality. They are tears born from a profound concern for what so many children are already encountering in the world around them. I cannot help but wonder what images they have already seen, what messages they have absorbed, and what lies about love, marriage, sexuality and human dignity are already competing for their hearts and minds before they are even old enough to understand them. The greatest tragedy It is difficult to overstate the seriousness of the cultural moment in which we live. Never before have children possessed such immediate access to entertainment, social media, music, movies, video platforms and digital devices capable of shaping their moral imagination. Much of what was once recognized as shameful, immoral or scandalous has become commonplace. Sexual immorality is often promoted as a positive good. Confusion regarding marriage, sexuality and personal identity is presented as enlightened progress. Vulgarity has become entertainment, profanity ordinary conversation and ridicule and humiliation common forms of public discourse. The greatest tragedy is that children encounter these messages long before they possess the maturity to recognize them for what they are. Their imaginations, consciences and understanding of authentic love can be formed by voices that neither know nor love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Repeated images and messages can become deeply impressed upon the imagination, sharing attitudes, desires and expectations for years. The Catechism reminds us that conscience must be carefully formed and enlightened by truth (CCC 1783–1785). Yet countless young people are growing up amid cultural messages that contradict God’s plan for the human person. And what is formed in childhood does not simply disappear when childhood ends. Christian marriage presents a radically different vision The understanding of love, sexuality, fidelity and human dignity that children receive during their formative years can become part of the foundation upon which they later approach the vocation of marriage and family life. If children repeatedly learn that love is primarily about personal satisfaction, that sexual intimacy can be separated from lifelong commitment, that promises are conditional upon feelings and that fertility is something to be feared or rejected, we should not be surprised when many enter adulthood without a clear understanding of the beautiful vocation to which so many of them will one day be called. Christian marriage presents a radically different vision. It calls a man and woman to a love that is faithful, forever and fruitful—a covenant of total self-gift reflecting Christ’s faithful love for His Church. Children deserve to be formed for that possibility long before they stand before the altar. When the culture instead forms them according to counterfeit understandings of love, freedom and sexuality, the consequences can eventually appear in weakened commitments, infidelity, broken families and divorce. These tragedies have many causes and involve complex personal circumstances, but we cannot ignore the deeper cultural formation that increasingly teaches young people precisely the opposite of permanence, fidelity, sacrifice and openness to life. If we desire stronger marriages tomorrow, we must take seriously the formation of children’s hearts today. The Catechism offers a profoundly beautiful alternative: “Teaching modesty to children and adolescents means awakening in them respect for the human person” (CCC 2524). The goal is not merely to shield children from harmful images or immoral influences, important as that is; it is to awaken within them a profound reverence for themselves and for every other person as someone created in the image and likeness of God. Modesty protects the mystery and dignity of the person and prepares young people to live chastity, purity, self-mastery and genuine charity. These are not merely rules for adolescence. They are virtues that prepare a person to make an authentic gift of self in whatever vocation God eventually gives. Love protects the innocent Jesus spoke with unmistakable clarity about the seriousness of protecting children: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin …” (Mt 18:6). The Catechism likewise teaches that scandal is an attitude or behavior that leads another to do evil (CCC 2284) and becomes especially grave when directed toward those who are weak, vulnerable or entrusted to our care (CCC 2285). When entire industries profit from exposing children to moral confusion and entertainment repeatedly glamorizes vice while ridiculing virtue, we must ask whether we have begun to accept what should instead break our hearts. Love demands more from us. Love protects