July 25, 2008

July 25, 2008

The Catholic News & Herald 1

www.charlottediocese.org

Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte

Perspectives Why the embryo matters; signs of welcome; mission trips: good or bad?

Established Jan. 12, 1972

by Pope Paul VI July 25, 2008

Considering comprehensive reform

| Pages 14-15 Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

vOLUME 17

World Youth Day, down under Pope tells Australians of God’s plan for creation, people

Justice for Immigrants national director discusses details, myths

by CINDY WOODEN catholic news service

SYDNEY, Australia — In the longest-lasting and longestdistance trip of his pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI spoke to Australians and to young people from around the world — including pilgrims from the Diocese of Charlotte — about God’s plan for all creation, but especially for people.

The July 12-21 trip included several days of rest as well as meetings with representatives of Australia’s government, Catholic Church and native fauna.

Relaxing July 13-16 at an Opus Dei-run center outside Sydney, the pope was treated to a visit from representatives of Sydney’s Taronga Park Zoo, including a koala bear, a

JOANITA M. NELLENBACH

by

correspondent

MAGGIE VALLEY — Catholics will spearhead the next movement toward just immigration reform.

That was Antonio Cube’s prediction when he talked about “The Catholic Church’s Case for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.”

Cube is national director of the U.S. bishops’ Justice for Immigrants campaign.

He spoke July 8–10 at the Pastoral Center in Charlotte, Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe, Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville, St. Eugene Church in Asheville, Living

See WYD, page 8

CNS photo by Paul Haring

See REFORM, page 5

no. 34

Pope Benedict XVI waves to pilgrims during the World Youth Day vigil at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, July 19.

Building bridges

Charlotte-area Knights construct handicap-accessible ramp

Courtesy Photo

John Mullis (right), a parishioner of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte, is pictured with volunteers of Knights of Columbus’ Operation Exodus, who built a handicapaccessible ramp for him May 17-18.

CHARLOTTE — A group of Charlotte-area Knights of Columbus recently completed a handicap-accessible ramp for a local Catholic man.

Fourteen volunteers from Knights councils at St. Matthew Church in Charlotte, Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe and St. Philip Neri Church in Fort Mill, S.C., as well as St. Matthew Church parishioners, all helped construct the ramp May 17-18.

Installed at the home of John Mullis, a parishioner of St. Matthew Church, the ramp’s construction was accomplished through the Knights’ Operation Exodus program.

“John Mullis and his family have been very pleased with the use they get out of his ramp,” said Robert Wilcocks, Operation Exodus director.

See KNIGHTS, page 12

A community committed to caring for its own

Doctor opens clinic to serve uninsured poor by

KATIE MOORE staff writer

FRANKLIN —Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

When Dr. Carlos Vargas opened the Perpetual Health Community-Supported Family See DOCTOR, page 6

Around the Diocese

Helping find heaven

Culture Watch

Parishioners help needy, pray for priests

Institute strives for evangelization on campuses

Catholic children’s author; Lennon a fan of Christ

| Page 4

| Page 7

| Pages 10-11

July 25, 2008

2 The Catholic News & Herald

InBrief

Current and upcoming topics from around the world to your own backyard

R I C H M O N D , Va . ( C N S ) — Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Herring said he will not bring charges against a Catholic Charities worker who signed a consent form for an abortion performed on a 16-year-old Guatemalan in foster care.

Herring said July 16 the Commonwealth Catholic Charities employee and others working with her believed they had the authority to sign the consent form. Virginia law requires that a parent, legal guardian or person acting in the place of a parent sign the consent form before a minor receives an abortion.

Although the Charities staff member did not have legal authority to sign the form, there was no criminal intent, Herring said. “She truly believed she was doing an appropriate thing at the time.”

Meanwhile, the inspector general for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services was exploring whether any federal laws were violated by the abortion. The use of federal funds to

a buzz about church

CNS photo by Abigail Crimmins

Chuck Crimmins displays bees June 20 at Heifer Ranch in Perryville, Ark., after they had been resettled from the guttering atop the northeast corner of the Cathedral of St. Andrew’s apse wall in Little Rock, Ark. Cathedral maintenance supervisor John Hodge, whose father-in-law was a beekeeper, said he had never seen bees nest that high in the air, about 30 feet off the ground.

Beekeeper has sweet success moving bees from cathedral to new home LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (CNS) — Unlikely though it may be, about 10,000 honeybees made a home for themselves at Little Rock’s Catholic cathedral in the rain gutters atop the apse wall.

Many might think these new parishioners were unwelcome, but, in fact, staff members at the Cathedral of St. Andrew went out of their way to make sure the bees found a new residence at Heifer Ranch in Perryville.

By mid-July, after about a month in their new home, the cathedral’s bees were growing into a stable colony, according to Chuck Crimmins, garden and forestry coordinator at the ranch, one of five learning centers for Heifer International.

The nonprofit international organization, based in Little Rock, works to end world hunger and poverty through self-reliance and sustainability.

On May 27 John Hodge, cathedral maintenance supervisor, discovered the bees in the gutters, which are about 30 feet above the ground. Hodge, whose father-in-law was a beekeeper, said he had never seen bees nest that high in the air, much less in an urban area like downtown Little Rock.

He became concerned for the bees and called several agencies for help.

He eventually reached Crimmins, whose job includes serving as ranch beekeeper.

Crimmins went to the cathedral, climbed a ladder to get a closer look and was amazed at what he saw: At least

No state charges in Charities abortion case; federal inquiry ongoing

10,000 bees had “eight or 10 frames of honeycomb already drawing out, full of honey and baby bees.”

Once bees colonize, “they’re not going to leave. They had changed from looking for a home to saying, ‘This is home,’” said Crimmins, who is a member of St. John Latin Mass Community in North Little Rock.

He needed to use a cherry-picker lift borrowed from a parishioner to go after them.

Early in the morning June 13, he and cathedral maintenance man Scott Brecht, clothed in protective jackets, veils and gloves, took a 10-framed wooden beehive box up in the lift and began dislodging sections of honeycomb and attaching them to the wooden frames inside the box.

They wanted to preserve what the bees had already built and encourage them to continue the process inside the frames.

After they finished, he and several onlookers enjoyed a sweet snack by sucking honey out of the excess honeycomb.

At the ranch the bees have permanently attached their honeycombs to the frames and Crimmins has stacked another 10-frame box onto the first.

He hopes to give the first batch of honey from the cathedral’s bees to Bishop Anthony B. Taylor of Little Rock this fall.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s his honey,” he said, and they’re “his bees.”

Diocesan planner For more events taking place in the Diocese of Charlotte, visit www.charlottediocese. org/calendarofevents-cn.

ALBEMARLE VICARIATE MONROE — A holy hour is held every Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 725 Deese St., until December 2008 in conjunction with the 150th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady in Lourdes. The holy hour consists of evening prayer, recitation of the rosary and Benediction. The celebration is open to all. For more information, contact the parish office at (704) 289-2773.

ASHEVILLE VICARIATE ASHEVILLE — A Taize prayer service is held the second Friday of each month at 7 p.m. at St. Eugene Church, 72 Culvern St. Taize is a meditative prayer which mixes simple song, silence and Scripture. For more information, call the church office at (828) 254-5193.

BOONE VICARIATE SPRUCE PINE — A rosary of intercession for priests is recited each Friday at St. Lucien Church, 695 Summit St., before the 9 a.m.

Mass. Prayers are offered for bishops, priests and deacons, and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood. For more information, call the church office at (828) 765-2224.

pay for abortion is prohibited, except in limited circumstances.

Kenneth Wolfe, deputy director of the Office of Public Affairs in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families, said July 18 that the inspector general’s investigation was continuing and he could not comment on the Richmond case until that was completed.

The four Commonwealth Catholic Charities employees who helped the minor with the abortion or with obtaining a contraceptive device have been fired, and an employee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services charged with supervising them was suspended.

Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo of Richmond apologized “for the loss of the life of one of the most vulnerable among us” and said “the guilt and depression that many of us experience as a result of the behavior of a few is something that we will bear for a long time to come.”

CHARLOTTE VICARIATE CHARLOTTE — “Finding God in Our Brokenness: A Journey Through Biblical Wisdom Literature” will be presented by Father Joseph Koterski on Friday, Aug. 1, 12 p.m. in the first floor conference room of the diocesan Pastoral Center, 1123 South Church St. Parking is available in the lot on the opposite side of Church St. This event is sponsored by the diocesan Respect Life program and Office of Justice and Peace of Catholic Social Services. It is free and open to the public. Call (704) 370-3228 or e-mail sabeason@charlottediocese.org to register. For more information, visit www.cssnc.org.

CHARLOTTE — Christians in Career Transition is a ministry to help people in career crisis. The group meets the first and third Monday of each month, 7-9 p.m., in room 132 of the New Life Center at St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy. For more information, call Deacon Jim Hamrlik at (704) 543-7677, ext.

1040; or Jack Rueckel at (704) 341-8449 or e-mail jrueckel@earthlink.com.

