Catholic Aid Journey Official Publication of the Catholic Aid Association
July 2008
Vol. 113 Issue 7
More than A hill of beans
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Up for Down Under South Dakotan wins dream trip
Opening Words
From the President In this month’s Journey, we introduce the Nominating Committee’s candidate for the position of senior vice president and secretary/treasurer. As Chairman of the Board of the Catholic Aid Association, and a member of the Nominating Committee, I want to present a brief description of how we found such an outstanding candidate for this important position. It all started three years back, when Mr. Dennis Olson — the man who currently holds this position — informed our board that he wished to retire at the end of his current term. That gave us a mission to accomplish and a two-and-a-half-year time frame to complete it in. The first item on the agenda was, of course, to find a location and a date for Denny’s retirement party. At the end of his term, December 31, 2008, Denny Olson will have been a Catholic Aid employee for almost 29 years and in his current position on the board and in the company for 16 years. A celebration in keeping with the 130-year history of the Catholic Aid Association would certainly be in order. Next came a new job description. The position has changed a lot in the 16 years Denny has held it, so it was time to clearly define what the new person would need to know and need to do. That project was completed in June 2007.
Then our delegates needed to select four members of Catholic Aid to comprise the Nominating Committee during the Annual Convention in August 2007. Our board also selected three of its members to serve. The next project that needed to be completed was to find qualified candidates. We made the Board of Directors the “selection committee” and on Oct. 15, 2007, an announcement of the opening was made public and resumes were requested. Over the next several months, 18 candidates submitted applications, and there were many other inquiries that did not lead to resumes. The selection committee narrowed these names down to a group that were exceptionally qualified. Those candidates were then passed on to the Nominating Committee. Each candidate was interviewed twice and had assignments to complete. References were checked, testing was done, and reports were studied. Finalists were selected, all of them more than capable of holding the position; however, one stood out as an exceptional candidate. By unanimous decision the person selected was Harald Borrmann. He is a family man with experience, knowledge and a strong faith. You’ll find a short biography about Harald on the insert of this magazine. Congratulations, On the Cover Harald! And congratulations to the Nominating Committee for a job well done.
Michael F. McGovern President
Catholic Aid Association President/Chairman Michael F. McGovern, Northfield Senior Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer Dennis L. Olson, Vadnais Heights Lead Director Frances M. Barten, Union Hill Board of Directors Bernard B. Bastian, North Mankato; George Gmach, Rogers; Joseph F. Kueppers, Mendota Heights; John W. Maile, Cold Spring; Deborah M. Pauly, Jordan; Gary E. Polaczyk, Woodbury Magazine Staff Publication No. 093500/Official Publication of the Catholic Aid Association
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Publisher Michael F. McGovern
Editor Jared Roddy
Contributing Editor Susan Detlefsen
Contributing Staff Heather Vargo
Marketing Manager Steve Wendorf Office of Publication: Catholic Aid Association, 3499 Lexington Ave. N., St. Paul, MN 55126-8098; 651490-0170 or 1-800-568-6670. Postmaster: Send change of address notice to above. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, MN, and at additional offices. Subscription price is 50 cents a year. Published monthly.
Those aren’t cranberries, they’re coffee berries, fresh from the trees in Guatemala. A little girl clings to a coffee tree in the field. Read more about why Juan Ana coffee is special and how it comes to the U.S. on page 6.
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Send your letters to:
From Our Readers
Catholic Aid News/Journey 3499 Lexington Ave. N. St. Paul, MN 55126-8098 or news@catholicaid.org
Contents Features
6 More than a
Hill of Beans
Scholarship contributions
Dear Mr. McGovern & The Catholic Aid Association, I am writing this letter to thank the Catholic Aid Association for the scholarship I received from your organization. This scholarship is very important to me... It will provide financial help for me to be able to attend the college of my choice. I will be attending Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, this coming August to study Environmental Science... I appreciate the trust and confidence you have in me by providing me with this scholarship money. I will do the best of my ability to live up to these expectations. Sincerely yours, Travis Strehlow Clear Lake, Minn. Catholic Aid Association: Thank you for your contribution to the Royalton High School Scholarship Fund. We appreciate all the support we have received from our community and surrounding communities. This support has given our students some great opportunities that have prepared and helped them move on to an important and exciting stage of their life. Sincerely, Julie A. Mushel Royalton High School Royalton, Minn.