the innocent. The Church cannot remain silent. Parents deserve every possible support in protecting and forming their children. Young people deserve to hear the beauty of God’s plan for love, marriage and human sexuality before the culture offers its counterfeits. Bishops, priests, deacons, catechists, Catholic educators and the entire faithful share responsibility for proclaiming that truth with courage and compassion. Society also bears responsibility. We should advocate for laws that protect minors from exploitation, sexualization and grave harm while encouraging technology companies, social media platforms, entertainment industries and public institutions to establish meaningful safeguards that place the welfare of children above profit. Protecting children from exploitation and gravely harmful content is not an attack upon authentic freedom. It is an act of justice rooted in the God-given dignity of every human person. Our response Our response, however, cannot simply be criticism of the culture. The answer is, and always has been, Jesus Christ. Only Christ fully reveals the dignity of the human person because He reveals both who God is and who we are created to become. His Gospel is not a collection of arbitrary restrictions but the path to authentic freedom, lasting joy and genuine human flourishing. “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jn 8:32). For this reason, the Ten Commandments remain not relics of an earlier age but God’s enduring covenant of love (CCC 2057–2063). They protect life, safeguard marriage, defend chastity, preserve honesty and protect the reputation of others. The virtues that flow from God’s commandments are not restrictions upon human freedom but the path toward authentic happiness, interior peace and holiness. Our children need more than protection from what is false; they need to be formed in what is true, good and beautiful. If we truly desire to protect the innocence of children, our homes, pulpits, Catholic schools, parish religious education programs and every ministry of the Church must confidently teach the fullness of the Catholic faith and the beauty of God’s moral law. Parents must be strengthened in their irreplaceable vocation as the first educators of their children. Defending childhood innocence is not merely one pastoral concern among many. It is a profound act of evangelization, an urgent work of mercy and an essential expression of Christian charity. Who will form their hearts? The question before us is not whether our children will be formed. They will be formed. The question is: Who will form their hearts, according to what vision of the human person, and toward what ultimate destiny? The tears that come to my eyes when I see young children are ultimately tears of hope. Every child remains infinitely precious in the sight of God, and no darkness is greater than the light of Christ. They are also tears we should never stop shedding, because the day we cease to be troubled by what threatens the innocence and dignity of children is the day we risk becoming indifferent to something Christ Himself regarded as precious. Every child deserves to encounter first not the counterfeits of a fallen culture but the face of Jesus Christ. If we truly love our children, we will give them not merely our affection, education and protection, but the greatest gift we possess: Jesus Christ, who is “the way and the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6). Only in Him can they discover who they truly are, the dignity with which they were created, and the joy, holiness and eternal destiny for which every human heart was made.

Estudiantes y misioneros, participaron en SEEK, el congreso católico nacional organizado por FOCUS . (Foto cortesía de Mauricio Rodríguez) Por Vero Gutiérrez Editora Asistente Mauricio Rodríguez el joven misionero de Jerome que renunció a su carrera profesional para salir a evangelizar a estudiantes universitarios en Colorado, reconoce que el aprendizaje más importante que ha construido hasta ahora es reconocer que el esfuerzo humano de nada sirve sin la ayuda de Dios. El periodo de misiones consta de dos años y al terminar el primer año como misionero de FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students). Mauricio aprovechó las vacaciones de verano para visitar a su familia en Idaho. Y también visitó a los bienhechores de esta misión para agradecer su apoyo y recordándoles la importancia de su ayuda espiritual y material. Después de haber concluido su carrera en ciencias de la computación en la Universidad de Idaho, Mauricio tomó la radical decisión de dejarlo todo para iniciar un camino como misionero ayudando a estudiantes universitarios a fortalecer su fe. Mauricio también vivió