Two diocesan schools earn mention on National Catholic High School Honor Roll

GRAND RAPIDS - The National Catholic High School Honor Roll has announced its fifth selection of the best 50 Catholic secondary schools in the United States. The purpose of the Honor Roll is to recognize and encourage excellence in Catholic secondary education. It is a critical resource for parents and educators that distinguishes those schools that excel in three categories: academic excellence, Catholic Identity, and civic education.

Both Nouvel Catholic Central High School in Saginaw and All Saints Central High School in Bay City earned honorable mention in the area of civic education. Nouvel made the list of the Nation's Top 50 Catholic High Schools in 2007.

To see a list of the top 50 schools for 2008, as well as lists of the 10 honorable mention schools in each category, visit www.chshonor.org.

The Honor Roll is an independent project of the Acton Institute, an international research and educational organization. It is produced in consultation with an advisory board comprised of Catholic college presidents and scholars. Advisory board member Very Rev. David M. O'Connell, President of Catholic University of America, said the Honor Roll's evaluation method is indispensable. "Catholic schools must examine themselves on a regular basis using a well-rounded approach that assesses adherence to the Church's educational calling," he said. "The Honor Roll strengthens schools by encouraging high standards and vibrant Catholicism."

In its five years, the Honor Roll has seen more than 50 percent of America's nearly 1,300 Catholic high schools participate at least once. This year nearly 300 schools completed the three detailed surveys that measure a school's adherence to the Church's educational mission. Each school also receives an evaluation to see how it compares to other schools nationwide.

The best schools demonstrate a balanced excellence, which includes an active Catholic culture, sound college preparation and integration of Church teaching in all departments. These schools also display sound moral, catechetical and civic formation that prepares students for vocations in the world as political, religious, scientific, and business leaders.

About The National Catholic High School Honor Roll

The National Catholic High School Honor Roll is a list of the top 50 Catholic high schools in the United States, where schools are examined on the criteria of academic excellence, Catholic identity, and civic education. The purpose of the Honor Roll is to recognize and encourage excellence in Catholic secondary education, and is a resource for parents, schools, donors, and colleges.

The Honor Roll is an independent project of the Acton Institute, an international research and educational organization. The Honor Roll was produced in consultation with a national advisory board comprised of Catholic college presidents and Catholic scholars. For more on Acton, please go to www.action.org.

Bishop Carlson: 'Our witness must grow stronger'

SAGINAW – Bishop Robert J. Carlson today released the following statement upon the historic election of Barack Obama and the passage of Proposal 2 in Michigan:

“First, I congratulate Senator Barack Obama on his historic achievement. I urge all Americans of good will to pray for our next president and others who govern our great nation so they may lead with wisdom and courage in diffi cult times. Today we should make a commitment to pray for our civic leaders every day.”

“Sadly, however, this moment in American history also comes with many setbacks in the continuing struggle to protect the rights and dignity of all people, especially the unborn.”

“Here in Michigan, voters chose to pass Proposal 2, a direct attack on human life. The fact that other states failed to pass initiatives that would have led to the greater defense of the right to life shows the great task that still lies ahead of us as people of faith.”

“The culture has chosen to reject the matters that are nearest and dearest to the Catholic heart. Therefore, our witness must grow stronger.”

“This election has shown that any child who is born in America has the opportunity to ascend to the highest political offi ce in the land. We must continue to work and pray tirelessly for the day when every child who is conceived will have the right to live.”

“May God continue to bless the United States of America.”

Bishop Robert J. Carlson has released a statement for Catholic voters preparing for the November 4 General Election. Read it here.

Saginaw's St. Helen is a 'Cool School'

SAGINAW - WNEM TV 5 featured St. Helen School in Saginaw as a "Cool School" on its Friday morning broadcast.

Check out the video: http://www.wnem.com/video/17738614/

Rest in peace: Obituary for Fr. Robert G. Navarre

SAGINAW – Father Robert G. Navarre, 89, a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw, died Thursday, October 2, 2008 at the Toni and Trish House in Fisherville.

Father Navarre was born on March 2, 1919 in Essexville, son of Leo and Mary Navarre. He attended St. John the Evangelist Parish and School in Essexville before studying for the priesthood at St. Joseph Seminary in Grand Rapids, Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and St. Mary Seminary in Baltimore. He was ordained on February, 24, 1945 by Bishop William F. Murphy at St. Mary Cathedral in Saginaw.

During his priesthood, Father Navarre served as an assistant pastor at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Bay City, and St. Andrew Parish, Saginaw. He served as pastor at St. Felix Parish, Pinnebog; St. Roch Parish, Caseville; St. Denis Parish, Lexington; Sacred Heart Parish, Bad Axe; St. Helen Parish, Saginaw; St. Cecilia Parish, Clare; St. Michael Parish, Maple Grove; and St. Mary Parish, Albee. He was granted senior priest (retired) status in 1989.

Father Navarre is survived by three sisiters: Rosemary Pope, Margaret Miller, and Maureen Poirer; sister-in-law, Betty Navarre; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he also was preceeded in death by a sister and two brothers, Katharine Bergevin, John Navarre Sr., and Joseph Navarre.

The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. today, Monday, October 6, 2008, at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Essexville with Bishop Robert J. Carlson presiding. Burial will follow at St. Partrick Cemetery in Bay City.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Toni and Trish House or St. John the Evangelist Parish. Arrangements were entrusted to the care of W. A. Trahan Funeral Chapel.

3-for-3:Third annual charity golf event may provide year’s tuition for three seminarians; $70K invested in fund for diocese's future priests

SAGINAW – Event organizers are scoring up another success in the wake of the third annual Bishop’s Charity Golf Classic to benefit seminarian education held September 17 and 18 at the Bay City Country Club and Swan Valley Golf Club in Saginaw.