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Tech Donations
Dear Mr. Naumann, I would like to extend my thanks for your generous gift of the used LCD projector. John Klocke delivered it to me last week and I will in turn give it to the Natural Family Planning instructor from the Langdon area. This donation works well to meet the need of Tracy Spenst as she brings the beautiful teaching of the Church on love and life to couples preparing for marriage. Your support of our diocese as we seek to further a catechesis on married love is greatly appreciated. Sincerely in Christ, Rachelle Sauvegeau Director, Respect Life Office Diocese of Fargo, N.D.
Youth Grant
Dear Catholic Aid, A big thank you for the youth grant of $600! What a fantastic addition to the proceeds we earned at our BINGO event. We are taking six youth to a Catholic retreat this summer with the proceeds. We appreciate the generous financial offering of CAA to help make a difference in the lives of our youth. Blessings, Father Wilmont and Staff St. Joseph the Worker Church Mankato, Minn.
Someone do something special in your community? Let us know! Correspondence will appear in the next Catholic Aid Journey.
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How two members in New Ulm, Minn., are making a difference in Guatemala, one cup of joe at a time.
10 Up for Down under
A 14-year-old Catholic Aid member preps for the trip of a lifetime with the National Geographic society and her dad.
Sections
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Opening Words
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Scrapbook
From Mike McGovern and from you.
Member stories, CAA tidbits and news headlines.
for India 13 Rosaries A CAA double council project Your Health 14 To Recipes and health tips. Aid Kids 15 Catholic Don’t miss this, kids! Activities, contests and more; a whole page for our young members.
Tournament 16 Golf CAAF financial results
Special insert
i-ivConvention info
Prep for the Convention: Meet the new Sr. VP candidate and Board nominees. July 2008
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Scrapbook
Member Spotlight:
Names: Don & Myrtle Brand Hometown: New Ulm, Minn.
Bright Idea!
Councils: St. Joseph & St. Elizabeth Achievement: Don and Myrtle were awarded the Sertoma Club’s “Service to Mankind Award” on May 9, 2008.
Volunteer Story: Don and Myrtle were raised in service-oriented families and worked throughout their lives to help others. Since (Clipping from the New Ulm Journal) retiring fifteen years ago from his painting and carpentry business, the couple have immersed themselves in community volunteerism.
Web Link: www.americancatholic.org A Catholic resource for any time of day or year. From minute meditations to seasonal publications, American Catholic will help you explore your faith with your fingertips.
The Annual Convention meets August 1 and 2.
Matching Grant for Playground Equipment Field Representative Greg Gall reports that the Tri-Parish Councils of Little Falls, Minn., hosted a Matching Grant fundraiser to benefit Mary of Lourdes Middle School in Little Falls. The $1,000 donated by CAA, along with the $2,169 raised by the council went toward upgrading playground equipment. Pictured from left: Principal Maria Heymans-Becker, Gregory Gall, Fr. Mark Innocenti.
There will be no Catholic Aid News in the month of August.
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How to Contact your Field Representative: Look on the back cover of this magazine, your Field Representative’s name and contact information should appear next to yours. Otherwise, visit www.catholicaidrep.com, or call 1-800-568-6670.
CAA Foundation
Here to help in hard times, let your friends and family know! If you have lost or damaged property as a result of an act of nature, remember the Catholic Aid Association Foundation is here for you. There’s been a spate of severe weather this spring, causing great damage and suffering across the Upper Midwest. The Foundation knows that nature is indiscriminate. That’s why up to $1,000 is available, quickly, to members who have suffered as a result of natural disasters. Contact the Foundation directly at 1-877-275-7145, call your Field Representative, or go online to fill out a brief grant application today.
CAA Datebook: July
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St. Joseph Council of Waconia, Minn.,
will have a picnic at KC Park starting at 6:00 p.m. Refreshments will be provided and all are welcome. St. Anna in Belle Plaine, Minn., will be hosting a Communion Breakfast after the 8:00 a.m. Mass at Our Lady of the Prairie Church. The 125th Annual Convention of the Catholic Aid Association will take place at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn. The St. George Catholic Aid Council will help celebrate the 150th anniversary of the St. George Parish in St. George, Minn. The public is invited to attend and participate in a thrashing bee, corn shredding bee, quilt show, cemetery tour, and early prairie children’s games. The fun begins at 10:30 a.m. with a polka Mass.