la experiencia de iniciar una nueva vida de fe por sí mismo, cuando dejó a su familia para estudiar lejos del hogar. Mauricio Rodríguez Al principio, la libertad fue atrayente: el no tener que asistir a Misa porque sus padres se lo pedían, pero después se dio cuenta de que no era una sabia decisión alejarse de la Iglesia porque necesitaba la presencia de Dios en su vida. Su regreso a la Iglesia con el apoyo de los misioneros de FOCUS lo impulso a tomar la decisión de dedicar dos años de su vida a las misiones y ahora acaba de terminar su primer año como misionero en Colorado. Mauricio afirmó que no se puede hacer misión sin el apoyo financiero de los bienhechores, ya que los misioneros sirven de tiempo completo. También se ha dado cuenta de la importancia de la oración, y de cómo la ayuda de las personas hace que sientan la propia intervención de Dios para ayudarles a salir adelante en cada uno de sus proyectos. “Si me pidieras que resumiera en una palabra cuál ha sido el reto más importante, te diría que trabajar en la humildad”. Dijo Rodriguez porque también deben hacer campaña para recaudar fondos y seguir manteniendo la misión. Pero, sobre todo, porque tiene que tener presente que personalmente no puede cambiar la forma de pensar de las personas ni sus corazones. Estudiantes universitarios después de participar en la Vigilia de Pascua (Foto cortesía de Mauricio Rodríguez) Lo más importante es llevar la Palabra de Dios, para que sea Dios quien se haga cargo del resto. “Así es como se trabaja en humildad, conscientes de que es Dios quien mueve a las personas a la conversión; yo no tengo el control de nada”, afirmó Mauricio. “Dios es quien tiene el control”. El trabajo del misionero es anunciar la Buena Nueva. Cuando un joven decide poner a Dios en el centro de su vida, el misionero lo acompaña y le ayuda a cultivar su fe. También lo anima a perseverar en su camino espiritual mediante la participación en el estudio de la Biblia. Se busca cultivar las virtudes en los estudiantes y animarlos para participar en algún apostolado como discípulos de Jesus. El grupo de estudiantes universitarios que atienden los misioneros está conformado por jóvenes que puede ser católicos o de alguna otra denominación religiosa, los reciben a todos. Muchos de ellos fueron católicos en su infancia, pero ahora que están en la universidad sienten dudas acerca de su fe y si quieren seguir la misma religión que sus padres. “Lo que hemos encontrado en común es que todos los jóvenes están tratando de encontrar la fe a su manera”, aseguró Mauricio. El tiempo de los misioneros también se organiza mediante una agenda que incluye diferentes actividades y responsabilidades. Dedican tiempo a la planeación y evaluación del trabajo que se está desarrollando con los jóvenes, así como a su participación personal en los sacramentos, especialmente en la Eucaristía. También reservan momentos para la oración y la formación espiritual, además del tiempo destinado a las actividades programadas con los estudiantes. De igual manera, cuentan con espacios para atender sus responsabilidades y actividades personales. Jóvenes estudiantes de la Universidad de Colorado Mesa y misioneros de Fellowship of Catholic University Students Uno de los propósitos de cultivar estos grupos de amigos y crecimiento en la fe con los jóvenes universitarios, es invitarlos a unirse a alguno de los proyectos de los misioneros de FOCUS. Este año se logró que algunos de ellos se fueran a ayudar a las misiones de Indonesia durante un mes y otros participaron en el programa de verano. Mauricio aseveró que se siente emocionado de ver como Dios actúa en sus vidas y mueve sus corazones para participar en proyectos, pero también para promover su propio liderazgo en la universidad. con ideas que ayudan a transformar las vidas de otros jóvenes. “Ha sido una bendición haber caminado con estos jóvenes”, añadió. Sin embargo, Mauricio reconoce que al principio fue difícil, ya que sentía que no estaba siendo lo suficientemente útil. Él mismo expresa: “Yo no sabía cómo hacer las cosas. Por eso vuelvo a decir que la humildad me ha ayudado a confiar en que Dios me está guiando. Tengo que confiar en Dios en lugar de confiar en mis propios esfuerzos. Si confío en Dios y sigo su voluntad, voy a ver las mejores cosas de la vida”. Finalmente, Mauricio se mostró muy emocionado de iniciar el segundo año de misiones. Porque confía en que ahora tiene experiencia, conoce el lugar y a más personas, y sobre todo porque se unirán al equipo otros dos misioneros. Aseguró que es agradable trabajar en equipo, ya que son personas con temperamentos similares, tienen muchas cosas en común y, sobre todo, comparten la esperanza y el deseo de seguir creciendo en su vida de fe.

