Denver Catholic

4 I OPINION DECEMBER 4, 2013 I DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER B. pray for us who have recourse to thee." C. guide us to thy Son." GEORGE WEIGEL Let us now praise famous men In his 2008 book, "The Faithful: A History of Catholics in America," Boston College historian James M. O'Toole did a fine job of fleshing out the conventional U.S. Catholic story-line by emphasizing the role prominent lay men and women played in the Catholic experience in these United States. Yet there seemed to be something of a political filter at work in O'Toole's perceptions, such that only the lamentable Joseph R. McCarthy got a mention among post-World War II Catholic Republicans notable in American public life. Or to illustrate the point another way: the index to "The Faithful" lacks the following entries: Buckley, William F. Jr.; Clark, William P Jr.; Flanigan, Peter M.; Haig, Alexander M. . Jr.; Hyde, Henry J. This seems, not only odd, but not right (no pun intended). Bill Buckley (+2008) ranks with Orestes Brownson as one of the most important lay Catholic intellectuals and publicists in American history. Bill Clark, who died in August, was one of Ronald Reagan's closest confidants, national security adviser during the martial law period in Poland, and a key link in the conversation between Reagan and Pope John Paul II. Al Haig (+2010) helped hold the government together during the Watergate meltdown. Henry Hyde (+2007) was arguably the most influential Catholic legislator in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives. And then there was Peter Magnus Flanigan, of whom the public knew far less than it did of these other giants. Yet Flanigan was an integral part of that group of Catholic World War II veterans who re-cast American conservatism, helped effect one of the great political realignments in American history, and made the Republican Party a more comfortable (if not necessarily permanent) home for Catholics who found themselves betrayed by the Democratic Party in its embrace of lifestyle libertinism and neo-isolationism. It says something about the character of my friend Peter Flanigan that, when his children wanted to throw him a 90th birthday party this past June, Peter insisted that it be a "celebration of ideas," not of him. So we gathered in Newport, R.I., to honor Peter by thinking with him about the state of the culture and the country. Roger Kimball of the New Criterion and I may have thought that we had gotten the proceedings off to a great start by exploring the cultural lava-flows beneath the surface of today's politics. But when Princeton's Robby George, who couldn't be with us in person because of illness, nevertheless joined the party by Skype and played Peter two tunes on his banjo, Kimball and I knew we had been well and truly bested. It was a marvelous evening, made all the more poignant retrospectively by Peter's sudden death seven and a half weeks later. The obituaries noted his wartime service as an F-4 Wildcat pilot, his government work, and his business career as managing director of Dillon Read. But it was a Wall Street Journal editorial that best captured Peter Flanigan the man, the Catholic, and the citizen: "Through the bright autumn of his years, Flanigan turned to education philanthropy. His unstinting focus was on giving poor kids better school options. He sat on the board of the Alliance for School Choice and founded Student Sponsor Partners, a privately funded school-voucher program. … Peter Flanigan used his political skills and personal fortune to put in motion a small movement that has since grown into an army of benefactors working across the U.S. to give the country's poorest kids an educational break." Peter once said that his goal for the children he served by his philanthropy was "educational freedom." That vision, and the generosity that brought the vision to life, was shaped by Peter's deep Catholic faith, his confidence in Catholic schools, and his appreciation of Catholic social doctrine—especially the principle of subsidiarity, with its cautions against turning citizens into wards of the state. Having been given much, he gave much in turn. And although Peter Flanigan will be sorely missed, his memory will be blessed, especially by the kids he gave a chance. BY PETER WESTHOFF Our Lady in France A quiz on Catholic things under the patronage of the "Doctor of Prayer," St. Teresa of Avila. For each question there is one right answer, but the answer for one question is "None of the Above." As we approach the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, we will look at Marian devotion in France. 1. In 1830, St. Catherine Laboure received in visions of the Blessed Mother in her convent on the Rue du Bac, the design for the Miraculous Medal, which includes the words: "O Mary, conceived without sin…. A. intercede for us in our every trial." 2. Fourteen-year-old Bernadette Soubirous saw Our Lady of Lourdes 18 times in 1858. How did the Blessed Mother identify herself to Bernadette? 5. "Our Lady of Liesse" is the A. "I am the Immaculate Concep- name given to a statue brought tion." from Egypt to France during the B. "It is I, your heavenly time of the Crusades. What Old mother, who loves you title from the Litany of Latin saying dearly." the Blessed Mother about France: C. "You shall know is also given to this "Regnum Galliae, me always as the statue? Regnum Mariae" Comforter of the A. "Cause of Our Joy" (Kingdom of Gaul, Afflicted." B. "Mother of Good Kingdom of Counsel" Mary). C. "Mirror of Justice" 3. Forty miles from Paris is the Cathedral of Chartres, which is dedicated to the 6. "Je vous salue, Marie," are Blessed Mother. This cathedral is the first four words of what famous for a particular stained prayer in French? glass. What is it known as? A. the Stella Maris A. Ogee arched glass B. the Regina Coeli B. The Baker's Guild Rose WinC. the Salve Regina dow C. Chartres blue 7. What French saint is noted for the book "True Devotion to 4. Near the town of Le Puy Mary," and total consecration to where there has been a longJesus through Mary? standing devotion to Our Lady, A. St. Vincent de Paul a statue of the Blessed Mother B. St. Jane Frances de Chantal that is more than 50 feet tall C. St. Louis de Montfort and weighs 10 tons was erected in 1860. Its official name is "Our Lady of France," but it is often called "Our Lady of Le Puy" (Notre Dame du Puy). What was used to make this statue of the Blessed Mother? 1. B, 2. A , 3. C, 4. B, 5. A, 6. None of the Above - These are the first three words of the Ave Maria in French. 7. C THE CATHOLIC DIFFERENCE A. marble that was quarried from the region around Le Puy B. 200 pieces of artillery captured in the Crimean War C. stone from the original church that was built in honor of Our Lady of Le Puy Men installed to acolyte ministry ARCHBISHOP Samuel Aquila installed 16 men in formation for the permanent diaconate to the ministry of acolyte in Christ the King Chapel at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary on Nov. 23. Those installed are: Arturo Araiza, Christopher Byrne, Roberto PHOTO PROVIDED Cuevas, Michael Grafner, Antonio Guerrero, Kevin Heckman, Paul Louderman, James Mackin, Pedro Mota, John Otero, Jose Rodriquez, George Thierjung, Donald Tracy, Timothy Unger, Mario Vielma and Mark Francis Wolbach. The acolyte, a ministry that is required prior to ordination, aids the deacon and the priest primarily in liturgies, especially at Mass. He may distribute Communion as a special minister when there are not enough priests or deacons, taking precedence over Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. An acolyte may publically expose the Blessed Sacrament for adoration and repose it, but without blessing the people. During Mass, he may carry the missal, cross, candles, etc. He may take the Eucharist to shut-ins, the sick and those in prison. He may also instruct altar servers and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion in their duties. ARCHBISHOP AQUILA'S SCHEDULE Dec. 7: Deacon Joseph LaJoie priesthood ordination, Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (10 a.m.) Dec. 8: Mass and procession, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Denver (11:30 a.m.) Dec. 9: Episcopal ordination of Auxiliary Bishop-elect Andrew Cozzens, St. Paul and Minneapolis

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