The 150-year-old St. George Parish in St. George, Minn.
CAA News Six great-grandchildren receive First Holy Communion Ray and Mary Ann Barten of Greenwald, Minn., were proud spectators as they witnessed the First Communion of their six great-grandchildren at Seven Dolors Parish in Albany, Minn., on April 27. Clockwise from left: Kayli Stanger, Aaron Kalthoff, Carter Philippi, Jacob Hohs, Nicole Wesbur and Joshua Siegle. The First Communicants are members of parishes in Ada, Albany and Elrosa, Minn., and Columbus, Ind.
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More than
A hill of beans
The indigenous Mayan people of Guatemala can produce some of the best coffee in the world. And now, thanks to people like Ken and Kathy Hubert of New Ulm, Minn., they can actually make a living doing it. By Jared Roddy
The ritual begins every morning for millions of Americans: bleary eyes, cobwebs on the brain, a mechanical grabbing of the favorite mug and that first sip of life-giving coffee. At home and at the office, many people simply can’t get going until they get that first cup of joe into them. But what does it take to get that most American of morning beverages from wherever it comes from to your lips? If you’re drinking Juan Ana Coffee, Fr. Greg Schaffer will tell you, “A lot.” But for the people who grow it in San Lucas Tolimán in Guatemala, all the work is worth it. Juan Ana Coffee is a unique brand of java not only because of its high quality, but also because of the quality of life it affords those who make it. In recent years, much publicity
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has been given to shade-grown and fair-trade coffee. Conscientious consumerism considers the conditions and cost to the people who create the coffee you buy. It’s a way for the buyer to pay a little more, but know that he or she is supporting ethical business practices and human rights where the product is made. A fair-trade coffee typically pays its makers 20 to 30 percent more than the world market rate. Juan Ana coffee is not fairtrade. For the people of San Lucas, it’s a whole lot better. Instead of dealing with world markets or even the improved fairtrade market, Juan Ana growers, aided by Fr. Schaffer and the Diocese of New Ulm mission, deal exclusively with Ken and Kathy Hubert. They are residents of New
Ulm, Minn., and Catholic Aid members. Ken is a retired mechanic while Kathy works in the administrative offices of the Diocese. About eight hours a week, they unload shipments; comb through orders; pack bags of whole bean, dark roast and ground coffee into boxes; and ship Juan Ana coffee all over the U.S. “We get the most orders from New York,” Kathy says. “But we have a lot of parishes and schools around here who buy it and use it for Sunday coffee and fundraisers.” But it’s taken a long time to reach the point where anyone can click on www.juananacoffee. com and order a bag. “Fr. Greg wanted to sell it here in the U.S. for about ten years before we were able to get our first shipment,” Ken says. Fr.
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plantation company stores. When children grew up, they left San Lucas and looked for work on coffee plantations elsewhere. “What we aimed to do, and what is now written on the mission statement, is to basically help create the conditions to offer the five basic human rights,” Fr. Schaffer says. Those are food, shelter, health care, education and work. Facing challenges on all fronts, Fr. Greg asked the people where the mission could do the most good. “They answered, ‘Help us get land,’” he says. The villagers are Kathy and Ken Hubert of New Ulm, Minn., are the indigenous Maya, sole distributors of Juan Ana Coffee. Because they a horticulturist work as volunteers, the growers in Guatemala receive culture based on far more than the makret rate for their coffee. sustenance farming. Without land, they Greg explains that it took many were without a years to get the permits necessary means to support themselves. The to export and sell the coffee mission made its goal to get land internationally. That story begins with Fr. Schaffer’s mission to Father Greg Guatemala, which began in 1963. Schaffer, far left, Before the mission from New has been working Ulm arrived, few if any of the with the people of villagers of San Lucas Tolimán San Lucas Tolimán owned their own land. Most were for more than 45 indentured workers on coffee years. He and the plantations making $2 to $3 a day Huberts work with with a 97 percent illiteracy rate. the villagers to There were no schools, no doctor fulfill orders for or dentist, no jobs besides those coffee all over the on coffee plantations and no food United States. except that available from the
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for the landless — two acres per family for sustenance and one extra to grow some sort of cash crop. With help from donors in the U.S., the mission has been able to help 4,000 families buy three-acre plots. For the cash crop, citing E.F. Schumacher’s book Small Is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered, Fr. Schaffer and the mission decided to grow and sell the one thing they could produce better than anyone in the world. “Where we are in Guatemala,” Fr. Greg says, “at the altitude in the mountains of over 5,000 feet, no insects or damaging fungi exist that high. The volcanic ash soil is full of organic material, the days are hot and sunny and the nights are cool. This makes it one of the best places in the world to grow coffee.” Fr. Schaffer describes the processes by which the coffee is made with the expertise and detail of one who has seen it done first-hand, many times. The fields were prepared for years, as coffee trees were cultivated from the seed. Shade trees were chosen, planted and maintained. Special compost was planted with the coffee plants. The expertise from years of working as coffee plantation laborers was tapped and the fields began to produce. The skills of the