CHARLOTTE — Pray the rosary at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 4207 Shamrock Dr., every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., followed by Mass at 7 p.m. All are welcome to participate in this sacred tradition. For more information, call Juanita Thompson at (704) 536-0784.

CHARLOTTE —There will be a Mass in Polish on July 27 at 3 p.m. in the Daily Mass Chapel of St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy. The Mass will be preceded by confessions from 2 to 3 pm. Questions, call the parish office at (704) 543-7677.

GASTONIA VICARIATE BELMONT — First Saturday devotions take place on the first Saturday of each month at Belmont Abbey Basilica, 100 Belmont-Mt. Holly Rd. Devotion begins at 9:30 a.m. with the recitation of the rosary, followed by reconciliation

JULY 25, 2 008 Volume 17 • Number 34

Publisher: Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis Editor: Kevin E. Murray STAFF WRITER: Katie Moore Graphic DESIGNER: Tim Faragher Advertising MANAGER: Cindi Feerick Secretary: Deborah Hiles 1123 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203 Mail: P.O. Box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237 Phone: (704) 370-3333 FAX: (704) 370-3382 E-MAIL: catholicnews@charlottediocese.org

The Catholic News & Herald, USPC 007-393, is published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, 1123 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203, 44 times a year, weekly except for Christmas week and Easter week and every two weeks during June, July and August for $15 per year for enrollees in parishes of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte and $23 per year for all other subscribers. The Catholic News & Herald reserves the right to reject or cancel advertising for any reason deemed appropriate. We do not recommend or guarantee any product, service or benefit claimed by our advertisers. Second-class postage paid at Charlotte NC and other cities. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to The Catholic News & Herald, P.O. Box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237.

July 25, 2008

The Catholic News & Herald 3

FROM THE VATICAN

Newly inaugurated Vatican agency regulates workers’ health, safety VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A newly inaugurated Vatican agency is dedicated to regulating and overseeing workers’ health and safety.

Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, president of the commission governing Vatican territory, presided over a July 21 ceremony blessing the Vatican safety inspectors’ new headquarters. The offices are part of a total revamping of how the Vatican protects and safeguards the rights, health and safety of people who work on Vatican territory.

In December the Vatican announced a new law to improve worker safety and rights. Most Vatican regulations follow Italian norms, but the Vatican wanted to cut bureaucracy and customize rules to take into account the Vatican’s unique situation, said Gianluigi Marrone, a Vatican City judge.

The law called for the creation of a new agency specifically dedicated to

worker safety, he said in an interview published July 23 in the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano.

The agency was established this year and is staffed by a doctor, an engineer, an architect and an official from the Vatican’s fire brigade.

The new regulations emphasize education and safety training courses and will require Vatican departments to compile and update lists of all workplace risks and workers’ needs.

Some initiatives include providing better access for handicapped employees, and plans are in place to provide special rooms for nursing mothers and to help Vatican employees find day care for their children, Marrone said.

Workers’ rights and safety regulations will extend to non-Vatican employees such as laborers working for outside companies subcontracted by the Vatican, the judge said.

and Mass. For more information, call Phil or Terri at (704) 888-6050.

BELMONT — A summer film festival for adults will take place at Queen of the Apostles Church, 503 North Main St., on Tuesday evenings through the month of July. On July 29 there will be a viewing of “Sophie Scholl,” a cinematic presentation of her leadership in The White Rose, a German nonviolent resistance to the Nazi regime during WWII. All screenings will take place 7:30-9 p.m. in the conference room. No fees or registration required. For more information, call Dennis Teall-Fleming at (704) 825-9600, ext. 26 or e-mail teallfleming@yahoo.com.

and card games. Call Barbara Daigler at (704) 662-9572 for more information.

SALISBURY — Our Lady Rosary Makers of Sacred Heart Church, 128 N. Fulton St., are making cord rosaries for the missions and the military. The group meets the first Tuesday of each month in the church office conference room, 10-11 a.m. For more information, call Cathy Yochim at (704) 636-6857 or Joan Kaczmarezyk at (704) 797-8405.

GREENSBORO VICARIATE GREENSBORO —Area Catholics meet each Saturday at 8 a.m. for prayer at the abortion clinic, A Woman’s Choice, 201 Pomona Dr. A rosary and a divine mercy chaplet are prayed.

If you are interested in participating, contact Carolyn Dominick at (336) 292-3612.

KERNERSVILLE — A Why Catholic? workshop on “Christ’s Presence in the Eucharist” will take place Aug. 25, 7-9 p.m. at Holy Cross Church, 616 South Cherry St. The workshop, presented

by Renew International, is free and open to the public. If you plan to attend, call Jeannine Martin (336) 294-4696, ext 225 at the parish office, or e-mail jmartin@stpaulcc.org no later than July 31.

HICKORY VICARIATE HICKORY — A charismatic Mass is celebrated the first Thursday of each month in Sebastian Chapel of St. Aloysius Church, 921 Second St. NE, at 7 p.m. For further information, contact Joan Moran (828)-994-0880 or e-mail jgmoran@charter.net.

SALISBURY VICARIATE MOORESVILLE — St. Therese Church Senior Fun & Games meets the second Saturday of every month at 6:30 p.m. for those 50 and older. A potluck supper is followed by board

Episcopal

calendar

Vatican official: Ignoring Christian tradition like ‘spiritual Alzheimer’s’ LONDON (CNS) — A Vatican official told the world’s Anglican bishops that ignoring Christian tradition and making decisions apart from the wider church are like degenerative diseases.

At the Lambeth Conference, where the Anglican bishops are struggling with such issues as the ordination of women, gay bishops and gay unions, Cardinal Ivan Dias appeared to allude to a “spiritual Alzheimer’s” threatening to destroy the historical memory of the Anglican churches.

“Much is spoken today of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s,” Cardinal Dias, prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, told the plenary session in Canterbury July 23.

“By analogy, their symptoms can, at times, be found even in our own Christian communities,” he said. “For example, when we live myopically in the fleeting present, oblivious of our past heritage and apostolic traditions, we could well be suffering from spiritual Alzheimer’s.

“And when we behave in a disorderly manner, going whimsically our own way

without any coordination with the head or the other members of our community, it could be ecclesial Parkinson’s,” the cardinal said.

He added that the joint efforts of Anglicans and Catholics to spread the Christian faith depended on their “unity and cohesion.”

This was the second time in less than a week that Vatican officials have made their concerns known to delegates at the July 16-Aug. 3 conference, held once every 10 years.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state, earlier said internal divisions within the Anglican Communion “pose a further and grave challenge to the hope for full and visible unity that has been the longstanding goal of our joint ecumenical endeavor.”

Earlier in July, the General Synod of the Church of England voted in favor of the ordination of women as bishops, following the examples of Anglican churches in the U.S., Scotland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

More controversial within the Anglican Communion is the ordination of homosexuals as bishops.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN VICARIATE MURPHY — Scripture Study of the Gospel of John and the Johannine Letters is being offered now through the first week in August at St. William Church, 765 Andrews Rd. The classes are held on Mondays 10-11:30 a.m. and on Thursdays 6:30-8 p.m. Each session includes reflection on Scripture, commentary, daily questions and a brief synopsis. For more information, contact Michelle Calascione at (828) 837-2000.

WINSTON-SALEM VICARIATE CLEMMONS — “Finding God in Our Brokenness: A Journey Through Biblical Wisdom Literature” will be presented by Father Joseph Koterski on Saturday, Aug. 2, 10 a.m. in the family center of Holy Family Church, 4820 Kinnamon Rd. This event is sponsored by the diocesan Respect Life program and Office of Justice and Peace of Catholic Social Services. It is free and open to the public. Call (704) 370-3228 or e-mail sabeason@charlottediocese.org to register.

For more information, visit www.cssnc.org.

Is your parish or school sponsoring a free event open to the general public?

Deadline for all submissions for the Diocesan Planner is 10 days prior to desired publication date. Submit in writing to kmmoore@charlottediocese. org or fax to (704) 370-3382.

Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following events:

Aug. 4 (6 p.m.)

Priests and seminarians cook out Bishop’s Residence, Charlotte

Aug. 9 (9 a.m.)

Mass for Crossroads walkers St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

Aug. 6 (10:30 a.m.)

Discernment Day Mass St. Michael the Archangel Church, Gastonia

Aug. 9 (5 p.m.)

Mass St. Dorothy Church, Lincolnton

CNS photo by Jean-Philippe Arles, Reuters

Freed French-Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt (center); her mother, Yolanda Pulecio; and son Lorenzo light candles in the grotto at the Sanctuaries of Our Lady of Lourdes in Lourdes, France, July 12. The Catholic politician was abducted in 2002 while she was running for president of Colombia.

Former Colombian hostage makes pilgrimage to Lourdes sanctuaries LOURDES, France (CNS) — Accompanied by her mother, sister and children, former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt made a pilgrimage to the Sanctuaries of Our Lady of Lourdes less than two weeks after she was freed from years in captivity.

Betancourt went to the Marian grotto at the shrine in the French Pyrenees July 12. Surrounded by police and pilgrims, she was greeted by Bishop Jacques Perrier of Tarbes and Lourdes.