Editor’s Note Assistant Memo and Vero Gutiérrez participated on behalf of the Holy Spirit conference of the Southwest Idaho Council MISSOURI — The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, at the national level, through its Hispanic-Latino Formation Subcommittee, held a formation course in Spanish for Vincentian spiritual advisors from different conferences across the country. The Pallottine Retreat and Conference Center in Florissant, Missouri, hosted the gathering, which took place from July 30 through August 2. Spanish-speaking members from different regions of the country participated in the event. They are active members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and currently serve as spiritual advisors or are preparing to assume this responsibility. The training was led by Sylvia González, president of the National Hispanic-Latino Formation Subcommittee; Aldo Barletta, National Vice President for the Growth and Enrichment of Vincentian Spirituality; and Sister Consuelo Tovar, assistant director of Vincentian formation for the National Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and a member of the Daughters of Charity. A team of formation trainers from different councils also assisted with the organization and presentation of the formation gathering. They included Lily Reyes from Nebraska, Susana Manríquez from Washington, and Martha Montoya and Sonia Burgos from New York. The gathering addressed topics including Vincentian formation and vocation, the roles and responsibilities of the spiritual advisor, available resources, apostolic reflection, Vincentian discernment and consensus, the use of technology, and other related subjects. During his presentation, Barletta explained that the goal of the training was to help participants understand the different dimensions of Vincentian formation, as well as the implications, roles and responsibilities of spiritual advisors within the conferences. The gathering included presentations on various topics, with particular emphasis on the formation of the spiritual advisor, who has the important responsibility of accompanying and guiding members of their respective conferences from the perspective of Vincentian spirituality, helping them advance on their own journey toward holiness. Participants also discussed the importance of maintaining a focus on practical love for people experiencing poverty. They emphasized that Vincentians must “focus on the importance of both action and spirituality in our love for those in need.” In the chapel of the Pallottine Center, the formation team is composed of Lily Reyes, Susana Manríquez, Martha Montoya, Sylvia González, president of the National Subcommittee for Hispanic-Latino Formation; Sonia Burgos; Sister Consuelo Tovar, associate director of Vincentian Formation for the National Council of SVdP; and Aldo Barletta, National Vice President for the Growth and Enrichment of Vincentian Spirituality. (ICR Photo / Vero Gutiérrez) One of the central aspects of the gathering was reminding participants that those who assume the role of spiritual advisor within a conference are called to strengthen the virtues, values and spirit of the Vincentian vocation. They are also called to contribute to the spiritual formation of Vincentians and provide guidance on spiritual matters. Above all, spiritual advisors have the responsibility of helping members of the conference grow as a community of faith and remember that every moment is an opportunity to walk toward holiness. The challenge is to see the face of Christ in each person who comes seeking assistance. The ministry, the presenters explained, would not be possible without Vincentians drawing closer to the Eucharist, prayer, and special moments of reflection, both personally and together with other Vincentian members. In summary, the spiritual advisor is the person within the conference who is committed to learning about and sharing Vincentian spirituality with the other members of the group. Finally, it was announced that, in order to follow up on and strengthen this formation process, the Formation Committee will be responsible for promoting and following up on online meetings that will take place over the coming months. One of the goals is for the participants themselves to collaborate with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in supporting the formation of other spiritual advisors in their respective regions.

Vero Gutiérrez Editora Asistente Nota del Editor Asistente: Memo y Vero Gutiérrez participaron representando a la conferencia Espíritu Santo del Consejo Sothwest Idaho MISSOURI.- La Sociedad de San Vicente de Paúl, a nivel nacional, a través del Subcomité de Formación Hispano-Latina llevó a cabo un curso de formación en español dirigido a consejeros espirituales vicentinos provenientes de diferentes conferencias del país. El centro de retiros y conferencias Pallotine, en Florissant, Missouri, fue sede de este encuentro que se realizó del 30 de julio al 2 de agosto. En él participaron miembros de habla hispana de diferentes regiones del país, quienes actualmente forman parte activa de la sociedad de San Vicente de Paúl, y se desempeñan como consejeros espirituales o se encuentran en preparación para asumir esta responsabilidad. La capacitación estuvo dirigida por Sylvia González, presidenta del Subcomité Nacional de Formación Hispano-Latina, Aldo Barletta, vicepresidente Nacional para el Crecimiento y Enriquecimiento de la Espiritualidad Vicentina, Sor Consuelo Tovar, directora adjunta de formación vicentina del Consejo Nacional de SVdP e integrante de la congregación de las Hijas de la Caridad. Equipo de formadores También colaboró en la organización y presentación del encuentro formativo un equipo de formadores de diferentes consejos, Lily Reyes de Nebraska, Susana Manríquez de Washington, Martha Montoya y Sonia Burgos de New York. Se abordaron los temas sobre la formación y vocación como vicentinos, funciones y responsabilidades del consejero espiritual, recursos, reflexión apostólica, discernimiento y consenso vicentino, uso de tecnología, entre otros. Aldo Barletta, durante su exposición, explicó que el objetivo de esta capacitación fue que los participantes conocie- ran las diferentes dimensiones de la formación vicentina, así como las implicaciones, funciones y responsabilidades que tienen los consejeros espirituales dentro de las conferencias. La dinámica de este encuentro incluyó la presentación de los diferentes temas, poniendo especial énfasis en la formación del consejero espiritual, quien tiene la importante encomienda de acompañar y guiar a los miembros de sus respectivos consejos, desde la perspectiva de la espiritualidad vicentina, ayudándolos a avanzar en su propio camino hacia la santidad. También se habló acerca de la relevancia de mantener el enfoque en el amor práctico hacia las personas que viven en la pobreza: destacaron que el vicentino debe “Enfocarse en la importancia tanto de la acción como de la espiritualidad en nuestro amor hacia las personas en necesidad”. Uno de los aspectos centrales de la reunión estuvo enfocado en recordar que quienes asumen este rol de consejero espiritual en una conferencia deben trabajar para reforzar las virtudes, los valores, y el espíritu de la vocación vicentina.También deben ayudar en el desarrollo de la formación espiritual vicentina y proporcionar orientación sobre cuestiones espirituales. Sobre todo, los consejeros espirituales toman la responsabilidad de ayudar a los miembros de la conferencia a crecer como comunidad de fe y tener presente que cada momento es una oportunidad para caminar hacia la santidad, el reto es ver el rostro de Cristo en cada una de las personas que acuden a pedir ayuda. Este ministerio, explicaron, no sería posible sin el acercamiento de los vicentinos a la Eucaristía, la oración y los momentos especiales de reflexión tanto personales como con otros miembros vicentinos. En resumen, el consejero espiritual es aquella persona que dentro de la conferencia está enfocada a aprender y compartir con los demás miembros del grupo la espiritualidad vicentina. Finalmente, se anunció que, con el propósito de dar seguimiento y fortalecer este proceso de formación, el comité de formación estará encargado de promover y dar seguimiento a las reuniones en línea que se llevarán a cabo durante los próximos meses. Una de las metas es que ellos mismos puedan colaborar con la organización de San Vicente de Paúl para apoyar en sus regiones con la formación de otros consejeros.

By Marco Roman, Ph.D. Director of Communications The following questions and answers are offered to address a serious confusion in public life: the claim that abortion can be defended as freedom or compassion while remaining faithful to Christ and the Church He builds, protects and sustains. The Church teaches that human life is sacred from the first moment of conception, and Pope Saint John Paul II warned that Catholics in public office or in the media can cause “confusion and even scandal” when they advance positions contrary to Church teaching. Presented in a clear and charitable way, the following exchange is meant to help form conscience according to the truth of the Gospel and the Church’s magisterium, so that Catholics may live and vote in this November’s midterm election in a manner consistent with the dignity of every human person. The pivotal ballot item, as Catholics, is called Proposition 1. If successful, it would circumvent Idaho’s current pro-life laws and dismantle decades of legislative work. What does the Catholic Church teach about the unborn child? The Church teaches that human life is sacred from conception. The Compendium of the Catechism states that human life “must be respected because it is sacred,” and that “it is not lawful for anyone directly to destroy an innocent human being.” The Compendium of Social Doctrine goes further: the right to life “from the first moment of conception” is a constitutive element of civil society, and when the state fails to protect the unborn, it undermines the foundations of justice itself. Can a practicing Catholic support abortion as “personal choice” or “true liberation”? No. The Church teaches that direct abortion is always a grave moral disorder. John Paul II taught that procured abortion is “the deliberate and direct killing” of a human being and that “no circumstance, no purpose, no law whatsoever can ever make licit an act which is intrinsically illicit.” The bishops likewise teach that the intentional taking of innocent human life is intrinsically evil and must never be supported or condoned. Authentic Catholic freedom is not freedom from truth. The Vatican teaches that publicly recognized freedom is always limited by the rights of others, and John Paul II warned that the false notion of freedom “exalts the isolated individual in an absolute way” and leaves no place for solidarity, openness to others, or service. Abortion is not liberation; it is the taking of innocent life while calling the act by a softer name. Why is abortion not true love, freedom or justice for women? Because true solidarity with women does not offer abortion as a solution; it confronts the causes that make a child unwanted and provides real support. John Paul II said that “a radical solidarity with women requires that the underlying causes which make a child unwanted be addressed,” and he added that there will never be justice, equality, development, or peace unless there is a firm resolve to “respect, protect, love and serve life — every human life, at every stage and in every situation.” The U.S. bishops also make the moral point sharply: offering abortion as the answer is not “choice” but coercion, because it tells a mother in crisis that there is no hope for her or her child. The Church’s social doctrine is clear that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of any just society, and that the right to life is the first human right and the condition for every other right. A society that sacrifices the unborn in the name of freedom has not advanced justice; it has corrupted it. Is this only about abortion, or does it reveal a broader distortion of conscience? This reveals a broader distortion of conscience. Dignitas infinita warns that the acceptance of abortion in law and public opinion is a sign of “an extremely dangerous crisis of the moral sense,” a condition in which people become less able to distinguish good from evil. The same document says that the