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A San Lucas woman picks coffee berries with her child on her back. The berries are picked one by one, and the best pickers can pull up to 150 lbs. a day. people became self-evident as they took pride in the ownership of and creation of their product. The quality of the beans is assured by the eyes of vigilant owners who want only the finest product to go to America. Each berry is hand picked one at a time. They are washed, husked, dried and roasted in small batches with the aid of only simple tools and manpower. Making and picking the best and most beans has become a “quiet competition” among the workers, Fr. Greg says. “And you can’t appreciate it until you’ve been down there,” Ken says. “The people work very hard to make what they do.”
Their attention to detail is also due to their arrangement with Fr. Greg and their buyers in the U.S. Even at the low cost of $7 per 17–ounce “pound” bag, the owneroperators and laborers earn up to three times the market rate for what they grow. It is an arrangement they are loathe to jeopardize by offering a second–rate product. “We asked them, ‘How much do you need to make to give us the best,’” Fr. Greg says. They named their price, far above market rate. “We said, ‘Okay, but it has to be the very best.’” But Fr. Greg still needed to import the coffee to the U.S. and find some way to pay the growers what they need. What he needed was a middleman who would do the work for free. He called his mission secretary in New Ulm and asked her to start looking. “I went home that night and I mentioned it to Ken. ‘You know, Greg’s looking for someone who can sort of act as a distributor for the coffee here,’” Kathy recalls. “I just threw it out there. Well later on, he came down and said ‘You know, I think that’s something I can do.’” Fifteen years after their first shipment in 1993, it’s something they’ve both proved quite capable of. “It sounded like a good project, you know?” Ken says. “It creates jobs down there and it makes you feel good
doing it.” Every couple of weeks now, and more so around Christmas, the Huberts make up to three trips to a loading dock in New Ulm to fill Ken’s pickup with 50-bag boxes of Juan Ana. As often as not they’re trudging through snowdrifts or working under a hot sun. The boxes come by truck from Minneapolis, where they’re flown in from Guatemala. As a result of the mission and the coffee sales, great strides have been made on all five of the basic rights the mission is working to improve. There are now jobs in San Lucas Tolimán, and a hope that anyone can own land and support a family. Seventeen schools, one run by the mission and the rest by local teachers have brought literacy up to 85 percent — higher than the national average of 69.1 percent. There is a medical clinic, a dental office, continuing education and apprenticeships. Children are growing up and staying in San Lucas because there are opportunities. In fact, many of the problems they now face are ones of growth. Fr. Greg has been recognized locally and nationally in Guatemala (see sidebar) for his work in San Lucas. But Ken and Kathy are happy just knowing they’ve done their small part. Fr. Greg thinks they deserve a little more credit than that. “What we do, and the price our growers receive is dependent on buyers and distributors in the U.S. That’s one of the reasons
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An honor a lifetime in the earning On February 24, 2008, the St. George Council of St. George, Minn., welcomed Fr. Greg Schaffer to their parish and invited him to celebrate Mass. Afterwards, they all celebrated the work he has done in San Lucas Tolimán, something they were not the first to do. Four months earlier, on October 13, 2007, the San Lucas Tolimán Parish, in the name of Fr. Greg Schaffer, was awarded the Order of the Quetzal. It is the highest honor awarded by the president of Guatemala, named after the national bird of Guatemala, and is normally awarded to heads of state. It was given to Fr. Greg and the mission for their dedication to the advancement of Guatemalan people and their way of life. “The Order really goes to the mission, and all the work it’s done in improving the lives of the Guatemalan people,” Fr. Greg insists. But it was the villagers themselves who, in 2003, petitioned the we can pay the growers what we do, and the price can stay where it is,” Fr. Greg says, “because of people like Kathy and Ken.” +
To order Juan Ana coffee, go to www.juananacoffee.com
Left: Father Greg Schaffer displays the Order of the Quetzal medal awarded to him by the President of Guatemala. Above: St. George Council congratulates Fr. Greg with a reception. From left: Stanley and Arlene Klingler, Dave Wendinger, Mary Jane and Linus Beranek, Francis and Esther Schwab.