The Catholic politician prayed before a crowd of thousands in thanksgiving for her life and freedom.

Betancourt was abducted in 2002 by the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia while she was running for president.

On July 2, the Colombian army staged a bloodless military operation and

liberated Betancourt and 14 others.

“Take care of those who are left behind me,” Betancourt said, referring to the estimated 700 hostages still held in Colombia. “They need your strength, your hope and your life.”

The politician said she had “tried to maintain dignity” by meditating and praying, despite being bound and beaten by her captors. She added that she hoped to travel to Rome in August to meet Pope Benedict XVI, who had made several appeals for her release.

“I have to do two things: forget and find spiritual peace, and be able to forgive. When I do this, I’ll also have to recall my memories. But perhaps, in time, these won’t be so painful.”

Betancourt said she had made a rosary from buttons and old string during her captivity.

4 The Catholic News & Herald

aruond the diocese

Trucking charity from St. Therese Church

July 25, 2008

Spiritual support

Courtesy Photo by Frank Nash

Parishioners of St. Therese Church in Mooresville fill up a truck with approximately 1,000 pounds of food donations for the Mooresville Christian Mission and the Mooresville Soup Kitchen June 15. Pictured are (from left) Dave Conklin, Trevor Conklin, Melanie Conklin, Erin Howard, Larry Howard, Camryn Howard, Madison Howard and Barbara Howard.

The parish Community Life Commission distributed grocery bags after Masses June 7-8 to be filled with donations.

Special works produce sign

Courtesy Photo

Msgr. John McSweeney, pastor of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte, accepts a spiritual bouquet from members of the parish Respect Life Committee June 25. Spiritual bouquets comprised of roses and crucifixes blessed by Pope Benedict XVI were presented to all the priests serving at St. Matthew Church — Msgr. McSweeney, Father Patrick Cahill, Father Patrick Toole and Father Eugene Schelberg — in gratitude for their continuing support of the Respect Life Ministry and other pro-life issues.

Members of the parish Respect Life Committee had the crucifixes blessed during a papal audience at the Vatican May 14. Ministry members and their families had offered 530 rosaries; 1,333 prayers; and 43 eucharistic adoration hours for the priests to show gratitude for their support.

Courtesy Photo

Jesuit Father Joseph Kappes, parochial vicar of St. Therese Church in Mooresville, stands with members of the parish S.W.A.T. (Special Works and Tasks) Team June 26 beside a sign installed outside the church June 23. The S.W.A.T. Team, a ladies organization, raised the funds for the new sign. Pictured (from left) are Father Kappes; MaryAnn Frohman, S.W.A.T. president; and S.W.A.T. members Jane Anklin, Joan Fesko, Ann Findsyz, Susan Wallace, Barbara Beuley and Mary Gaunt.

July 25, 2008

from the cover

The Catholic News & Herald 5

Justice for Immigrants director discusses details, myths REFORM, from page 1

Waters Catholic Reflection Center in Maggie Valley and St. Francis of Assisi Church in Franklin.

Cube plans to return in the fall to speak in the southern and eastern parts of the Diocese of Charlotte.

Altogether, more than 200 people, including Bishop Peter J. Jugis and Msgr. Mauricio W. West, chancellor and vicar general of the diocese, attended the presentations. The Diocese of Charlotte’s Office of Hispanic Ministry and Catholic Social Services sponsored the program.

“I’m trying to get the word out (about comprehensive immigration reform), answer questions, debunk myths, and hopefully change some minds and hearts,” Cube said.

The Justice for Immigrants campaign seeks to educate the public about church teaching on migration and immigrants, create political will for positive immigration reform, enact legislative and administrative reforms based on the principles articulated by the bishops, and organize Catholic networks to help qualified immigrants obtain the benefits of the reforms.

The bishops are not in favor of unlawful entry into the United States or amnesty for those undocumented immigrants already here. Rather, they seek comprehensive immigration reform, which has four provisions: a pathway to legalization for the undocumented, no deportation that splits families,

immigrants’ home countries must address the root causes of why people leave, and America has the right to protect its borders.

The bishops specify that all four provisions must be enacted together because all four work together.

Pathway to legalization “The Catholic bishops are proposing an earned legalization for those in this country in an unauthorized status and who have built up equities and are otherwise admissible,” the Justice for Immigrants campaign Web site states. “‘Amnesty,’ as commonly understood, implies a pardon and a reward for those who did not obey immigration laws, creating inequities for those who wait for legal entry,” it says.

“The bishops’ earned legalization proposal provides a window of opportunity for undocumented immigrants who are already living in our communities and contributing to our nation to come forward, pay a fine and application fee, go through rigorous criminal background checks and security screenings, demonstrate that they have paid taxes and are learning English, and obtain a visa that could lead to permanent residency, over time,” the site says.

Cube said that the fines might be as much as $3,000 to $9,000 per person, which they could pay in one to three years. These fines would finance the program, so that Congress wouldn’t have to allocate other funds.

Coming and going When many

undocumented

What can Catholics do to help with comprehensive immigration reform?

Antoinio Cube, national director of the U.S. bishops’ Justice for Immigrants campaign, suggests:

— When comprehensive immigration reform legislation comes before Congress, contact legislators to say you support it.

— Justice for Immigrants Campaign is working on homily notes for parish bulletins. If your parish uses them, read the information.

— Become educated about immigration.

A good information source is the Justice for Immigrants Campaign Web site, www. justiceforimmigrants.org, which includes the U.S. and Mexican bishops’ landmark pastoral letter, “Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope.”

Educating yourself will help you respond with correct information when others bring up myths and inaccuracies about immigration issues.

Photo by Ann Kilkelly

Bishop Peter J. Jugis is pictured (from left) with Franciscan Sister Andrea Inkrott, director of diocesan Hispanic ministry; Brother Ricardo Greeley, Albemarle Vicariate Hispanic ministry coordinator; Antonio Cube, Justice for Immigrants national director; and Augustinian Father James Cassidy, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe, after Cube’s presentation at the diocesan Pastoral Center in Charlotte July 8. immigrants are deported, they may take their U.S. citizen spouses and children with them, or they are separated from them for years while they attempt to obtain the documentation to return legally.

“The backlog of available visas for family members results in waits of five, 10, 15, and more years of waiting for a visa to become available,” the Justice for Immigrants Campaign site says. “The bishops call for a reduction in the pending backlog and more visas available for family reunification purposes.”

Many people migrate because they cannot provide for their families in their own countries. Comprehensive immigration reform calls for international efforts to help people stay home. “Trade, international economic aid, debt relief, and other types of economic policies should be pursued that result in people not having to migrate in desperation in order to survive,” the Web site says.

When we talk about the greater good,” Cube asked, “are we talking about just the United States or about our brothers and sisters all over the world?”

Migration myths One immigration myth is that restricting immigration will make the United States safer.

Yet, the Justice for Immigrants Campaign Web site states that, “Since 9/11, the myriad measures targeting immigrants in the name of national security have netted no terrorism prosecutions.

“In fact, several of these measures could have the opposite effect and actually make us less safe, as targeted communities of immigrants are afraid to come forward with information.”

Among the myths about undocumented immigrants is that they don’t pay taxes or social security, but Cube said this is not the case.

If an illegal immigrant presents an employer with identification, even a fake social security card, that employer is required to deduct social security and taxes from the person’s pay. However, because the person is undocumented, he or she can’t derive any benefits from government services.

“Upwards of $6 billion a year is paid into social security by illegals, which is actually keeping social security in the black,” Cube said. “If they become legal, they can only collect social security for the time they work after they become legal.”

As has often been stated, America is an immigrant nation, but U.S. immigration law is a fairly recent development. The Alien and Sedition Acts, passed in 1798 and repealed or expired between 1800 and 1802, were rarely enforced. Earlier, laws barring entry into the United States focused on convicts and prostitutes.

“Entering the United States did not become a violation until Congress passed a law on March 4, 1929,” the Justice for Immigrants campaign Web site states.

“Because of the lack of funding, Congress did not authorize or appropriate funds to enforce the law until the late 1940s. The beginning of our current immigration code, the Immigration and Nationality Act, was enacted in 1965,” the site says.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, as Cube said, “Everyone can be more welcoming of each other. Be mindful that we’re Catholic. Catholics have a long history of compassion.”

6 The Catholic News & Herald

Doctor opens clinic to serve uninsured poor DOCTOR, from page 1

Medicine clinic in Franklin July 1, that is exactly what he did.

Perpetual Health is a unique medical mission in that it provides quality medical care to the uninsured poor with medical costs subsidized through the annual fees of clinical benefactors.

“When I applied to medical school, this is what I had in mind,” said Vargas, who earned his degree from the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “I always wanted to work in rural North Carolina to pay back the state that sponsored me,” he said.

For Vargas, opening Perpetual Health is a dream come true because it gives him the opportunity to “practice medicine in a meaningful, professionally rewarding way and serve the poor,” he said.

The clinic’s mission statement, according to its Web site is “to obey Christ’s command to serve the poor by providing free medical care to the uninsured of the Macon County, N.C. area through a self-sustaining, community-supported family medical practice.”