Church must have the courage to “call things by their proper name” and not yield to “the temptation of self-deception.” That is exactly the language needed here: when evil is renamed as liberation, conscience has been bent by secular morality rather than formed by Catholic truth. This distortion rarely remains confined to one issue. The bishops also name as contrary to human dignity the attempt to “redefin[e] marriage to deny its essential meaning.” Once conscience stops submitting to the objective moral order, it begins to select which teachings of the Church to keep and which to discard, and that is no longer Catholic moral vision in any full sense. What is the Catholic responsibility at the ballot box, especially regarding Prop 1? Catholics have a duty to vote in a way that serves the common good and protects the vulnerable. The U.S. bishops teach that abortion is never morally acceptable, that laws legitimizing it are “profoundly unjust and immoral,” and that Catholics must support laws and policies that protect human life “to the maximum degree possible.” The Compendium of Social Doctrine affirms that, as stated earlier, the right to life from conception is the first right and the condition for all others. For Idaho Catholics, that means a measure that expands or legitimizes abortion cannot be treated as a morally neutral proposal. It is a direct challenge to the first right of the human person, and a Catholic conscience cannot honestly support what the Church identifies as intrinsically evil. Bottom line Abortion is not liberation. It is the deliberate destruction of innocent human life, and no Catholic conscience can call evil good and remain faithful to Christ and His Gospel and subsequently to the Church’s moral truth. We are humble and obedient recipients of Jesus and His teachings. We cannot selectively and independently re-create the Church’s teachings to fit our own desires. Rather, we unite ourselves to Christ and, with the gift of the Holy Spirit, embrace with joy and conviction the truth that sets humanity free from the slavery of sin and death.

By Jim Chmelik St. Mary’s Parish Cottonwood, Idaho Did you know that science has discovered that when the egg of the woman meets the sperm of the man, there is a spark, like a flash of light, called a “zinc spark”? This is a flash of billions of zinc ions released at the very instant of fertilization. From that very moment, a human being has been created. I know there is nothing definitive in this scientific discovery; however, this should make us pause and ponder our existence. Is science showing us the existence of God? We should look with awe and wonder — that is the beauty and the beginning of a new life; is it possible that at this very moment the light of the soul is infused; the two become one, and this new person is intricately connected for all eternity with the mystery that is creation? Everything about this new person, from its sex, the color of hair and eyes, personality traits and a host of other marvelous qualities, has been set in motion, and a one-of-a-kind, unrepeatable person of both body and soul has been brought into existence. The amazing development which takes place over the next 266 days is phenomenal. Within four weeks after fertilization, there is a beating heart. By 10 weeks, the new child can suck its thumb, swallow, grasp an object, touch its face, sigh and stretch out in his or her mother’s womb. By 27 weeks, the child can recognize the voices of his or her parents, the eyes can respond to light, and the sense of smell has developed. This did not happen by chance, and every day we are witnesses to the design of creation by an intelligence we cannot fathom; this is the creative reasoning and intelligence of a loving entity who seeks the best for what He has created. This is the action of a caring Father who seeks to be in relationship with us — to spend eternity with us. He also wants us to be in a relationship with one another, bound by His love and to share that love with each other. “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born, I dedicated you.” I hope these words have led you to contemplate the presence of your own creation, from the very point of conception to this moment right now in your life; you are a miracle, and God has had a plan for you. Sadly, for some, this miracle will never come to fruition. Right now, there is an initiative in Idaho titled the Reproduction Freedom and Privacy Act, also known as Proposition 1. This initiative is radically pro-abortion and would allow abortion well into the third trimester and even up to birth in some cases. It is an intrusion upon parents’ rights that would allow teenage girls to get abortions without parental consent. The act also does away with the doctor requirement to perform an abortion by replacing it with the term “medical professional.” This is not health care in any sense of the Hippocratic oath, and it is an abomination against the one who created us. And what about the poor mother who must carry the burden of this abortion with her the rest of her life? What about her well-being? These issues are tough to debate and to fight against, and not everyone has the expertise to engage in the dialogue to defeat those who are working to gather signatures. However, there is something we all can do: pray. The Allegory of the Battle of Lepanto by Paolo Veronese (c. 1572, Venice) Public domain. Within the Catholic Church, throughout all of its history, God is always there. The great Battle of Lepanto, when the Christian armada was outnumbered in ships and men, the intercession to our Virgin Mother won the day, and victory was the Lord’s. We need to start right now with making a weekly holy hour within our parishes dedicated to this purpose of defeating this initiative. Just as when Pope Saint Pius V ordered the churches of Rome opened for prayer day and night, encouraging the faithful to petition the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary through the recitation of the Rosary, we too need to petition our Lord for victory. Where two or more are gathered, so too is our Lord. Let us not assume someone else will do this. We are all called to this battle, for if God is with us, who can be against us.