government to honor their long-time pastor. After four years winding its way through bureaucracy and red tape, the persistence of the villagers paid off. Not only was it the first time an American priest has ever been granted into the Order, it was the first time that the President did not bestow it in the National Palace. Presidente Oscar Berger traveled to San Lucas to award the Order to Fr. Schaffer at his church. The award is a great honor, especially considering the newly ordained priest he was, who could not even speak Spanish, when he
arrived in Guatemala in 1963. Mary Jane Beranek called the Catholic Aid News to publicize the event. “Father Greg calls St. George his home away from home,” she said. “So we wanted to throw him a party to celebrate the honor,” she said. The St. George council is a regular contributor to the mission in San Lucas, and presented Fr. Greg with another check that night. +
(1) The berries are picked and and carried by foot to a machine called a pulpero (2) where they are cracked and laid to dry. They will excrete an ooze called miel. When that has hardened, they are washed three times (3). After washing they are laid out to dry in the sun on large patios (4) and raked by hand for three days. The beans must
be brought in and covered at night. When a shipment is imminent, the beans are roasted over a wood fire (5), and vacuum sealed in aluminum bags. Those are then wrapped in locally made cotton bags and tied for protection during shipping. (6) The next human hands to touch the bags are the Huberts, in New Ulm.
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How a 14 year old South Dakotan girl earned the trip of a lifetime through a National Geographic essay and photo contest. By Jared Roddy Just about everyone has at some point sat down to watch the ubiquitous National Geographic documentary and flirted with the dream of joining those brazen few exploring the world up close. Whether following a pride of lions across the Serengeti
Mara Klecker, 14 Sioux Falls, S.D. or swimming with the sharks somewhere in the deep, their rich depictions of places of the world have fascinated generations of children and adults alike. No place more so than the curious land Down Under, Australia. So it’s no surprise that when the National Geographic Society announced that its third annual Hands-On Explorer Challenge would reward 15 kids with the
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chance to go, they were inundated with more than 2,500 entries. One of the winners was the talented Mara Klecker of Sioux Falls, S.D. Mara is a Catholic Aid member since birth, and daughter of Marcia Klecker and Catholic Aid Field Representative Dan Klecker. She is preparing for her first year at Lincoln High School in Sioux Falls, S.D. but she anticipates well before the school year begins, she’ll have the learning experience of a lifetime. “Australia has always been a dream destination,” Mara says. “Especially the Great Barrier Reef. And it said right on there,” referring to the contest notice in National Geographic Kids magazine, “‘Explore the Great Barrier Reef.’ I knew I could do it and I thought it was worth a try, especially to Australia.” The contest was open to 9 to 14 year olds and required a 300–word essay about how the contestant explored his or her world, and a photograph illustrating that exploration. It was Mara’s second attempt at the contest, and she was confident she had a good shot. Her self-belief comes from experience. She’s won several
writing contests, earning trips from San Diego, Calif. to Boston, Mass., though this is the first time she’s earned an international trip. “She had a good feeling about it,” Mara’s father, Dan, says. “She has sort of a ‘wise old soul’ intuition about things that are going to happen and a real in-depth thought process on a lot of issues.” That includes not only the mechanics and creativity required to write, but also the planning and organization to tailor her work directly to the task at hand. Something Mara’s mother, Marcia, has been instrumental in assisting. “We read the judging criteria and try to fit it in as closely to that as we can,” Mara says.
