Denver Catholic

19 DENVER CATHOLIC | FEBRUARY 22-MARCH 6, 2020 Discover the wonders of Catholic France on the Vine & Cloister pilgrimage T ucked away in the province of Burgundy, wine, Romanesque architecture, and the monas- tic life all reached their highpoint in the Middle Ages. In his book, Cluny: In Search of God's Lost Empire (Blue- Bridge, 2006), Edwin Mullins describes how the monastery of Cluny, in particular, arose from a hunting lodge donated to it in the year 910 to the largest church in Christendom, soon boasting a net- work of at least 1,500 dependent monasteries throughout Europe. But, as the title of his book implies, this empire was lost, crumbling under the pressure of stagnation, religious wars, and the French Revolution. Cluny's enormous church has been mostly destroyed, sold piecemeal for building material, and the nearby Clairvaux, St. Bernard's great Cistercian abbey, was transformed by revolutio naries into a maximum-security prison. And, yet, there is still much left to see, bearing witness to the greatness of this lost realm of monks. The most splendid Romanesque churches, the former Clunianc abbey of Vézelay and the cathedral of Autun, continue to refl ect the glory of medieval Christen- dom. Even if St. Bernard's abbey has been turned to secular use, his foun- dation at Fontenay continues to point beautifully, though starkly, to the Cis- tercian vision of prayer, with its pris- tine condition giving rise to its dis- tinction as a UNESCO heritage site. The labora (work) that accompanied the ora (prayer) of these Cistercian monks can still be found at the Clos du Vougeot vineyard that preserves the monks' original cellars, repre- senting the largest grand cru vineyard in testimony to great care the monks took to perfect winemaking. I will be setting o« , like Mullins, in search of Cluny and the great legacy of Catholic culture in central and south- ern France for The Vine & the Cloister pilgrimage that I am leading this Sep- tember 18-28 (rtijourneys.com/the- vine-and-the-cloister). I've been teach- ing Catholic history and culture for over 10 years and have found that there is nothing that compares to a direct experience of this history and culture. On pilgrimage, we do not simply visit as tourists and take pictures (even if we do snap a few); we enter into the vision and spirit of the communities and events that built these incredible sights. We follow the trail of the saints and join them in prayer, seeking to imi- tate not only their footsteps on their original soil, but in pointing us to our true homeland. From Burgundy, that great capital of vines and cloisters, we will move south to Provence, to sip the popes' wine at Avignon, not far from their remarkable 14th century palace; will honor St. Anne, Our Lady's mother, at her miracle-working shrine in Apt; and will climb to St. Mary Mag- dalene's cave at Saint-Maximin-la- Sainte Baume, where we'll stay at a medieval monastery turned hotel. From there, we'll set sail to the ancient monastic island of Lérins, once home to St. Patrick, where the Trappist monks continue to make wine within the Riviera. Continuing back along the coast, we'll stop at the Roman ruins of Nîmes on the way to Carcassonne, the best-preserved medieval city. Our last stop will be Toulouse, with its beautiful churches, including the oldest of the Dominican Order, the church of the Jacobins, where we'll venerate the relics of the Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas. Overall, the trip aims to provide an integrated experience of the trea- sures of Catholic culture that will lead us into spiritual transformation. To o« er a taste of the trip, I will be leading two information sessions that will include a wine tasting (of a Cha- blis, red Burgundy, and a rosé from Provence) along with cheese pair- ings, accompanied by a talk on the churches, art, and culture that will experience on the trip. The events will be at the Archdiocese of Denver on Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. at Bonfi ls Hall (1305 S. Monroe St.) and on March 12 at 6:30 p.m. in room 125 of the John Paul II Center (1300 S. Steele St.). Anyone interested in learning more about the Catholic culture of France is welcome to attend. There is no fee to attend the talk, but the cost for the wine and cheese is $10. Please RSVP to jared.staudt@archden.org. Like the remains of Cluny, the legacy of Catholic culture points to a lost time that can arise again. "What Cluny bequeathed to Euro- pean civilization," Mullins contends, "stands before us in the form of some of the greatest church architecture and carving we have, from Vézelay and Autun to Chartres and Canter- bury, and that what it achieved in its heyday is well worthy of the descrip- tion awarded it by Pope Urban II in the 11th century: 'Cluny shines as another sun over the earth'" (235). We'll bask in what remains of this sun and bring it with us back to Colorado. which so many people have rallied behind to fade away nor be swept under the rug. The faithful deserve closure. Archbishop Sheen's niece, Joan (Sheen) Cunningham wanted her uncle's body removed from a crypt in New York and moved to its new resting place in Peoria, Illinois, near where he was born. I, too, have relatives buried near Peoria. And, out of sheer good luck, a year or two ago, I spoke with Archbishop Sheen's niece. Both she and I were praying for her uncle's eventual beatifi cation and sainthood. It took a court order between the Diocese of Peoria and the Archdio- cese of New York just to move Arch- bishop Sheen's body. Illinois won. No sooner did his body get back to Peoria, did this fl ap of controversy reach heated proportions. To me, it was unseemly for two Catholic dioceses to legally spar in the courts and in the press. It was further embarrassing to have a bishop or a meager handful of bishops throw fi gu- rative red fl ags, which was very much akin to a football violation, causing this long, sad delay. In my view, there has even been enough time for the New York State Attorney General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate Archbishop Sheen's administrative handling of clerical issues during his fairly brief three-year stint as Rochester's bishop. It's time to end the suspense. If there is no evidence of guilt, then hold the beatifi cation. And, if — in due time — another mir- acle is attributed to him, it is only right and fair to make Archbishop Sheen a saint. It is undeniable that he reached out and touched the lives of millions of people of all persuasions by his books, his radio programs, his television telecasts, and his personal travels and ministry. Saint Pope John Paul II was a good man, too. Yet, he died only compar- atively recently in 2005, not quite 15 years ago. Archbishop Sheen has been deceased 40 years, plus he had throngs of reporters around him at every turn when he was alive. His television program was so popular, it beat out Milton Berle (the Jerry Sein- feld of his day). Archbishop Sheen met with popes, presidents, princes and paupers. He also met with lepers. Personally, I want a resolution to his beatifi cation and sainthood cause. And, as near as I can tell, with no evidence thus far to the contrary: It should go forward. I have relatives in Denver and other parts of Colorado who have been blessed by Archbishop Sheen. I can even add myself to the list. I am a cancer survivor. While I am not going to be presumptuous and list that as a miracle solely due to him, it didn't hurt — and may have inspired my recovery. I attribute it to faith, family, and a positive attitude along with skillful doctors, surgeons and the right mix of chemotherapy some 35 years ago. I encourage everyone to pray for Archbishop Fulton John Sheen. The dream must not die. The good evan- gelization MUST continue. Virtue always triumphs. While we are all sinners, I sincerely believe that Arch- bishop Sheen is more deserving than most at eventually becoming a saint. Sincerely, James A . Marples Longview, Texas The Catholic Reader R. Jared Staudt, PhD, is a husband and father of six, the director of formation for the Archdiocese of Denver, a Benedictine oblate, prolifi c writer, and insatiable reader. DR. R. JARED STAUDT

• Cover