Garrett Stephenson, left, and Tim O'Neill, right, show their new app, "CHATechism," on their own phones. (Courtesy photo) By Philip A. Janquart ICR Editor What if there was an application that harnessed the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to provide documented answers to questions about Catholic teaching? It’s a question Tim O’Neill, a parishioner at Holy Apostles in Meridian, discerned with fellow IT professional Garrett Stephenson over the course of a year, co-developing a new app called “CHATechism.” Why do Catholics confess their sins to a priest? Can Catholics believe in evolution? What does the Church say about purgatory? Why does the Church oppose abortion? What did Pope St. John Paul II teach about marriage and family life? Those are examples of questions the app is meant to answer, providing sources from Church teaching and other Catholic resources. The application grew out of an interest in the potential of AI to serve the Church’s mission of evangelization. “It’s an application that, leveraging AI, gives the faithful—or even people who aren’t Catholic, or maybe Catholic-curious—an opportunity to ask a question about what the Church teaches and get a sourced answer to those questions with Catholic sources, including magisterial documents, writings of the saints, scripture and, of course, the Catechism.” The name itself combines the Catechism of the Catholic Church with the conversational chat style of AI tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT. O’Neill said he saw both the potential and the risks of using AI in matters of faith and morals. “AI is such a powerful tool; it’s all over the headlines; it’s everywhere. But it should also be approached with caution, especially when you’re asking questions on faith and morals. On these issues, users need to be assured they are getting the right answer.” That concern led O’Neill and Stephenson to develop CHATechism with an emphasis on sourcing its answers. “It was a question that kept entering my head and piquing my curiosity. ‘What if we could harness the power and technological innovation of AI and anchor it to over two millennia of Church teaching?’” he said. “What a powerful tool for the new evangelization that would be, to make the richness and beauty of Church teaching accessible on such a big scale.” O’Neill said AI can sometimes produce answers that sound authoritative even when they are inaccurate, a phenomenon commonly known in the industry as “hallucination.” “That’s why our slogan is, ‘Sourced Answers, Not Guesses.’” The application initially was developed as a web-based app. An iPhone version became available through the Apple App Store in early July. There are three plans available when creating an account: “Venerable,” FREE; “Blessed,” $4.99/month; and “Canonized,” $7.99/month. At the heart of CHATechism is a carefully curated database of Catholic sources, built to ground every response in the Church’s own texts. O’Neill said the application draws from scripture, the Catechism, official Church documents, and other trusted Catholic materials so users can explore the faith with confidence and clarity. “CHATechism has a lot of built-in intelligence that is designed to understand the intent of the user’s question, quickly match that question with appropriate Church sources and leverage AI to synthesize an answer that draws upon only provided sources,” he said. The application also provides citations for its answers. “There’s a superscript citation on every part of the answer that draws from a source, and then the answer is provided with a citation block at the bottom,” O’Neill explained, adding that the citations allow users to pursue further study and determine where the information originated. Designed for Catholics and ‘Catholic-curious’ Although CHATechism can be used by Catholics who want to explore questions about their faith, O’Neill said he particularly hopes it will serve people who are curious about the Church. “The demographic I really hope to engage is people who are exploring the Catholic faith,” he said. “Maybe you’ve considered converting, or you’re simply not sure what the Church actually teaches and need a clear, trustworthy answer.” O’Neill said the application could provide an accessible way for people to ask questions they might otherwise have difficulty answering. Since the application became available, O’Neill said several people have approached him about family members who are curious about Catholicism. Harkening back to Apple’s 2009 ad campaign promoting its new iPhone, O’Neill joked that in those moments it feels great to say, “There’s an app for that!” Not a replacement for human interaction At the same time, he stressed that CHATechism is not intended to replace personal relationships or the life of the Church. “I think, ideally, we should be there for each other, human to human. The faith should be a lived human experience. I would hope people aren’t experiencing their faith through a glowing screen or a chatbot. And this is the developer of an AI application telling you this. That should not be our primary method