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“Then at the end we try to add some touch to make it unique and stand out. I guess it works.” Despite her winning attitude at home, she admits she kept her entry under wraps from most people. After slipping in under the deadline in February, Mara waited patiently to hear the results. In early March, she received a phone call informing her she was in the top 25. “Then we did a phone interview with the National Geographic educators,” she says. “That was a Friday and they said the winners would be announced the next week, so it was a tough wait.” She asked her mom to call the school if she heard back during the school day. Instead, Marcia showed up at Patrick Henry Middle School with a big balloon that said
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Some of the stops the Kleckers will make on their July 16 - 28 trip.
“Congratulations!” “Obviously I knew right away. I almost started crying I was so happy,” Mara says. “But I was definitely smiling all day long.” Cairns, Queensland Australia Six boys and eight Great Barrier Reef other girls received similar good news that Daintree Rainforest day, and 15 parents found out they would Hobart, Tasmania be accompanying their kids across the Pacific. In Mara’s case, her father Dan will join her (a story in itself, see sidebar). The trip runs from July 16 through 28. And the participants Washington D.C. But, Fried says, are all raising money for protection the contest is looking not only of the Tasmanian Devil, which was to reward talented writers, but just listed as an also to find kids with the desire endangered species to pursue a life of observation in May this year. and conservation of nature. Mara’s success “This obviously aims to inspire places her in a the kids to care about the planet rarefied group and to specifically excite them among young to explore the world,” Fried says. writers, according “We see this contest as a chance to National to seed the next generation. This Geographic is a fantastic opportunity to travel Kids Publicist with the best of the best on a Ethan Fried in once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” The trip has components Mara’s essay focused of adventure, education and conservation. According to on observing change Fried, the group will fly into and metamorphosis Cairns, on the northeastern in nature. This was shore of Queensland, Australia. the photograph, From there they’ll snorkel the which, along with Great Barrier Reef. Then they’ll her essay, won her move north, farther up the the opportunity eastern “horn” to the Daintree to travel with the Rainforest where they’ll study National Geographic saltwater crocodiles, visit a turtle pros to Australia rehabilitation center and study at and Tasmania. The an Aboriginal cultural center. butterflies and The group then heads far south flowers for this story to Hobart, Tasmania, where the were photographed U.S. winners will meet children by Mara Klecker.
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Tasmanian Devils, like the one pictured above, have recently been listed as endangered. Mara and the other contest winners will spend some of their trip focusing on conservation. from Tasmania — who also won an essay contest — to learn about the endangered Tasmanian Devil. The Explorer Challenge winners and their Tasmanian counterparts will plant trees together to help rebuild the Tasmanian Devil’s habitat. Mara, the 14 other American winners and the Tasmanian winners are all actively raising money for trees and habitat protection before embarking on their trip. “We thought this might be a great opportunity for the kids to become sort of pen pals,” Fried said. “They can raise money together, then come together, get to know each other and plant the trees.” According to Fried, in the previous trips the children have reported that the most memorable and rewarding parts of the trip were meeting other children their own age, and giving back to the local community. Mara
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says she’s excited to do that, but admits the Great Barrier Reef could be the highlight for her. “I don’t think there’ll be a dull moment the whole trip, but the Great Barrier Reef, that’s something,” Mara says. “I don’t know if you’ve heard of the movie The Bucket List, — it’s a movie about doing all the things you want to do before you kick the bucket — that was definitely on my bucket list.” The lessons the organizers hope to instill with the expedition are not lost on the articulate 14-
year-old, nor is the responsibility that goes along with it. “It’s just like a real National Geographic expedition,” she says. “You try to leave the place better than you found it and try to make an impact on the people there. I think it’s important to start an early understanding of other people and what they need, and what our environment needs. Kids are the future, and that understanding needs to begin now.” +
A long time coming Mara isn’t the only one in the Klecker family who dreams of didgeridoos.
