Bishop Cistone Makes Pastoral Visit to Ethiopia, Kenya

Bishop Cistone has asked that the faithful of the Diocese of Saginaw pray with him as he travels to the countries on behalf of Catholic Relief Services

SAGINAW — The Most Rev. Joseph R. Cistone, Bishop of Saginaw, left today for Ethiopia and Kenya. As a member of the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Board of Directors, he has been invited to visit several countries where CRS maintains emergency and long-term relief, food and clothing distribution centers and medical facilities.

“With the financial help of the faithful of the United States, CRS has been providing services to the people of Ethiopia for decades and continues to the present day,” Bishop Cistone said.

CRS was founded in 1943 by the Catholic Bishops of the United States and since that time has expanded to reach more than 100 million people in more than 100 countries on five continents. The mission of CRS is to assist impoverished and disadvantaged people overseas, working in the spirit of Catholic Social Teaching to promote the sacredness of human life and the dignity of the human person. Although the mission is rooted in the Catholic faith, CRS operations serve people based solely on need, regardless of their race, religion or ethnicity.

While overseas, Bishop Cistone will visit various mission sites and access the work of CRS in Ethiopia and Kenya.

“I would love to be in a position to tell the people of Ethiopia and Kenya that I bring with me the love, prayers and solidarity of the faithful of the Diocese of Saginaw, “ Bishop Cistone said. “So, I ask you to keep the people of Africa in your prayers during the next few weeks. Pray for my safe journey; and, on my return, I will share with you how you and countless other concerned people have made a difference in the lives of millions of men, women and children in Ethiopia and Kenya.”

A “Prayer for the People of Africa” will be posted to the diocesan website, Saginaw.org. Bishop Cistone will share videos, photos and reflections from his pastoral visit following his return in July.

The Catholic Diocese of Saginaw supports the work of CRS through the Operation Rice Bowl program that takes place each year during Lent. In the last decade, local parishioners have donated more than $1 million. While 75 percent of that money is sent to CRS to feed, clothe and care for the poor in countries overseas, 25 percent stays in the local community to assist the poor with food, shelter and other emergency needs. In addition, the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw has taken special collections to support CRS with its relief efforts in countries that have been devastated by natural disasters, such as recent events in Haiti and Japan.

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States.

Death Notice: Ms. Lynn Trudell

SAGINAW - Ms. Lynn M. Trudell, a long-time Commissioned Lay Minister of the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw, who until recently served as Pastoral Administrator at St. Henry / St. Charles Parish at Rosebush-Leaton died this morning, June 22, 2011.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 25, 2011 at St. Joseph Church in Auburn.

Full arrangements are incomplete at this time. Check with the Cunningham-Taylor Funeral Homes, Inc. of Auburn and Freeland for more information.

Area High School Students say ‘YES’ to Week of Service during Summer Vacation

Youth Encounter Service begins today. Young people will work on one of two homes in need of minor repairs while also volunteering at area outreach agencies.

SAGINAW — It may be summer vacation, but students participating in Youth Encounter Service (YES) will be answering their alarm clocks bright and early this week. The program sponsored by the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw allows high school students to learn about and fight poverty, while volunteering and reaching out to the poor as part of a weeklong service camp.

“I look forward to helping our youth learn about the poverty that is experienced both within our own cities, and globally,” said Nicole Bakos, Co-Director of YES. “Our youth participants gain an understanding of Catholic social teaching and their responsibility to reach out to those in need.”

More than 25 young people are signed up to spend five days of their summer vacation, June 20-24, sprucing up yards and making minor repairs to two homes selected in the city of Saginaw. They will even get some help from the Most Rev. Joseph R. Cistone, Bishop of Saginaw, on Tuesday, June 21.

In addition to mowing lawns, trimming bushes and painting, YES participants will spend part of the week volunteering at various outreach organizations in the community. Evening activities include guest speakers, prayer and reflection on the experiences of the day.

“We’re able to break down the misconceptions about poverty and empower the high school youth to become proactive for change through both prayer and outreach,” said Diane Seidel, Co-Director of YES.

The homes that the teens will work on are located at 620 South 14th Street and 112 South 9th Street in Saginaw. Each day, work will begin on the homes at 8:30 a.m. and continue until 4:45 p.m. The teens are placed in one of several groups that will rotate spending time working on the homes and volunteering in the community. There will also be applications for next year’s home repairs at each of this year’s sites.

Bishops Approve Physician Assisted Suicide Statement, Spanish Liturgical Items, Revised Charter for Protection of Children

BELLEVUE, Wash.—The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) voted to approve several of the agenda items at their Spring General Assembly in Bellevue, Washington, including a statement on physician assisted suicide, the Spanish translation of the USA Propers and Adaptations to the Roman Missal, and a ten-year review of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

The bishops overwhelmingly approved the issuance of To Live Each Day with Dignity: A Statement on Physician Assisted Suicide with 191 votes in favor, 1 against and no abstentions.
The Spanish translation of the USA Propers and Adaptations to the Missale Romanum, Third Edition, received the favorable vote of 185 members, with no votes against and only 1 abstention.

On their final vote of the public session, the bishops also voted to approve the revised Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People with 187 votes in favor, 5 against and 4 abstentions.

On Wednesday, the bishops also voted to approve the inclusion of a set of liturgical prayers called Mass Texts for Principal Patronal Feastdays of Spanish-speaking Countries as an appendix to the Spanish translation of the news Roman Missal for use in the dioceses of the United States. The vote passed with 185 members voting in favor. They also authorized the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations to draft a document on preaching.

At the end of Thursday’s session, Monsignor David Malloy also bid farewell to the bishops in his capacity as USCCB’s General Secretary. He will now return to serve in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, his home diocese. He will be succeeded by Monsignor Ronny Jenkins, up until now Assistant General Secretary.

Bishop Cistone announces Dr. Daniel Osborn as Director of the Center for Ministry

SAGINAW – The Most Rev. Joseph R. Cistone, Bishop of Saginaw, today announced Dr. Daniel S. Osborn will serve as Director of the Center for Ministry for the Diocese of Saginaw. He will begin his duties on July 1.

“It is with great enthusiasm that I appoint Dr. Osborn to lead the Center for Ministry,” Bishop Cistone said. “He comes to us with numerous talents and vast educational experience, locally and internationally. I envision tremendous opportunities for collaboration and enrichment across the diocese with the addition of Dr. Osborn to our staff.”

As director, Dr. Osborn will be responsible for the oversight and development of theological curriculum and the teaching and programming for pastoral ministry, retreats and special events for the diocese. He will provide guidance to various programs, including the education and preparation of permanent deacons, commissioned lay ministers, youth ministry, and religious education for adults and children. Dr. Osborn will also serve as a resource to Catholic school leaders and parish catechists. The Center for Ministry, 5802 Weiss St. in Saginaw, is adjacent to the Diocesan Center offices and Nouvel Catholic Central High School.

"I am very thankful to Bishop Cistone for offering me the opportunity to serve in the Diocese of Saginaw,” Dr. Osborn said. “My wife and I have already been struck by the goodness of the people we have met in the area, and it's my hope that the Center for Ministry will continue to be a true spiritual hearth where all can feel the welcoming embrace of the Lord."

Dr. Osborn earned a Doctorate in Systematic Theology (2011), Licentiate of Sacred Theology (2008), Bachelor of Sacred Theology (2006) and Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy (2002) from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum) in Rome, Italy. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of Notre Dame (1984), as well as a Master of Arts in English from the University of New York at Buffalo (1989).

Relocating from Texas, Dr. Osborn brings nearly 20 years of parish and international faith formation experience with him to the Diocese of Saginaw. He has taught Catholic doctrine, led retreats and pilgrimages, directed parish religious education and organized faith conferences in Austria, the Czech Republic, England, India, Italy, Nigeria, Russia, Spain, the Ukraine and the United States.

Dr. Osborn and his wife, LeAnne, are joyfully awaiting the birth of their first-born daughter in July.

The Diocese of Saginaw ministers to more than 119,000 Catholics worshiping in 105 parish communities across 11 counties in mid-Michigan.

Bishop Cistone to make pastoral visit to Ethiopia with CRS

From June 27 to July 7, the Most Rev. Joseph R. Cistone, Bishop of Saginaw will make a pastoral visit to Ethiopia and other eastern African nations as a member of the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Board of Directors. Last week, he wrote the following letter for the people of the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw:

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

A year ago, I was elected to a three year term to serve on the Board of Directors for Catholic Relief Services (CRS). The Board consists of 13 bishops as well as 7 lay and religious men and women. Each year, members of the Board are asked to visit locations around the world where CRS maintains emergency and long-term relief, food and clothing distribution centers, and medical facilities. This year, I have been asked to join another Board member in visiting the country of Ethiopia in east Africa.

CRS serves the needs of people oversees, in all corners of the world. From time to time, you are asked to support emergency relief efforts in these areas. The most recent circumstances were in Haiti and Japan. However, one of CRS’ longest commitments has been to Ethiopia. Although the people of Ethiopia have suffered the consequences of droughts and starvation for decades, their severe plight received international attention only since the mid 1980’s. However, with the financial help of the faithful of the United States, CRS has been providing services to the people of Ethiopia long before the mid 1980’s and continues to the present day.

My task will be to visit various mission sites in Ethiopia, as well as in nearby Nairobi and Kenya, to assess the work of CRS. I will depart on June 27th and return July 6th. When I return, I hope to provide pictures and stories on our diocesan website. Art Lewis of WSGW has also invited me to share my experience on his radio show.

I would love to be in a position to tell the people of Ethiopia that I bring with me the love, prayers and solidarity of the faithful of the Diocese of Saginaw. So, I ask you to keep the people of Ethiopia in your prayers during the next few weeks. Pray for my safe journey; and, on my return, I will share with you how you and countless other concerned people have made a difference in the lives of millions of men, women and children in Ethiopia.

With prayerful best wishes, I remain

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Joseph R. Cistone, D.D.

Bishop of Saginaw

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Its mission is to alleviate suffering and provide assistance to people in ned in nearly 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. For more informationon its work at home and overseas, visit www.crs.org or contact Terri Grierson at 989-797-6650 or tgrierson@dioceseofsaginaw.org.

Bishop Ordains 4 Permanent Deacons in 'Historical Event'

SAGINAW - The Most Rev. Joseph R. Cistone, Bishop of Saginaw, today ordained four men as permanent deacons to serve the Diocese of Saginaw.

The ordination was historic in that it was the first time Bishop Cistone ordained permanent deacons since he was consecrated as a bishop in 2004 and the first "class" of permanent deacons ordained in the Diocese of Saginaw since the program was reinstated in 2006 following a 25-year stoppage.

The new deacons include (pictured above with Bishop Cistone from left to right) the Rev. Mr. James W. Damitio of Sacred Heart Parish in Mt. Pleasant, the Rev. Mr. Michael C. Smith of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Beal City, the Rev. Mr. Gary Patelski of St. Michael Parish in Pinconning and the Rev. Mr. Stanislaw Kuczynski of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish in Bay City.

The are 17 permanent deacons serving in the Diocese of Saginaw.

See photos from today's ordination on our Facebook Page.