for how we grow in the faith and grow with others.” Instead, he described CHATechism as an additional resource. “So, I think of it as a tool in our tool belt, something that can help augment those conversations we all find ourselves in about our Catholic faith. More than a question-and-answer app While question-and-answer interaction is one of CHATechism’s primary functions, O’Neill said the application offers several other features. One is called “CHATechism Chat.” Users can enter a paragraph number from the Catechism and receive a summary of the paragraph. They can then ask additional questions about that section, with the answers remaining sourced. O’Neill said the feature is intended to make Church documents more accessible. “Sometimes these Church documents can be a little heavy,” he said. “They’re sometimes written in a language that is not so accessible to everybody. We’re all different, with different educational backgrounds and different fluencies, etc.” Users also can explore the Catechism through its table of contents, selecting a part, section or topic and receive a summary. Another feature provides the "Daily Readings" along with a reflection based on those readings and related Catholic sources. The application also includes a “Saint of the Day” feature. A “Guided Study” feature allows users to select a Catholic topic, such as the vocation of marriage, and choose a level of difficulty. CHATechism then generates a six-part study based on sources related to the topic. After completing the study, users can take a quiz to further their knowledge. O’Neill said Guided Studies can also be shared with other CHATechism users, providing a potential resource for groups such as OCIA classes. The application also includes a “Study Room” feature designed to bring users together for discussion. Users can invite friends into a chat room, share CHATechism answers and participate in guided studies together. CHATechism can also be brought into the discussion to answer questions. O’Neill said the feature could eventually be useful for men’s and women’s groups, Bible studies and other Catholic formation programs. "The Challenge" feature provides a fun way for users of the app to play Catholic trivia games in solo mode, pass-and-play, or remote-enabled games regardless of where your friends are. A "Find a Parish" feature is another effort to connect users with the Catholic community. Users can find nearby parishes and access parish websites where they can view information such as Mass times. O’Neill said the variety of features reflects the application’s broader purpose. “All that to say, there’s a lot more it does than just AI-generated answers.” Not a replacement for the Church O’Neill repeatedly emphasized that CHATechism should not become a substitute for the human relationships at the heart of Catholic life. “Even CHATechism is not a substitute for real human interaction.” He said the application is not intended to replace spiritual direction, clergy or parish community. “It’s a tool of the new evangelization to bring us closer to our faith and to dive deeply into our faith.” O’Neill also cautioned that people facing serious personal struggles should seek help from people rather than an artificial intelligence application. He said CHATechism’s purpose is ultimately to help people learn about and engage their faith while encouraging them toward human community. “We’ll never position ourselves as a replacement for the unique care and nourishment we get from each other as human beings.” From California to Idaho O’Neill’s own journey to Idaho began in San Diego, California, where he spent about 20 years after serving nearly eight years in the Navy. He met his wife in San Diego, and the couple now have six children. The family relocated to Idaho in August 2020. O’Neill said the family was looking for a different environment in which to raise their children and eventually chose Idaho after considering numerous locations. “We love the outdoors; it’s a beautiful place,” he said. “I think that, at least from my perspective. Idaho brings an emphasis on family values, and I would say, just generally speaking, a kind of a strong Christian ethos that’s been in the state.” He said that experience has extended to the Catholic community. “And the Catholic Church here, has been phenomenal. The diocese is great. It’s really a great community we have here.” Stephenson, CHATechism’s co-founder, came into the Church in 2005. “I really wish I had a tool like CHATechism when I was beginning my journey into the Catholic faith. As a convert myself, I hope this app can help lead people to the truth of the faith,” he said. O’Neill said they both share a concern for people who may misunderstand Catholic teaching and consequently never seriously engage with the Church. That concern is one reason they hope CHATechism can be useful both to practicing Catholics and to those considering entering the Church. Ultimately, O’Neill said the application’s success is in God’s hands. “I hope it will be successful—God willing.” He added, “We’ll have to use it how He wants us to use it.”