South Texas Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 23, Ed. 1 Friday, December 5, 2008 Page: 1 of 24
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Inside STC
December Events Focus on
Mary, Advent, Christmas
Celebrations in devotion to
Our Lady of Guadalupe, and
festivities and liturgies for Advent
and Christmas are taking place
around the diocese.
Taft Parish Celebrates 80
Years of Faithfulness
Hundreds of joyful parishioners
gathered togetherSunday Nov. 17
to celebrate the 80th anniversary
of their parish, Immaculate
Conception in Taft.
Catholic
Charities Says
Thank You!
Catholic Educators
Conference, ‘Call to Service’
In his keynote address, Bishop
Daniel Flores told local Catholic
educators of their students, “We
don’t just teach them skills, but
we open up a world of human
development."
Diocese of Corpus Christi
VOL. 43 NO. 23 DECEMBER 5, 2008
New daughter immersed in love
ST C/Liz Riggle
Bishop Carmody baptized Abigail Rose Potter on October 29 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Calallen. Abby
is being adopted by Michael and Jalene Potter through the Spaudling for Children adoption program. Abby, the
newest member of the Potter family, is only four and a half years old. Pictured above from left to right is Jalene Potter,
Janel Wilson, Michael Potter, Frank Wilson and Bishop Carmody. Frank and Janel Wilson are Abby’s godparents.
Story and Photos by STC/ Liz Riggle
On October 29 at St. Thomas the Apostle
Church, Bishop Edmond Carmody formally
welcomed Abigail Rose Potter into the Cath-
olic Church through her baptism. Abigail or
Abby as she is known to family and friends
wasn’t quite sure why everyone was making
such a fuss or why Bishop Carmody was
pouring water on her head, but Abby knew
that it was an important day.
Abby is being adopted by Michael and
Jalene Potter through Spaulding for Chil-
dren adoption program. Abby is only four
and a half years old, and is the newest
member of the Potter family.
Nestled between her parents and her big
brother, seven year-old Evan Potter, Abby
intently observed everything occurring dur-
ing the Mass. Bishop Carmody explained in
his homily why this Mass and baptism were
so important to him and to the universal
Catholic Church, “children need loving
See BAPTISM, page II
‘Love in Truth’: Honing the idea that charity is litmus test of faith
By John Thavis
VATICAN CITY (CNS) - With his first
social encyclical still waiting in the wings,
Pope Benedict XVI has been honing his argu-
ment that the practice of real-world charity
is a litmus test of Christian faith.
To three very different audiences in No-
vember — diplomats, health care specialists
and the Catholic faithful -- the pope empha-
sized the indispensable connection between
the Gospel and social justice.
At his general audience Nov. 19, he en-
visioned God as the judge whose “single
criterion is love.”
“What he asks is only this: Did you visit
me when I was sick? When I was in prison?
Did you feed me when I was hungry, and did
you clothe me wrhen I was naked? And so,
justice is decided by charity,” he said.
The pope began working on his third en-
cyclical, tentatively titled “Love in Truth,” in
2007, and a draft lias been circulating quietly
for months among high-echelon consultants.
It was expected to be published sometime
in 2008, but informed sources now say next
year looks more likely
Although no one at the Vatican was talk-
ing about the encyclical’s content, a sneak
preview of its basic themes was offered by
Ignatius Press, the English-language pub-
lisher of the popes writings.
“Love in Truth” applies the teachings of
the popes first two encyclicals (on love and
on hope), to the major social issues of today’s
world, the publisher said.
The first part of the new encyclical ex-
amines the contributions of Popes Paul VI
and John Paul II to Catholic social teaching,
in particular their rejection of simplistic
conservative-liberal categories and their in-
sistence on the importance of natural moral
law, it said.
The encyclicals second part outlines moral
principles needed to confront contemporary
social issues, including assaults on human
dignity and human life, poverty, war and
peace, terrorism, globalization and environ-
mental concerns, it said.
From the beginning of his pontificate,
Pope Benedict has aimed to revive the roots
of the faith. He has made clear that this is not
a theoretical faith built solely on theological
arguments, but a faith lived in the real world
among those who suffer, and based on the
dual commandment to love God and one’s
neighbor.
Speaking to the new Lithuanian ambas-
sador to the Vatican in early November, the
pope eloquently summarized his essential
message in a few quick strokes, and in the
process critiqued the consumer society.
“Since love of God leads to participation
in the justice and generosity of God toward
others, the practice of Christianity leads
naturally to solidarity with one’s fellow citi-
zens and indeed with the whole of the human
family,” he said.
“It leads to a determination to serve the
common good and to take responsibility for
the weaker members of society, and it curbs
the desire to amass wealth for oneself alone.
Our society needs to rise above the allure of
material goods and to focus instead upon
values that truly promote the good of the
human person,” he said.
A few days later, the pope addressed a Vati-
can health care conference on the treatment
of sick children. He noted that each year 4
million children die in the first 26 days of life,
many of them as a result of poverty, drought
and hunger.
“The church does not forget her smallest
children,” he said. He pointed to the Gospel
account of Jesus’ concern for the youngest
ones and said this must be the model for
how today’s Christians react when children
are suffering.
By providing medical and spiritual care
to the neediest children, Catholic health
care facilities and associations are following
the example of Jesus, the good Samaritan,
he said.
But, typically for the German pope, he
broadened the argument beyond Catholic
teaching. He cited the Roman poet Juvenal’s
dictum, “A child is owed the greatest re-
spect,” to illustrate that “die ancients already
See LOVE, page 18
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Goldapp, Paula J. South Texas Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 23, Ed. 1 Friday, December 5, 2008, newspaper, December 5, 2008; Corpus Christi, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth856009/m1/1/: accessed July 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .