Local News June 2007

CATHOLIC CEMETERIES OF THE DIOCESE OF PHOENIX ABOUT TO OPEN FIRST CATHOLIC CEMETERY-BASED FUNERAL HOME

Bishop Olmsted perfroms a sprinkling rite during the blessing of the new funeral home on June 9

(Phoenix, AZ, June 27, 2007) The Diocese of Phoenix Catholic Cemeteries will open the first-ever, cemetery-based funeral home in the Diocese of Phoenix at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Mesa on Monday, July 9.

The 10,000-square-foot facility is located on the corner of Harris and Baseline and provides Catholic families of the Diocese mortuary and cemetery services. The funeral home strictly adheres to the traditions and teachings of the Catholic faith as part of a cemetery ministry that is designed to work with the parishes of the Diocese to meet the burial needs of Catholic families.

Phoenix is the third diocese in the country to own and operate a cemetery-based funeral home, and the fourth to have one. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has cemetery-based funeral homes that are operated by a private company.

“Just as Jesus’ body was carefully and sacredly prepared for its final placement in the tomb, this new funeral home enables our cemetery ministry to provide a comprehensive Christian burial service for our Catholic community,” said Gary L. Brown, Executive Director of Catholic Cemeteries. “Queen of Heaven Cemetery was selected to house the funeral home based on its location in the East Valley and the land available for the facility.”

The concept of a cemetery-based funeral home was initiated more than a decade ago when Catholic Cemeteries embarked on a long-range strategic plan to provide more complete death care services for the faithful. A special committee of the Catholic Cemetery Advisory Board prepared a plan that not only focused on more burial space, but also examined the need for additional services related to the preparation and disposition of the remains.

A growing concern among Catholic leaders throughout the United States has been the trend in American society to move further and further away from the burial traditions of the Church. To help reverse this trend, the National Catholic Cemetery Conference recommended that the Church consider opening its own funeral homes to restore the traditional role of the funeral ministry, from the physical preparation of the body to the completion of the committal service at the Catholic Cemetery.

“The expansion of the Church’s ministry into the funeral service area is another way by which our faith conveys its concerns for those who have died and for the faith and welfare of those left behind,” noted Harry Antram, Director of Funeral Services for the Diocese of Phoenix Cemeteries. “Offering the opportunity to access the services of a priest, funeral home and cemetery at one location affords a great convenience for those entrusted with responsibility of making funeral arrangements.”

Both Brown and Antram expressed gratitude to Diocesan leadership for the trust and support it has given this new project. They are especially thankful to Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted who views this innovative concept as an opportunity to evangelize the faith through service to our families during their time of need.

“I was happy to bless our first funeral home to provide for Christian funeral services to God’s people in an environment of faith and in keeping with the laws and traditions of the Catholic Church,” Bishop Olmsted said. “This expanded ministry enables us to assist families who are dealing with the death of a loved one while fostering our Catholic ideals in promoting the dignity of the human person.”

PAUL MULLIGAN NAMED EXCECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CATHOLIC TUITION ORGANIZATION OF THE DIOCESE OF PHOENIX

PHOENIX-(June 25, 2007) Paul S. Mulligan has been named Executive Director of the Catholic Tuition Organization of the Diocese of Phoenix (CTODP), effective July 9, 2007. Mulligan will oversee and manage the operations of CTODP, which was created to provide opportunities for students, K - 12, to obtain a Catholic education by securing and providing financial assistance for the greater glory of God

“We are very pleased that Paul has accepted our offer to lead this important organization,” said Margaret A. Gillespie, President of the Board, CTODP. “He brings to this position a wealth of experience in directing the operations of faith-based, nonprofit organizations.”

A native of Phoenix where he attended Brophy College Preparatory High School, Mulligan will be joining CTODP after serving for the past six years as Executive Director for the Gabriel Network, Bowie, MD, a faith-based, nonprofit organization supporting women and families facing crisis pregnancies. Prior to that position, he served as Executive Director of the Birthright of Annapolis and Glen Burnie in Maryland, both of which were also crisis pregnancy centers. He had previously been Director of Pro-Life Activities for the Archdiocese of Agana in Guam.

A graduate of the United States Naval Academy where he received a bachelor’s degree in oceanography, Mulligan served as a naval officer from 1993 to 1999, completing his term of duty as Meteorology-Oceanography Officer. He would later continue his education at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., where he received a master’s degree in theological studies with an emphasis on marriage and family studies. more… MULLIGAN NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CTODP—2 Mulligan is married and has three children. He has been honored several times for his work in advancing pro-life activities, having received the 2006 Archdiocese of Baltimore Medal of Honor/Culture of Life Award, the 2005 Marilyn Szewcyzk Pro-life Award, and the 2001 Pro-Life Maryland Distinguished Service Award.

Community Notification Statement from the Diocese of Phoenix on Louis Ladenburger

The Diocese of Phoenix was recently notified by the Franciscan Friars of Oakland, CA, that Louis Ladenburger, 70, was arrested May 30 in Bonner County, Idaho, and charged with molesting two teenage boys he counseled. He is charged with three felony counts of sexual battery with a minor while he was working at Elk Mountain Academy in Clark Fork, Idaho.  The alleged crimes occurred in February, March and April of 2007 at Elk Mountain Academy where Ladenburger had worked since last September as a mental health therapist.  The Academy became aware of the allegations on May 5, immediately terminated Ladenburger and notified law enforcement agencies.

  Ladenburger is a former Franciscan priest who served in the Diocese of Phoenix for short periods in the mid-60s and early-90s. He worked as a teacher at St. Mary High School in Phoenix from May 1965 to April 1967; was in retreat ministry at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale from July 1990 to May 1992; and was in residence at St. Mary’s Basilica from the fall of 1992 to June 1993 while helping out at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Phoenix.  Ladenburger left the priesthood in March 1996.

 The Diocese of Phoenix urges anyone who knows of any sexual abuse by Ladenburger or has any information on the former Franciscan priest to contact the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office at 602/506-3411 and the Franciscan Order’s Province Pastoral Outreach Coordinator Angelica Jochim at 1-800-770-8013.   

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted and the Diocese of Phoenix also encourages anyone who has experienced sexual misconduct or abuse by a member of the clergy or any worker of the Church to make a report to law enforcement and to contact Jean Sokol at the Office of Child and Youth Protection at 602/354-2396.

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STATEMENT OF THE DIOCESE OF PHOENIX

Re: The indictment of Fr. Jorge Cordova
June 13, 2007

Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas announced today that Fr. Jorge Washington Cordova, 51, has been indicted on charges related to alleged sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl. A Maricopa County grand jury indicted Cordova on two counts of Sexual Abuse, a Class 3 Dangerous Crime Against Children, on June 11, 2007. Authorities in Spain arrested Cordova on June 3, 2007.

The alleged incidents of abuse were said to have occurred between November 1992 and November 1993 while Fr. Cordova was assigned to the Charismatic Renewal Ministry in Phoenix.

Fr. Jorge Washington Cordova is a priest of the Archdiocese of Quito, Ecuador. He worked in the Diocese of Phoenix from 1991 to 1993 as liaison to the Catholic Renewal Ministries and was in residence first at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Glendale and then at St. Augustine Parish, Phoenix at the time of the alleged incidents of abuse.
We have cooperated and will continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement authorities regarding investigations of Fr. Cordova in Yuma and Phoenix involving allegations of sexual abuse. We are grateful to the civil authorities for their efforts to bring Fr. Cordova back to Arizona, so that he may face a legal process that we pray will bring justice to all involved. We are unable to comment further at this time in order to avoid compromising or prejudicing any legal proceedings or ongoing investigations.

The Diocese of Phoenix urges anyone who has any information on Fr. Cordova to contact the County Attorney’s Office. The Diocese also encourages anyone who has experienced sexual misconduct or abuse by a member of the clergy or any worker of the Church to make a report to law enforcement and to contact Jean Sokol at the Office of Child and Youth Protection at 602/354-2396. The Office of Child and Youth Protection has offered and will continue to offer pastoral outreach and assistance to those who have come forward with allegations.

CDA surpasses lofty goal early Annual appeal tops $10.25 million ahead of schedule

By Andrew Junker, The Catholic Sun June 5, 2007

This year’s Charity and Development Appeal recently surpassed its financial goal by raising $10,253,440, a record for the Office of Stewardship, which is charged with leading the annual campaign.

The appeal reached its $10.25 million goal on May 23, two months ahead of schedule and the fastest time in its 37-year history.

Katie McLaughlin, director for the Office of Stewardship, attributes this year’s success in part to the “exemplary leadership and passion of our pastors who have made a great effort to ask their parish families to give back their gifts to our Lord and help other members of our diocesan family who are hungry, homeless or in crisis.”<read article>

Phoenix Diocese ordains six priests

Lawn Griffiths, Tribune June 3-