For Mara’s father, Dan, a trip to Australia is like a dream, one of those dreams you wake up during and cannot quite remember what it was. Or maybe one of those dreams where you’re running to catch up to something but never do. You see, Dan Klecker’s Down Under dreams have been stymied before. In 1969, Sgt. Dan Klecker led a four-man reconnaissance squad in the jungles of Vietnam. Anticipating some time off, he made plans to visit Australia after hearing stories of the strange land from his friends. Dan Klecker “I talked to a couple of guys who had CAA Field Representative gone and they were all excited about it and Ill-fated traveler thought it was a great place,” Dan said. “I always just thought of it as an adventurous place to go.” His plans were cut short, however, when a rocket attack peppered him with shrapnel and killed two other GIs. He got his R&R in a hospital bed instead. After returning from the war, as a college student, he once again made plans to visit the exotic country. He would hitchhike to the coast, hop a tramp steamer or a freighter and be bound for Sydney. This time, a bout of malaria put him down. Again, he spent time meant for Australia in bed. With an 0 – 2 record for planned trips to Australia, Dan is trying to keep upbeat for the upcoming excursion, though sometimes, it’s tough. “I do worry about that, because of the two occasions before,” Dan says. “Although now, because my daughter was instrumental in lining it up, it gives me more reassurance it will actually happen — instead of leaving it up to me. + “But I am saying an extra prayer every night.”
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CAA Council Project
Catholics without borders With one of the fastest growing economies in the world and a population containing more than 17 percent of the entire world’s people, India’s need for raw materials and consumer goods is exploding. Apparently, one of the things they’re desperate for is rosaries. In April 2008, the St. Catherine Catholic Aid Council of Millerville, Minn., received a letter from Kathleen Woida, president of the St. Ann and Wendelinus Council of Richfield/Bloomington, Minn. The letter was a request for help collecting rosaries for families in India. Kathleen’s son, Paul Woida, had been on a trip to India and, while there, traveled with a guide named C.A. Bosco. Bosco is the director of a tutorial college and a Catholic who teaches in a small Catholic school. During their travels, it came up that people in Bosco’s classes and their families were very keen on saying the rosary, but that the village he
Proving that true fraternalism knows no borders, two Catholic Aid councils work together on a rosary drive for Catholics in povertystricken southern India. And their enthusiasm is catching! Send your spare rosaries with your delegates to the CAA Convention. We’ll get them into the right hands.
C.A. Bosco, left, with his famiy in India. He asked Paul Woida to help him get rosaries for the aspiring Catholics he teaches in southern India.
lived in did not have any except the ones in the school. There were not any available at the Marian Shrine in southern India either. “Having a rosary drive so we could send Bosco some rosaries to be used in India seemed like a good idea,” Paul wrote. “And one that fit with the CAA spirit of religious service.” According to Annette Suchy, fraternal secretary of the Millerville Council, the members responded enthusiastically. They collected 420 rosaries for Catholics in India. They made an announcement in their church bulletin asking for donations of new and old, chain or rope rosaries. Even broken rosaries were welcomed as Kathleen’s husband, Leonard, would repair them. Members of the Millerville council and The rosary drive parish show off their haul of new, used attracted the attention and repaired rosaries bound for india.
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DOuble!
of Fraternal Director Kathleen Moriarty as well, who is hoping to arrange a collection site at the Annual Convention in August. If you or your fellow council members have any extra rosaries, even broken ones, please send them with your delegates to the convention. “This joint effort by two councils is the type of thing that makes you proud to be a member and to work for Catholic Aid,” Moriarty says. “For people they’ve never met, two communities came together to help Catholics on the other side of the world pray the rosary as they deepen their faith.” +
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Have a question for CAA? Call Member Services at:
Twin Cities Metro: 651–490–0170 Outstate: 800–568–6670
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To Your Health
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7 ways To stay healthy
Did you know the three most common injuries that happen at home are burns (and fires), falls, and poisonings? June was National Home Safety Month and Minnesota Safety Council Coordinator of Family Safety Programs Erin Petersen shared some tips on preventing the three most common injuries that happen at home. For a comprehensive list of tips, go to www.homesafetycouncil.org.
Prevent burns ’n fires:
1
2
Test your fire alarms monthly, replace them every 10 years. Turn pot handles toward the inside of the stove and stay nearby.
Prevent poisonings:
3
Never ever mix chemicals! Keep them in their original containers.
4
Keep all chemicals out of reach of children.
5
Know the Poison Control number: 1-800-222-1222
Prevent falls:
6
Install grab bars in bathtubs and showers.
7
Plug in nightlights in hallways and stairwells.
Go to www.homesafetycouncil.org for more information on staying injury-free at home.
14
July 2008
From the Kitchen of: Name: Betty Krenner
About These Recipes: Delicious summer snacks and drinks for Independence Day or a quiet sunset. Don’t let summer get away without sipping a Sunset Sangria! Oat and Toffee Grahams Ingredients
12 whole graham crackers (rectangles) 1 1/2 cups rolled oats 1/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 2/3 cup butter, melted 1 egg beaten 1 tsp vanilla 1-12 oz semisweet chocolate pieces 1/2 cup smoked-flavored whole almonds or walnuts coarsely chopped
Preparation Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan with foil, extending the foil over the edges of the pan. Arrange whole crackers in a single layer in foil-lined pan. In a large bowl, combine oats, sugars and flour. Stir in melted butter, egg and vanilla until well combined. Spoon over crackers and spread evenly to edges of pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until mixture bubbles or is lightly browned on top. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate pieces. Return to oven for one minute. Spread melted chocolate evenly over top to cover. Evenly sprinkle with nuts, pressing down lightly. Use foil to lift from pan. Cut or break into pieces.
Sunset Sangrias Ingredients 2 tsp finely shredded lime peel 1 cup lime juice 3/4 cup sugar Ice Water 1 – 750ml bottle Pinot Noir or Syrah, chilled (wine) 1 nectarine, pitted and sliced
Preparation
In a one-quart container, combine lime peel, lime juice, and sugar. Add water to equal 4 cups. Stir to dissolve sugar. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. To serve, place ice in 16-ounce glasses. Add 2/3 cup lime juice mixture to each glass. Pouring alongside of glass slowly, add ½ cup wine. Thread nectarine slices on skewers and add to glass. www.catholicaid.org
Catholic Aid Kids Cool Kid
Name: Jordan Heinen Age: 6 Hometown: Richmond, MN School: Cold Spring Elem.
y Jordan and Samm
Puzzles
Jordan Heinen is this month’s Catholic Aid Kids winner! Jordan has two sisters and loves spending time at the lake with her Gammy and Grandpa, playing card games and fishing for sunnies. She loves playing with Sammy her cat, figure skating and dancing. Congratulations, Jordan!
Jesus multiplied the five fishes and the loaves to feed the crowd that gathered to listen to him. Figure out which fish from the top is missing from below. Then color all but the mismatched fish!
Jokes of the Month Did you hear about the forgetful Australian? He forgot how to throw a boomerang, but eventually it came back to him. The doctor asked the baseball player what happened. He said, “I couldn’t figure out why the ball was getting bigger, then it hit me.” What’s a prisoner’s favorite punctuation mark? The period — it marks the end of his sentence! Tired of punny jokes? Send your genuinely funny joke to Catholic AId News along with a picture and we’ll publish it in the next issue of Catholic Aid Journey.
St. Wes, lawyer and priest, gave away all he could to the poor. One day, the Saint found his cupboards empty except for a single loaf of bread. When a beggar came asking for alms, he gave away that lone loaf. Soon, another beggar came. He returned to his pantry thinking that maybe he had overlooked something – anything – and he was astounded to find another single loaf of bread. He gave that loaf away too. Returning soon afterwards to find something else to give away, he found another loaf. This continued throughout the day and he found that he and his staff had given that “last” loaf of bread away more than 200 times. Our Lord had multiplied the loaves for the poor yet again! Send your answers and a photo to:
3499 N. Lexington Ave., St. Paul, MN 55126 and include your name and phone number to be the next CA Kids winner.
Catholic Aid Foundation Annual Golf Tournament Results It was a cold one out there at River Oaks Golf Course on May 19, 2008, but that didn’t stop the golfers or the goodwill. For the Foundation coffers, this was the biggest golf tournament donation to date, and hundreds of students and Catholic families will benefit because of the generosity of our donors. Thanks for making the 10th Annual Golf tournament one to remember.
Financial Results 2008 Revenue:
$34,527
Expenses:
$9,114
Net Donation:
$25,413
FYI → → → → → → →
114 golfers participated in the event. 28 volunteers assisted with the event. Weather was cold and damp, but spirits were high. New Tournament Sponsor @ $3000 this year was 21st Century Bank 2 Banquet Sponsors this year @ $2500 each, Stearns Bank and new sponsor Preferred One. Leonard, Street & Deinard new Dinner Sponsor @ $2000 Wells Fargo returned as the Golf Cart Sponsor @ $1500.
To learn more about the Catholic Aid Association, call 1-800-568-6670 or go to www.catholicaid.org.
Catholic Aid Association 3499 Lexington Ave. N. St. Paul, MN 55126-8098