“Dr. Vargas has been seeking to deepen his love for our Lord and engage the gift of his Catholic faith with greater zeal,” said Father Matthew Kauth, Vargas’ spiritual advisor and former pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Franklin.

“This project was an answer to the desire in his heart,” said Father Kauth.

Vargas’ first formal step in initiating the clinic was to seek the approval and blessing of Bishop Peter J. Jugis.

“I thought it showed both filial devotion as well as proper piety that he did not want to begin this project without this blessing,” said Father Kauth.

Bishop Jugis sent his official blessing to Vargas in a letter Aug. 1, 2007.

“I am glad to know that you will practice medicine in a manner consistent with the Church’s teachings,” wrote Bishop Jugis. “You have my prayers for the success of this initiative.”

Perpetual Health is only the second medical clinic of its kind nationwide and the first to serve a rural community.

Vargas modeled his clinic after the St. Luke’s Family Practice in Modesto, Calif., run by Catholic doctors Robert Forester and Richard Heck.

“It was a delayed sort of epiphany,” said Vargas of the moment he realized how the model worked.

“It’s like all the pieces that I had aspired to and all of the things that I had done up to that point finally came together,” he said.

WANT MORE INFO? For more information on Perpetual Health Community-Supported Family Medicine visit www.perpetualhealth.org. or call (828) 349-4747.

July 25, 2008

FROM THE COVER

“It resolved that fear of taking on a challenge where I had to choose between making a decent living and providing for my family or serving the poor. This is a model where I can do both,” he added.

The clinic is subsidized by the annual fees of a limited number of benefactors who receive unlimited access to primary care services and help cover the costs of the uninsured.

“It was brought to our attention at the parish at the end of a Sunday Mass about a year ago,” said benefactor Nick Murphy, a parishioner of St. Francis of Assisi Church.

It is a way to “meet our Gospel mandate to help our neighbor,” said Murphy, who said he was made “aware of the great need for our less fortunate brothers and sisters to have quality medical care.”

“I really agree with the idea of the model,” said fellow benefactor Helen Jones who said she likes the idea of being able to “provide something for myself but at the same time be able to help people who are part of the working class poor that don’t have medical insurance.”

Vargas also relies on the generosity of donors and volunteers, as well as partnerships with various local resources and faith communities.

“Communities should be taking care of themselves,” said Father Kauth, “that is to say, self-sustaining operations of charity motivated by a love for our Lord who offers us his grace and love in serving.”

There are currently eight benefactors enrolled with Perpetual Health and approximately 10 recipients.

Vargas said he can take up to a maximum of 300 clinical benefactors per year, which will allow him to see up to 1,200 recipients.

There may be an unlimited number of supportive benefactors — ones who are not actual patients, but make donations to the clinic.

According to Vargas, interest in the model was initially high, but now that

Courtesy Photo

Dr. Carlos Vargas examines a patient at the Perpetual Health Community-Supported Family Medicine clinic in Franklin July 16. The clinic, which provides quality health care to the uninsured through subsidized fees and donations from benefactors, opened its doors July 1. the clinic is up and running, enrollment of benefactors has been low.

“We made a commitment to serve the poor and we could hold onto that commitment and say ‘well we want to serve the poor but we’ll wait until we have at least 250 benefactors enrolled’ so that we can pay ourselves full salaries,” said Vargas.

“Or we can open July 1, wherever

we’re at, and just start serving the poor,” he said. “We decided not to wait.”

“He’s just an unusual physician in my opinion,” said Murphy. “He’s willing to do more for less if it will be beneficial to his community.”

Contact Staff Writer Katie Moore by calling (704) 370-3354, or e-mail kmmoore@charlottediocese.org.

July 25, 2008

around the diocese

The Catholic News & Herald 7

Helping people get to heaven Envoy Institute strives for evangelization on college campuses and beyond by

KATIE MOORE staff writer

BELMONT — “The devil tempted me in so many ways during my first year of college,” said Emily Eby, a rising sophomore at N.C. State University.

“I definitely had my moments of weakness and times where I was falling fast from the church,” she said.

Like Eby, many young people on college campuses throughout the country are faced with moral challenges that put their faith to the test on a daily basis.

Now there is a support system in place that will reinforce the teachings of the Catholic Church on college campuses and beyond.

The first ever Envoy Institute Conference, “Combating Relativism and the Culture of Death on College Campuses, in the Media and Beyond,” was held at Belmont Abbey College July 11-13.

“The goal of the first annual Envoy Institute Conference was to introduce the institute and make people aware, not only of our existence, but also of what we hope to accomplish — what our goals are,” said institute director Patrick Madrid.

Known for his work in Catholic apologetics, Madrid is the author of 12 books on Catholic themes and the publisher of Envoy Magazine, a journal of contemporary Catholic thought.

He founded the Envoy Institute last summer through a cooperative effort with Belmont Abbey College.

“I have high esteem for Belmont Abbey College and so one benefit, of course, is to be allied with a very prestigious and solidly Catholic institution of higher learning,” he said.

Dr. William Thierfelder, president of Belmont Abbey College, agreed, noting that the presence of the Envoy Institute has been a positive addition to the Belmont Abbey community — “a community that seeks truth and lives in response to it,” he said.

“It is clear to me that the perfection, the excellence and the virtue we strive to attain at the Envoy Institute of Belmont

“The purpose of the Envoy Institute ... is to help people get to heaven.”

— Patrick Madrid Abbey College is to glorify God and serve humanity through good stewardship of our gifts,” said Thierfelder.

The conference featured a powerhouse line-up of Catholic speakers who tackled the issue of relativism in relation to their particular fields of expertise.

“I believe everyone who spoke was equally effective in that he or she allowed God to work through him or her so, that when the entire weekend is reflected upon as a whole, every talk and message seems to flow together as one long story that God wanted to share with the participants,” said Eby. Each of the speakers strived to achieve the goals of the institute — “to fortify Catholics so that they can be better Catholics and be more effective in sharing, explaining and defending the faith,” said Madrid.

Dr. Paul Thigpen, a convert to the Catholic faith, tackled the tough issue of evangelization with his presentation, “Evangelization by the Ounce,” which offered 10 simple suggestions for incorporating faith-sharing techniques into everyday situations.

Thigpen is a professor of theology at Southern Catholic College in Dawsonville, Ga., and editor of The Catholic Answer, a national bimonthly magazine that answers questions about Catholic faith, practice and history.

“Not even one ounce of evangelization was ever wasted if it was poured out on a thirsty soul,” he said.

Serrin Foster, president of Feminists for Life of America and editor-in-chief of the organization’s magazine, The American Feminist, addressed the culture of death in American society

Photo by Katie Moore

Patrick Madrid speaks during the first Envoy Institute Conference at Belmont Abbey College July 11. and traced the history of the feminist movement from a pro-life perspective.

“Feminisim is a philosophy that embraces the rights of all human beings without exception,” she said. “The truth that every woman knows in her heart of hearts is that women deserve better than abortion.”

Hector Molina, director of the archdiocesan Office of the New Evangelization for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Mo., talked about how the core of evangelization is rooted within the history of Catholicism.

“Evangelization is a thoroughly Catholic thing,” he said. “It is an obligation for every single one of us to embrace and accept.”

Participants came away from the weekend armed with the tools needed to effectively convey their faith to others.

“For the first time in my life I am not only fearless of standing up for my faith, but am burning to share it with others,” said Eby. “This conference provided the evidence and the arguments to defeat the lies, making it clear that there are objective truths and God wants us to know them,” said Kathy Schmugge, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Charleston, S.C. “I left filled with the hope that with

the grace of God, we can bring light to the present culture and turn it around,” she said.

Although the Envoy Institute was initially set up to address the needs of Catholic students on college campuses, the conference itself was geared toward “Catholics of all ages,” according to Madrid.

“The purpose of the Envoy Institute at Belmont Abbey College, fundamentally, is to help people get to heaven,” he said.

“In the meantime we want them to have as good and full and as holy a life as a Catholic as possible,” he added.

Eby certainly came away from the conference with a new perspective.

“The Envoy Institute Conference has changed my life and re-ignited a passionate spiritual flame within me that about a year ago had almost been completely extinguished,” she said.

Contact Staff Writer Katie Moore by calling (704) 370-3354, or e-mail kmmoore@charlottediocese.org.

WANT MORE INFO?

Audio and visual recordings of the talks from the first Envoy Institute Conference will be available at www.envoyinstitute.net.

8 The Catholic News & Herald

July 25, 2008

World youth day

Pope tells Australians o WYD, from page 1

Courtesy Photo

The group of pilgrims from the Diocese of Charlotte stands across from the Sydney Opera House in Australia for World Youth Day July 15-20. Pictured (back row, from left) Deacon Mark Nash, Terry Aiken, Paul Kotlowski, Rose Ilderton, (front row, from left) Justin Bates, Megan Shelton, Thu Hong Nguyen, Diana Do, Chris Ilderton, Shey Eiland, Katie Phillips and Patricia Blanton.