“Although we cannot give a final figure yet, initial estimates indicate we have raised enough to pay the educational costs for at least two and possibly three seminarians this academic year,” said Colleen Rabine, diocesan director of community affairs. “We are immensely grateful to the many generous benefactors who recognize the importance of investing in the formation of our diocese’s future priests.”

The 2008 Golf Classic goal was to raise $94,000 to provide three one-year academic scholarships for the fall class of 23 diocesan seminarians, which includes five transitional deacons who are on track to be ordained as priests during the next year. Bishop Robert J. Carlson has ordained seven priests in the past two years.

“Our diocese is blessed to have many men with the courage to discern the Lord’s call to the vocation to the priesthood,” Bishop Carlson said. “We are also blessed to have many people from across the diocese willing to invest in our future priests through their generous prayers and financial contributions. Thank you to all those who take the time to raise up our future priests.”

In addition to the immediate tuition dollars raised through the annual Golf Classic’s banquet, silent auction and golf scramble, a special Ordinary Club luncheon was added to the 2008 events to provide for future investments. The Ordinary Club raised $70,000 for the diocese’s Seminarian Education Endowment Fund, which is invested through the Catholic Community Foundation of Mid-Michigan to benefit future seminarian education efforts.

The 2008 Golf Classic champions were the team of Jim Fabiano, Mike McGee, Dave Shooltz and Mark Serra, who returned to the clubhouse with a score of 13 under par. Individual contest winners included Jim Hammis and Vicki White with the men and women’s longest drive and Bishop Carlson and Margaret Lynch with the men and women’s longest putt.

Four lucky folks also were randomly selected to take a swing at the $1 million dollar hole-in-one prize. Peter Govorchin, Randy Groom, Fr. Pat O'Connor and Tom Rezier each drove four well placed shots, but no one aced the $1 million chance.

The fourth annual Golf Classic is set for September 16 and 17, 2009.

The diocese will continue to collect donations made to the 2008 Golf Classic through December. For more information on how to support seminarian education, contact Colleen Rabine at (989) 797-6684.

Bishop Carlson marks 40th anniversary of Humanae Vitae with reflections on marriage, contraception

SAGINAW – Calling the faithful of his diocese into a deeper understanding of God’s love as it is revealed through marriage, Bishop Robert J. Carlson has released “Body and Soul: A reflection for couples called to the vocation of marriage on the 40th Anniversary of Humanae Vitae.”

“I believe that many people, including people who have every intention of living as good and faithful Catholics, are acting in a way that is contrary to the faith, and at odds with what is humanly good, by using contraception,” Bishop Carlson wrote.

“Whether knowingly or unknowingly, they are using their bodies in a way that contradicts God’s love for them as well as their love for each other. I believe that the consequences of this contradiction are gravely harmful to marriages and to society.”

Bishop Carlson’s reflection is now available for download at the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw website (http://www.saginaw.org/) and will soon be released in print as a resource booklet for couples preparing for the sacrament of marriage.

“Many couples have never heard this teaching, or never heard it explained in a way that made sense to them,” he wrote.” Therefore, I want to mark the 40th anniversary of Humanae Vitae by re-stating the Church’s teaching, and explaining why contraception is contrary to God’s plan for married life, and contrary to the true meaning of married love.”

Released on July 25, 1968, Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life), subtitled “On the Regulation of Birth,” was the eighth and final encyclical published by Pope Paul VI (1963-1978). It is regarded as a pivotal document in the continued re-affirmation the Church’s teachings regarding contraception, abortion, and other issues pertaining to human life.

Pope John Paul II (1978-2005) later expanded on the themes of Humanae Vitae is his book Theology of the Body (1997), which is a compilation of weekly lectures from 1979 to 1984 to married couples about the deep meaning of human love and sexuality.

Earlier this year, Pope Benedict told participants in the International Congress on the 40th Anniversary of Humanae Vitae, “What was true yesterday is true also today. The truth expressed in Humanae Vitae does not change; on the contrary, precisely in the light of the new scientific discoveries, its teaching becomes more timely and elicits reflection on the intrinsic value it possesses.”

In his reflection, Bishop Carlson calls the faithful to consider the difference between what is true and what is false.

“The broader problem, of course, is that the falsehood of contraception has become part of the native language of our culture,” he wrote. “It is one of many ways that we have learned to speak a language that degrades the true meaning of the body. The consequences of this degradation are evident in how the body is treated in newspapers, on television, and all over the Internet. Our culture is in serious crisis when it comes to the meaning of the body!

That meaning, Bishop Carlson wrote, is revealed in some of the earliest chapters of the Bible: “God created man in his image, in the divine image he created him, male and female he created them” (Genesis. 1:27). It is a truth that witnessed in the Gospels and proclaimed in the teachings of the Church.

“We need to return to the true meaning and dignity of the body as revealed by Jesus,” he wrote. “If we do that, we can distinguish between speaking the truth and speaking falsehood with our bodies. Then we can build our marriages — and our culture — on a sure foundation.”

Bishop Carlson wrote that it is imperative that one’s faith is expressed in both beliefs and actions.

“Our faith (or lack of faith) is not only expressed in what we believe and don’t believe with our minds, it is also expressed in what we do and don’t do with our bodies,” he wrote. “What we believe in our faith and what we do with our bodies should be consistent with each other. This is a simple matter of integrity: just as we should speak in a way that is consistent with our faith, so also we should act in a way that is consistent with our faith.”

The text of Humanae Vitae can be found online in the Papal Archives section of the Vatican website (http://www.vatican.va/) or in most Catholic bookstores.

The Catholic Diocese of Saginaw includes 106 parish communities across Arenac, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Huron, Isabella, Midland, Saginaw, Sanilac and Tuscola counties.