The Diocese of Charlotte

invites you, your family and friends to escape winter and join with Fr. Mo West to

wallaby joey and an echidna.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, papal spokesman, said the visit was the idea of Australian church officials; “they are rightly proud of the species that are found only here.”

Once the public part of his trip began, Pope Benedict spent his days combining World Youth Day activities with elements of a pastoral visit to Australia.

Before he left Australia July 21, the pope celebrated a private Mass with four Australian victims of clerical sexual abuse and their families. In a small chapel inside St. Mary’s Cathedral, the pope also spent time talking to and consoling the victims.

Two days earlier during a Mass at the cathedral, the pope apologized publicly to Australian victims of clerical sexual abuse.

The pope said, “I am deeply sorry for

the pain and suffering the victims have endured and I assure them that as their pastor, I, too, share in their suffering.”

In his homily for the Mass, which included the consecration of the cathedral’s new altar, Pope Benedict prayed for the rededication and renewal of the Catholic Church throughout Australia and asked the country’s priests and religious to support fully the bishops’ programs for protecting young people, assisting victims and bringing perpetrators to justice.

At an airport farewell ceremony before leaving for Rome July 21, the pope said the World Youth Day “experiences of prayer, and our joyful celebration of the Eucharist, were an eloquent testimony to the life-giving work of the Holy Spirit, present and active in the hearts of our young people.”

“World Youth Day has shown us that the church can rejoice in the young people of today and be filled with hope for the world of tomorrow,” he said.

Meeting Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and other government officials July 17, Pope Benedict praised

CNS photo courtesy of World Youth Day 2008

Pope Benedict XVI, riding in the popemobile, makes his way through the crowd gathered for the closing Mass of World Youth Day at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, July 20.

July 25, 2008

world youth day

The Catholic News & Herald 9

of God’s plan for creation, especially people efforts to promote reconciliation with the country’s indigenous peoples, who have long been oppressed.

Dance, chants and art from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were included at many of the papal events, and elders from the two groups prominently welcomed the pope to their land.

The young church The pope’s primary focus was on the thousands of young Catholics who came from some 170 countries to participate in the July 15-20 World Youth Day and reflect on its theme, “You Will Receive Power When the Holy Spirit Has Come Upon You, and You Will Be My Witnesses.”

More than 200,000 young people attended the July 19 vigil at Royal Randwick Racecourse and, police said, some 350,000 people were at the track for the July 20 closing Mass. World Youth Day officials estimated the crowd at 400,000.

More than 15,000 pilgrims attended from the United States, including 12 from parishes in the Diocese of Charlotte.

“Words cannont describe the sense of blessing, the power of Pope Benedict’s instruction, the pride of belonging to the one, true, holy and apostolic church at a gathering such as this,” said Paul Kotlowksi, director of youth ministry for the Diocese of Charlotte.

“To be there with the Holy Father and 400,000 people … was a truly spiritual experience,” said Terry Aiken, youth minister at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in High Point.

“It was the experience of a lifetime to see the pope,” said Megan Shelton, 18, a parishioner of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church.

“It was amazing to see all the other pilgrims from other countries. Everyone was so excited to be there and to see the pope,” she said.

“Do not be afraid to say ‘yes’ to Jesus, to find your joy in doing his will, giving yourself completely to the pursuit of holiness,” the pope said in his homily for the Mass, which included administering the sacrament of confirmation to 24 young people from nine countries.

The world needs the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, he said at the Mass.

“In so many of our societies, side by side with material prosperity, a spiritual desert is spreading: an interior emptiness, an unnamed fear, a quiet sense of despair,” he said.

The pope told the young people that opening their hearts to Jesus and cooperating with the gifts of the Holy Spirit would transform their lives and help them bring a life-giving witness to the rest of the world.

The youths participated in three days of catechesis sessions at more than 250 locations across Sydney. The sessions focused on the Holy Spirit as the “soul of the church,” but also highlighted the youths’ roles in the church.

“As a young person, it was nice to hear that we play a crucial part in its mission,” said Shelton.

“We are the hope for the church.

We keep it young. We are an important part of it,” she said. “It was a renewing of our faith.”

Respecting God’s creation(s) Repeatedly during the trip, Pope Benedict described the Holy Spirit as God’s creative, life-giving and couragegiving force.

The pope also spoke often of the need to protect the environment and respect the gifts of God’s creation, but he made it clear to the young people that human beings are God’s greatest creation.

“At the heart of the marvel of creation are you and I, the human family, ‘crowned with glory and honor,’” as the Psalms say, he told the young people at the July 17 World Youth Day welcoming ceremony.

Just as the natural environment can be destroyed by selfishness and exploitation, he said, so too can human life be destroyed or damaged by not recognizing human dignity and the plan God has for each person’s life.

“Experience shows that turning our back on the Creator’s plan provokes a disorder which has inevitable repercussions on the rest of the created order,” he said.

God gave people the freedom to make choices so that they would choose

CNS photo by Will Burgess, Reuters

Pilgrims from Spain cheer as Pope Benedict XVI names Madrid as the host city of World Youth Day 2011.

He made the announcement at the close of World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, July 20. truth, goodness and beauty, the pope said.

“Our hearts and minds are yearning for a vision of life where love endures, where gifts are shared, where unity is built, where freedom finds meaning in truth and where unity is found in respectful communion,” he said.

‘Ambassadors of hope’ After watching a dramatic World Youth Day presentation of the Stations of the Cross through the streets of Sydney, the pope went to visit young people recovering from alcohol and drug abuse and other disadvantaged people being helped by the Alive program of Catholic Social Services.

The pope told them they were “ambassadors of hope” to their peers because they have had the courage to turn their lives around.

“The choice to abuse drugs or

alcohol, to engage in criminal activity or self-harm, may have seemed at the time to offer a way out of a difficult or confusing situation,” he said. “You now know that instead of bringing life, it brings death.”

The pope told them that Jesus loves them unconditionally and prayed that the Holy Spirit would be with them and would make them witnesses of the joy that comes from choosing to cherish the life God has given each of them.

Pope Benedict also set aside a morning to encourage ecumenical and interreligious dialogue in Australia by holding separate meetings with Christian leaders and with representatives of Australia’s Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and Zoroastrian communities.

Contributing to this story was Editor Kevin E. Murray.

July 25, 2008

10 The Catholic News & Herald

Culture Watch

Author credits late father for helping her with first children’s book

by MARK PATTISON catholic news service

WASHINGTON — Doreen Cronin’s name is on the first book she got published, but the Catholic children’s book author credits her father with a big assist.

Cronin is known in the children’s book world for more than a half-dozen titles in the Farmer Brown-Duck series and three titles in the “Diary of a ...” series.

She said that her first book, “Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type,” must have had some kind of supernatural assistance from her father, who had died only weeks before. Her father, a police officer, had a great sense of humor. “’Click Clack Moo’ — it was very special. It took about 20 minutes (to write). It was just weeks after my father passed. It was like I was channeling something. I felt that my father actually wrote it for me,” Cronin said.

“It’s never been like that since,” the best-selling author continued. “’Diary of a Spider’ took me at least a year. The average is like six months to a year.

‘Diary of a Fly’ took longer.”

The upside of the slow pace, Cronin noted, is that “I can go back and go back and go back until I can get it right.”

“Click Clack Moo” has become the unofficial children’s book of the labor movement; in the story, the cows go on strike because Farmer Brown won’t give them electric blankets at night.

“The very first publicity request I got (for the book) was at a labor law conference. And I was practicing law at the time — and I am not a labor lawyer,” Cronin said.

She said she never sits down with any agenda.

“It’s not something you should be doing with kids. Unions didn’t even cross my mind when I was writing the book,” she noted.

Now the mother of two daughters ages 4 and 2, Cronin said she did not have children yet when she wrote her first four

WORD TO LIFE

A roundup of Scripture, readings, films and more

books. “And then when you have kids, you don’t have any time,” she added.

Cronin has had “Diary of a Worm” and “Diary of a Spider” made into films — well, cartoons — for Scholastic’s “Storybook Treasures” DVD series.

“It’s just a way to extend that reading experience,” she said. The cartoons feature a “read-along” option, something grown-ups would call subtitles.

She didn’t set out to be a children’s book author. But Cronin had always remembered something her first-grade teacher at Waltoffer Elementary School in Bellmore, N.Y., told her at age 6: “My teacher told me — and this is a lesson on how powerful teachers are — she told me I could be a writer and I believed her.”

Although she became a lawyer specializing in commercial litigation — “banks, insurance companies, exciting stuff,” Cronin said — she kept writing.

“There is a box full of attempts that have no business seeing the light of day.

They’re clumsy. Some are absolutely horrible,” she said of some of her earlier efforts. “There’s a lot of kids who want to write books. There are a lot of adults who want to write books. But I have a thick skin. ... You’re going to get rejected a lot,” she said.

Cronin, whose mother taught catechism classes at their Long Island parish, appreciated the value of being read to as a child.

“It warms my heart when they head for the bookshelves,” she said about her own children. “As a parent, you can never go wrong spending time reading with your kids.”

She doesn’t try to push her own books onto her children.

“My kids have free rein,” Cronin said. “My younger daughter will say ‘Click Clack Moo.’ My older daughter loved ‘Dooby Dooby Moo.’” Cronin added, “My own kids, God bless ‘em — there have been times I have been so tired, I was begging my daughter to watch TV and she would hand me a book.”

Sunday Scripture Readings: AUg. 3, 2008

Aug. 3, Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle A Readings: 1) Isaiah 55:1-3 Psalms 145:8-9, 15-16, 17-18 2) Romans 8:35, 37-39 Gospel: Matthew 14:13-21

Nourishment of God satisfies, is life-sustaining by

SHARON K. PERKINS catholic news service

Last week I had a medical procedure that required me to go without solid food for 24 hours beforehand.

The fasting wasn’t too difficult until about the 18th hour when my children decided to make pizza and brownies for dinner — two of my favorite “comfort foods.”

The tantalizing aromas assaulted me with a force I hadn’t thought possible.

My teenage son teasingly tried to console me with the observation that there was nothing like a period of deprivation to make “real food” taste exceptionally good again.

After my procedure the next day, I left the doctor’s office, went straight to the nearest restaurant for lunch and proved my son right by exclaiming over every bite as if I had never eaten food before.

The readings for this Sunday are all about “comfort food.” It is indeed “rich fare,” the kind of sustenance that comes from looking hopefully, listening, heeding and desiring God’s

life above all else.

It’s the sort of food that comes “in due season,” often through the experience of deprivation or suffering, when we find ourselves in a “deserted place” as Matthew’s Gospel portrays or in a time of great distress as described

by St. Paul.

It is the bread of trusting in God’s promises and the water of conviction that nothing “will separate us from the love of Christ.”

Millions of people today live constantly with the demoralizing burden of hunger, and they must be physically fed in order to survive.

But Mother Teresa of Calcutta described an even more pervasive hunger, observing that “there is more hunger in this world for love and appreciation than for bread,” and she declared that this is the reason “Jesus made himself the bread of life to satisfy our hunger for his love.”

The nourishment that the Lord promises is not the cuisine that can be bought in a restaurant or prepared in a kitchen.

It is, however, the satisfying, comforting and life-sustaining food of God’s love, freely given to those who most hunger for it and gratefully given, in turn, by those who have been filled.

Questions: For what do you most find yourself hungering and thirsting?

Who do you know that is hungry for the love and appreciation God can provide through your words and actions?

Scripture to be Illustrated: “Heed me, and you shall eat well” (Isaiah 55:2b).

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE Scripture for the week of July 27-Aug. 2 Sunday (Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time), 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12, Romans 8:28-30, Matthew 13:44-52; Monday, Jeremiah 13:1-11, Deuteronomy 32:18-21, Matthew 13:31-35; Tuesday (St. Martha), Jeremiah 14:17-22, Luke 10:38-42; Wednesday (St. Peter Chrysologus), Jeremiah 15:10, 16-21, Matthew 13:44-46; Thursday (St. Ignatius of Loyola), Jeremiah 18:1-6, Matthew 13:47-53; Friday (St. Alphonsus Liguori), Jeremiah 26:1-9, Matthew 13:54-58; Saturday (St. Eusebius of Vercelli, St. Peter Julian Eymard), Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24, Matthew 14:1-12.

Scripture for the week of Aug. 3-9 Sunday (Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time), Isaiah 55:1-3, Romans 8:35, 37-39, Matthew 14:13-21; Monday (St. John Mary Vianney), Jeremiah 28:1-17, Matthew 14:22-36; Tuesday (Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major), Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22, Mathew 15:12, 10-14; Wednesday (Transfiguration of the Lord), Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14, 2 Peter 1:16-19, Matthew 17:1-9; Thursday (St. Cajetan, St. Sixtus II and Companions), Jeremiah 31:31-34, Matthew 16:13-23; Friday (St. Dominic), Nahum 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7, Deuteronomy 32:35-36, 39, 41, Matthew 16:24-28; Saturday (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross), Habakkuk 1:12-2:4, Matthew 17:14-20.

Scripture for the week of Aug. 10-16 Sunday (Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time), 1 Kings 19:9, 11-13, Romans 9:1-5, Matthew 14:22-33; Monday (St. Clare), Ezekiel 1:2-5, 24-28, Matthew 17:22-27; Tuesday, Ezekiel 2:8-3:4, Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14; Wednesday (Sts. Pontian and Hippolytus) Ezekiel 9:17; 10:18-22, Matthew 18:15-20; Thursday (St. Maximilian Kolbe), Ezekiel 12:1-2, Matthew 18:21-19:1; Friday (The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary), Revelation 11:19; 12:1-6, 10, 1 Corinthians 15:20-27, Luke 1:39-56; Saturday (St. Stephen of Hungary), Ezekiel 18:1-10, 13, 30-32, Matthew 19:13-15.

The Catholic News & Herald 11

July 25, 2008

CNS file photo by Capitol Records

John Lennon is pictured in an undated Capitol Records publicity photo.

In interview, Lennon called himself ‘one of Christ’s biggest fans’ LONDON (CNS) — British radio has broadcast an interview with John Lennon in which the late singer-composer claimed the Beatles were a Christian band that wanted to bring people closer to God. In the interview, aired for the first time in the United Kingdom, Lennon described himself as “one of Christ’s biggest fans.”

He claimed he was misunderstood when he said in 1966 that the Beatles were “more popular than Jesus,” and he expressed disappointment that he could not marry his second wife, Yoko Ono, in a church.

The interview was conducted in Montreal by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. in 1969 when Lennon, who was raised an Anglican, was at a peace protest.

Three years ago, National Museums Liverpool bought the interview, which was broadcast on British Broadcasting Corp.

Radio Four’s Sunday program July 13.

The Liverpool-born musician was asked to clarify infamous remarks to the London Evening Standard newspaper in which he said that Christianity will “vanish and shrink” and might not

outlast rock and roll.

Lennon said: “It’s just an expression meaning the Beatles seem to me to have more influence over youth than Christ.

“Now I wasn’t saying that was a good idea because I’m one of Christ’s biggest fans,” he said. “And if I can turn the focus of the Beatles on to Christ’s message, then that’s what we’re here to do.”

He said: “If the Beatles get on the side of Christ, which they always were, and let people know that, then maybe the churches won’t be full, but there’ll be a lot of Christians dancing in the dance halls.”

He said the he thought “community praying was probably very powerful” but that he was against “the hypocrisy and the hat-wearing and the socializing and the tea parties.”

He said he did not have a notion of a “physical heaven,” adding that “the kingdom of heaven is within you, Christ said, and I believe that.”

The interview was given the year Lennon quit the Beatles and embarked on a solo career that ended with his death in 1980 when he was shot by Mark Chapman in New York.

12 The Catholic News & Herald

July 25, 2008

around the diocese

Knights thank Harris Teeter for assistance Grocery store recognized for assisting fundraising efforts CHARLOTTE — The Knights of Columbus recently expressed their gratitude to a local grocery store.

Richard White, grand knight of Knights of Columbus St. Matthew Council 10852 and corporate chairman of the Knights’ L.A.M.B. Foundation of N.C., presented a special Award of Appreciation to Harris Teeter in thanks for its work in helping facilitate donation drives for the foundation.

The presentation took place at a Harris Teeter location in south Charlotte June 27.

The L.A.M.B. Foundation is a public nonprofit organization supported by the Knights of Columbus throughout North Carolina to assist the intellectually disabled. The Knights raise funds through their “Operation L.A.M.B.” Tootsie Roll drive, by soliciting donations from shoppers outside retail locations as well as from corporations and individuals.

For years, Harris Teeter has assisted in this effort by allowing Knights to distribute Tootsie Rolls at many of its store locations across the state.

Christy Hubbard, Harris Teeter’s southern region operations manager, accepted the award on behalf of the Harris Teeter corporate office, along with Bob Ramsey, general manager of a Harris Teeter location in south Charlotte.

“We are extremely grateful to Harris Teeter for its continued support of our Operation L.A.M.B. program through the years,” said White.

“Their assistance is instrumental to the growing success of our program,

Courtesy Photo

Richard White, corporate chairman for the Knights of Columbus L.A.M.B. Foundation of N.C., presents an Award of Appreciation to Bob Ramsey, Harris Teeter general manager, and Christy Hubbard, Southeast region operations manager for Harris Teeter June 27. and their steady support is indicative of Harris Teeter’s involvement in our community,” he said.

For the past 33 years, the L.A.M.B. Foundation of N.C. has raised more than $17 million for local charities supporting people with intellectual disabilities.

Charities that benefit from annual L.A.M.B. funds include Holy Angels in Belmont, Special Olympics, the O’Berry Center, LifeSpan and the Allegro Foundation.

WANT MORE INFO? For more information on the L.A.M.B. Foundation, visit www.lambnc.org.

Charlotte-area Knights construct handicap-accessible ramps KNIGHTS, from page 1

Mullis, 90, uses an electric wheelchair and can now navigate in and out of his home unassisted, thanks to the new ramp.

“We installed it in the back yard, which allowed easier access to the driveway and did not deter from the apperance of the front of the house,” said Wilcocks.

Operation Exodus was founded 18 years ago by Joseph Moore, then a member of the Knights council at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte. The program assists local people in need of outdoor, handicap access ramps.

Moore later became a parishioner of St. Matthew Church, bringing the program to that parish and beyond.

Operation Exodus pools volunteers from surrounding Knights councils and parishioners to help with construction.

People who qualify for a ramp either have financial difficulties — completed ramps average $2,000 for materials alone — or an immediate need precipitated by an unexpected event.

The Knights usually build them for

individuals, but have built a few for adult and young adult daycare facilities, according to Wilcocks.

“We get many referrals from the N.C. State Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services,” said Wilcocks.

“When we install ramps for them, they reimburse us for the materials used. All other ramps are funded by donations and fundraisers of the Knights of Columbus.

We never charge for our labor.”

Operation Exodus is a “perfect vehicle” for Knights to accomplish their missions of charity, community, family and service to God, said Richard White, grand knight of Council 10852 at St. Matthew Church.

“It almost always touches upon individuals and families who have enough burdens, without them having to worry about finding out how to get an access ramp constructed,” he said.

WANT MORE INFO? For more information on the Operation Exodus program, contact Bob Wilcocks at (704) 542-1541 or wilcocks@ carolina.rr.com.

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Rates: $.80/word per issue ($16 minimum per issue) Deadline: 12 noon Wednesday, 9 days before publication How to order: Ads may be E-mailed to ckfeerick@charlottediocese.org, faxed to (704) 370-3382 or mailed to: Cindi Feerick, The Catholic News & Herald, 1123 S. Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203.

Payment: For information, call (704) 370-3332.

July 25, 2008

around the diocese

The Catholic News & Herald 13

100 years young

Basilica parishioner celebrates century of faith, love by

CAROLE McGROTTY correspondent

Photo by Carole McGrotty

Margaret Hauptle, who turned 100 July 7, sits with her daughter Anne Bazarsky and Father Wilbur Thomas, pastor of the Basilica of St. Lawrence, during Hauptle’s birthday celebration in the parish hall July 6.

ASHEVILLE — During Mass July 6, a parishioner was asked to stand and receive a special blessing.

Father Wilbur Thomas, pastor of the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Asheville, extended his hand toward Margaret Hauptle in honor of her 100th birthday on July 7. Enthusiastic applause from the congregation followed the moving tribute.

After Mass, family, friends and fellow parishioners gathered in the parish hall to celebrate. Anne Bazarsky, Hauptle’s only child, said her mother enjoyed her party and meeting people, and especially enjoyed her three

“Laughter and love keep her going.”

— Anne Bazarsky pieces of cake.

Margaret Hauptle was born in Philadelphia July 7, 1908, three months before Henry Ford released the Model T automobile to the public at a cost of $825, and 15 months prior to the completion of the Basilica of St. Lawrence (then St. Lawrence Church) in October 1909.

In 1950, Margaret married Fred Hauptle, an artist and architect, and their daughter Anne was born in a hospital he designed. The family later moved to Florida, where Margaret would work for the Department of Veterans Affairs until she was 70 years old.

After her husband died and she turned 90, Hauptle went to live with her daughter and son-in-law in Houston, Texas. In 2002, they relocated to Asheville and became parishioners of the basilica.

Hauptle is the proud grandmother of five and great-grandmother of three wonderful children. She maintains a healthy lifestyle and takes no medication, except for a daily vitamin.

Anne Bazarsky said her mother’s strong Catholic faith has helped her achieve her 100-year milestone.

My mother has always “turned things over to God, prayed to the saints, read her prayer books and received the sacraments reverently,” she said.

“She believes in angels and is devoted to Jesus and Mary. She is always eager to get up on Sundays and go to Mass,” said Bazarsky.

While few people live to be 100, even fewer of them are able to walk down the aisle of a large church to sit in the front. Instead of letting the Eucharist be brought to her, Hauptle walks up to receive with her daughter.

The two women pray the rosary weekly and other prayers daily. But faith is not the only secret to Hauptle’s longevity.

My mother “never complains,” said Bazarsky. “Laughter and love keep her going.”

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Contact Staff Writer Katie Moore at (704) 370-3354 or kmmoore@ charlottediocese.org.

July 25, 2008

14 The Catholic News & Herald

Perspectives

A collection of columns, editorials and viewpoints

Offering signs of welcome Opening wide parish doors to welcome diversity every Sunday

For her prom this year, my 17-year-old daughter Maria’s date was a handsome Samoan football player who is as active as she is in the drama department. They’re not “steadies,” merely part of a big circle of drama friends. Her friend also happens to be a Mormon.

A few weeks later, my daughter took her Scholastic Aptitude Test for college and so did her friend, so they went out for lunch afterward.

It seemed such a normal event that it was only later that I chuckled. My IrishItalian Catholic daughter and her Samoan Mormon friend went to lunch for — what else? — Chinese takeout.

Welcome to America in 2008!

Some people are surprised to learn that Anchorage, Alaska, is a very culturally diverse place. Our school system now has more “minority” students than Anglo-Saxons, with people hailing from every spot on the map.

I went to a wedding last weekend.

The wonderful music was provided by the parish’s regular 10:30 a.m. Mass group, a Samoan choir.

The maid of honor, who was from Los Angeles (no stranger to diversity), quizzed me. “But what’s with the Samoans?” she asked. “Why would they come to Anchorage?”

Well, why does anyone move anywhere? Why is my Irish-Czech hometown in Nebraska now 50 percent Hispanic?

What brings the Vietnamese to Los Angeles? Why is the best restaurant above the Arctic Circle in Alaska Mexican?

Usually the answer has something to do with jobs and economics. It takes a couple of families settling in. Soon a community is born. Sometimes, in the case of the Sudanese refugees who are settling in Anchorage too, it’s to escape persecution at home.

That old cliche, that “the most segregated hour of Christian America is 11 o’clock on Sunday morning” is probably still true, yet our changing parishes show us that the world is rapidly coming to our doorstep.

So how do we open our doors

Focus on fathers, too I am in agreement with what columnist Stephen Kent wrote regarding the incident of teen pregnancy in Gloucester, Mass. (“The point is not the prestige pregnancy pact,” July 11).

The focus should not be on some sort of pact among the young women, but I would suggest that it needs to go beyond Mr. Kent’s suggestion that the parents “should look to reasons for their daughters’ low self-esteem.” In these situations, society’s focus is almost always on the young women and their parents. That

For the Journey EFFIE CALDAROLA cns columnist

with welcome?

Our pastor saw the changing demographics of our parish and held an “international” night. People were invited to read, pray and sing in several languages at Mass.

A potluck followed with flags of various countries flying over tables of ethnic foods. The idea was to make people feel welcome, and judging by the turnout it was a huge success.

But the challenge lies in making people feel welcome “every” Sunday.

As part of a graduate program I’m in, I’ve attended Lutheran and Presbyterian services, and I’ve also attended a Hispanic Mass at a nearby parish.

At the Lutheran and Presbyterian services I felt quite at home. I knew friends in the congregations, the sermons were good, and I looked pretty much like everybody else. Despite our liturgical differences, I was comfortable.

But attending the Hispanic Mass was an eye-opener for me. I got a glimpse of what it feels like to be the “other.”

Familiar as I am with the Mass, my lack of Spanish made me feel like an outsider. The homily was simply a blur.

How I wished I knew Spanish as I sat feeling isolated and alone!

Feeling more comfortable in a Lutheran service than in a Catholic one in another language gave me pause. How hard it must be to feel totally at home in a new parish when one is different from the majority.

The starting place for me is to be conscious that others may feel isolated and alone in my parish. The next step should be reaching out intentionally at every Mass to offer some sign of welcome.

Letter to the Editor focus covers only half the people in this situation. These young women did not become pregnant on their own.

As such, the focus should include the young men and their parents. The young women and men were integral to the pregnancies. The parents of the young women and men are equally integral to the developments in this situation.

— E. Crusan Marvin, N.C.

Mission trips on the rise: Are they a good thing?

Trips often expand our world, build bridges and faith Some people snidely call them “vacationaries.” Other people call it “religious tourism.”

Whatever you call it, the number of people going on short “mission trips” with churches is dramatically increasing.

The Washington Post recently reported that more than 1.6 million Americans went on short-term international mission trips in 2005. They spent over $2.4 billion on these trips.

On a recent trip to visit our sister parish projects in Nicaragua, our parish delegation was one of at least four church groups on the plane.

Are these missions a good thing?

Some people say no. They argue that these mission trips are a waste of time and money, that it makes no sense to spend thousands of dollars to fly unskilled workers to do some job that could be done more cheaply by the locals who need money, not visitors.

Others argue that these visits are a kind of social “voyeurism” for rich people who gawk at the poor, and that the trips are too short for people to learn much.

I’ve heard the criticisms. There are problems. But on balance, I still think these missionary trips are a very good thing.

Which would you prefer: young people spending a week on a mission trip fixing up a community center in rural Mexico or at some drunken “beach week” in Cancun? Would it be better if retired folks spend money on five-star hotels or on an orphanage in Guatemala?

These mission trips change people for the good. People learn, grow in maturity.

Even without language skills, young people can learn more in a one-week mission trip than in a semester of classes.

These missions often lead to longer missionary efforts. Maybe participants will join the Jesuit Volunteer Corps or one of over 100 Catholic mission groups listed in the “Response” catalogue.

My parish now has a decade of experience with mission trips. Our youth go on religious work camps every summer. We have at least one adult mission trip every year.

We h a v e t w o s i s t e r p a r i s h relationships in Mexico and Nicaragua.

We have done rebuilding trips after

Parish Diary FATHER PETER DALY cns columnist

Hurricane Katrina.

All these trips expand our world — and build our faith. We have made mistakes, but I think we have learned a few things.

1. Allow the Holy Spirit to lead. We don’t go out looking for “mission trips”; we let them come to us.

Our relationship with Mexico, for example, began because Mexican migrant workers in our area were coming to Mass at our church. Gradually we got to know them and their hometown.

2. Go only where invited. Our trips to Mexico, Mississippi and Nicaragua were the result of an invitation from the local pastors.

3. Each mission involves an exchange. We don’t have answers to many problems, but we listen to the local people.

They listen to us too. We invite them to visit us if they can.

4. It takes lots of time to build a relationship. Our first adult mission trip came after a parishioner spent a whole year on a Native American reservation.

In Nicaragua, we sent money to build houses for four years before we visited.

5. It is a spiritual relationship we travel to nurture; we are not going to strangers. We go to see our brothers and sisters in Christ.

They can help us with prayer, just as we pray for them.

All of these mission trips break down barriers and build up bridges. As St. Paul said in his letter to the Ephesians, “We are strangers and aliens no longer, but fellow members of the household of God.” If these trips teach us that, they are worth it.

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July 25, 2008

The Catholic News & Herald 15

Why the embryo matters

Embryo will determine society’s value on human life At their Spring 2008 general meeting, the U.S. bishops overwhelmingly approved a new statement on embryonic stem-cell research.

This is their first formal statement as a body specifically on this issue, though the bishops’ conference and many individual bishops have certainly spoken out over the years.

A fair question would be: Why now? What is new to warrant a more formal statement on the principled case against killing human embryos for their stem cells?

Two things are new.

First, the national policy debate is about to be renewed in a more intense way.

Next year a new congress and president will face this issue, and currently no presidential nominee supports President Bush’s position against funding stemcell research that requires destroying human embryos.

This is a good time to remind Catholics and others what is at stake.

Second, this debate has reached a turning point in the scientific and medical community, though many politicians are slow to notice this.

For years, the pro-life movement has said there are other and better ways to pursue the medical promise of stemcell research. It has become increasingly obvious that this is exactly right.

Stem cells from adult tissues and umbilical cord blood have been used

in clinical trials to repair heart damage, restore sight and treat conditions such as multiple sclerosis and juvenile diabetes.

A new technique for “reprogramming” adult cells has produced cells with the properties of embryonic stem cells, without creating or destroying embryos — and prominent experts are abandoning embryo research in favor of this approach.

This is not to say that promising alternatives will simply make this issue go away. But the noise about the “unique promise” of embryo research may die down enough to allow the moral argument to be heard.

If we have two promising ways to advance medicine, and one of them is free of moral problems, wouldn’t everyone prefer that route?

A deeper question is: Why the embryo? Is this little “ball of cells” worth all the fuss?

The bishops’ statement has compelling answers to that question. But in brief, this is where the battle on human life is joined, because it is here that Americans are being told to subsidize deliberate destruction of innocent human lives for a supposed “greater good.”

Experts defending this research know that the embryo is a living member of the human species — but they deny that he or she has fundamental rights, because the qualities that they think make up “personhood” are lacking.

Purr more, hiss less Cats give us heavenly lessons for living I’ve always loved cats, ever since my beloved father brought home a sweet little kitten as a gift for me when I was 6.

I named her (or him, who knew then???) “Kitty.” Immediately I had a bosom friend.

I had Kitty for a year. Then a neighbor who didn’t like my cat put poison on the fence between our yards; Kitty died.

I screamed a lot and prayed to God to take care of Kitty in heaven. I had just made my first holy Communion and knew God answered prayers!

My dad immediately got me another cat. We moved to different house, and I was never without a cat for decades after that.

When asked why I liked cats so much, I could only answer with a shrug and a smile. But now I have some answers found in a charming, illustrated book, “Purr More, Hiss Less: Heavenly Lessons I Learned From My Cat.” Author Allia Zobel Nolan was formerly the editor of religious books for children at Reader’s Digest.

“Cats can teach us the most profound things about life,” says Nolan. “My puddies (cats), for example, have shown me how not to hold grudges (hiss, spit

and get over it); the importance of sharing (never bring dead snakes home unless you have enough for everyone); and how to be content in any situation (as long as there is a warm lap to lie in). And that’s not the half of it.”

I never thought of cats that way!

Nolan says she’s learned from her tubby cat that “God doesn’t care how much you weigh.”

From a jealous cat, rejected, it is clear that “you win over more people with a purr than a hiss,” Nolan adds, and from the very mistaken cat who tries to carry a pile of everything we are taught not to “be a slave to your possessions.”

How about this bit of wisdom from her wise cat: “Life is precious, even if you have nine of them.”

I spoke with the author recently, and she convinced me that “we’d all live kinder, gentler, less stressful lives if we took life lessons from our cats.”

Here are a few more wise ways that she says her cats have taught her: — “If at first you don’t succeed, take a nap and try again.”

— “You’re one of a kind; so don’t be a copycat.”

— “It’s better to use your head than your claws.”

— “If you must walk over people, do

Life Issues Forum RICHARD M. DOERFLINGER guest columnist

The fact is, those qualities may be lacking in some very young, very old and very disabled people after birth as well, and some ethicists are openly considering how useful it would be for medical progress, or even for cost control, to expand the category of humans with no rights.

The human embryo, like the unborn child generally, has become our society’s “canary in the mine” — the helpless creature whose life or death will tell us whether we still hold to the inherent and equal value of each human life, or have allowed a deadly toxin into our culture allowing the strong to oppress the weak in the name of “progress.”

That’s a question we have to get right.

Doerflinger is associate director of the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities.

The Bottom Line ANTOINETTE BOSCO cns columnist

it quickly.”

— “It doesn’t matter what color you are, or whether you’re shorthaired or longhaired.”

I could have added to this list, “If you’re a mother, be as good as a cat mom,” for talking to Nolan brought back so many memories of such a good cat mom.

The momma cat I had when I was 13 moved her litter to our attic for their safety I guess. Then one of her little ones fell down between the inside and outside attic walls.

Unable to reach it, the momma cat then brought her other little ones back downstairs.

I was devastated, crying that my kitty was going to die. But then, my wonderful dad broke through the wall and rescued the kitty.

He gave her back to its momma, who cuddled her lovingly.

When evangelization is at its best The Human Side FATHER EUGENE HEMRICK cns columnist

As I drove by a construction site in Washington, young Hispanic laborers could be seen working. I was again struck by this phenomenon when visiting the Franciscan Monastery where swarms of young Hispanic men were renovating it.

Two words best describe their spirit: proud and energetic. When returning from work in the evening, I couldn’t help but notice how they strutted proudly to the subway station.

I had to wonder how many of these young men have that same pride in our church and energize it with their presence.

A recent report from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University states that “Latino(a) teens will soon comprise more than half of all adolescent Catholics in the U.S. However, as a group they are more religiously disengaged than other Catholic teens.”

The report brings back memories of national studies I helped conduct for the U.S. bishops that warned that the church stood a good chance of losing substantial numbers of young adult Hispanics in the new millennium. Why is this so?

Hispanics, more often than not, are being assimilated into the profane and secular parts of U.S. society. For example, many of the TV programs they watch display a growing irreverence for the sacred.

Another contributing factor to decreasing numbers is the efforts of evangelical groups using every means possible to attract Hispanics.

Years ago, I co-sponsored a study with Jesuit Father Joseph Fitzpatrick, who specialized in Puerto Rican studies.

When I walked up Fordham Lane to Fordham University in New York to work with him, it was like being in Puerto Rico, Cuba and Mexico.

I would often think how easy it is to be swallowed up in the glamour of a big city and lose your faith.

No doubt parishes are doing their best to encourage Hispanic youths to cherish their faith. Much more, however, must be done for those who are religiously disengaged! Hispanic Catholics must be empowered to pull themselves up by their own boot straps!

Years ago I went down to Guatemala to be with Maryknoll missionaries. While there, I witnessed young Mayan men come in from the hillsides, spend days at the cathedral in Huehuetenango preparing to be catechists, and then return to their villages to catechize their people.

I have to wonder what would happen if our Catholic funding agencies helped to create a Hispanic catechetical movement similar to the one in Huehuetenango.

Evangelization is at its best when those evangelizing are of the same culture of those they evangelize.

July 25, 2008

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