September 21, 2007
The Catholic News & Herald 1
www.charlottediocese.org
Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte
“To Know Jesus Christ” Eucharistic Congress, Sept. 21-22
Look for coverage of this year’s Eucharistic Congress in the Sept. 28 issue. Established Jan. 12, 1972 by Pope Paul VI September 21, 2007
Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte
vOLUME 16
Preserving all life
Fifty years of glory and joy
by JOHN THAVIS catholic news service
by
St. Gabriel Church celebrates golden anniversary with Mass
Vatican says food, water must be provided to vegetative patients
KAREN A. EVANS staff writer
VATICAN CITY — In a brief document approved by Pope Benedict XVI, the Vatican said it was generally a moral obligation to provide food and water to patients in a vegetative state. Nutrition and hydration, even by artificial means, cannot simply be terminated because doctors have determined that a person will never recover consciousness, the Vatican said Sept. 14. Exceptions may occur when patients are unable to assimilate food and water or in the “rare” cases when nutrition and hydration become excessively burdensome for the patient, it said. Photo by Karen A. Evans
See FOOD, page 7
no. 40
CHARLOTTE — On Sept. 5, 1957, Father Paul Byron celebrated the first Mass of St. Gabriel Church in a small brick building “that looked liked a post office.” A borrowed cafeteria table served as the altar and a shoebox was used for the collection plate. “Five years later, that shoebox was bronzed in a madcap nostalgic moment,” said Father Bryon, founding pastor of St. Gabriel Church. Father Bryon joined Bishop Peter J. Jugis, Bishop Emeritus William G. Curlin, and several priests and deacons who have served at the church for a Mass celebrating the 50th anniversary of St. Gabriel
Surrounded by priests and deacons who have served at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte, Bishop Peter J. Jugis celebrates the Liturgy of the Eucharist during a Mass commemorating the parish’s 50th anniversary Sept. 15.
See JUBILEE, page 5
Fighting financial illiteracy Computer lab will help build financial literacy, stronger families JOANITA M. NELLENBACH
by
correspondent
Photo by Joanita M. Nellenbach
Visitors check out the Office of Economic Opportunity’s financial literacy computer lab during its dedication in Murphy Sept. 7.
MURPHY — There are no rocking chairs on this porch. Instead, five chairs roll up to computer stations. The front porch of the Office of Economic Opportunity of Catholic Social Services has become the Msgr. Mauricio W. West ABLE Financial Literacy Computer Lab.
Conference explores financial literacy, livelihood of poor
The lab was dedicated Sept. 7 to Msgr. West, vicar general and chancellor of the Diocese of Charlotte, who was instrumental in starting the OEO. St. William Church sits next door to the OEO. The church’s men’s club refurbished the porch in just two weeks.
H AY E S V I L L E — I n today’s economic system, there will always be people who need help, said a speaker at the Bishop Begley Conference on Appalachia.
See LAB, page 9
See BEGLEY, page 9
JOANITA M. NELLENBACH
by
correspondent
Fires of faith
Culture Watch
Perspectives
Catechists get enrichment at workshop
Church officials examine book; Catholic bluegrass
Mother Teresa’s dark night; praying with children
| Page 4
| Pages 10-11
| Pages 14-15
September 21, 2007
2 The Catholic News & Herald
InBrief
Current and upcoming topics from around the world to your own backyard
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Hurricane Humberto, which began as a tropical storm, made landfall in Texas and Louisiana Sept. 13. The storm’s high winds knocked down trees and power lines in the area and caused minor destruction, including water damage and the loss of shingles in six churches in the Diocese of Beaumont, Texas. The storm intensified when it hit the eastern tip of Texas with sustained winds of up to 80 mph and heavy rains before weakening and going through Louisiana. It was the first hurricane to make landfall on the Gulf Coast since Katrina and Rita two years ago. According to the local energy company, about 100,000 customers were without power in the local vicinity. Power was not expected to be restored for a few days. The damage at local churches was primarily from lost shingles or water damage caused by water leaking under
Spicing up the menu
CNS photo by Gregory A. Shemitz, Long Island Catholic
Anthony Rezza, corporate chef for Catholic Health Services of Long Island, prepares a pineapple carpaccio appetizer under the watchful eye of consulting chef Jean-Marie Zimmermann in the kitchen of St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown, N.Y., Aug. 17. Zimmermann, executive chef for the Queen Mary 2 ocean liner, has helped upgrade the patient menus at St. Catherine’s, Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre, N.Y., and Our Lady of Consolation Nursing and Rehabilitative Care Center in West Islip, N.Y.
Cruise-ship chef helps Catholic health system produce five-star food WEST ISLIP, N.Y. (CNS) — When James Harden, president of Catholic Health Services of Long Island, sailed on the Queen Mary 2 ocean liner, he asked to meet Chef Jean-Marie Zimmermann, hoping to get a recipe. Harden marveled at the ship’s ability to serve more than 15,000 meals a day that were tasty and satisfying. “‘If you get it right,’ he asked me, ‘why don’t we get it right?’” said Zimmerman, executive chef for Cunard cruise lines. So last year, between cruises, Catholic Health Services brought Zimmermann to Long Island to tour the Catholic hospitals and nursing homes, inspect the kitchens and work with the staff. Zimmermann’s goal is to help the staff prepare meals to delight the tongue as well as nourish the body. Patients are being served seared salmon, beef bourguignon and boneless leg of lamb. “We also have a variety of soups,” the chef said. “They (the residents) deserve good meals. This is their home. Their food shouldn’t taste institutional,” said Gina Irwin, community relations director at Our Lady of Consolation Nursing and Rehabilitative Care Center in West Islip. Born in Alsace-Lorraine in France, Zimmermann won numerous culinary honors during years of cooking in restaurant and cruise-ship kitchens. For about a year, Zimmermann has been serving as a visiting consultant,
Hurricane Humberto hits Texas, Louisiana; six churches damaged
coming a few times a year for several weeks. He set up menus and trained kitchen staff at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre and St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown but also goes back to check on their progress. Now working at Our Lady of Consolation, he will work with other CHS facilities on subsequent visits. He found his experience supervising meals on a cruise liner applies well to working for Catholic Health Services. “The common goal is good food,” he said. But there are differences in planning meals for health care facilities. “We have to make adjustments for individual patients, but providing healthy food is part of the work,” he said. Zimmermann sees no reason why hospitals and nursing homes cannot offer patients and residents meals they can enjoy. “It takes as much trouble and costs as much to make something bad as it does to make something good,” he said. “We have found out that since Chef Zimmermann has started, the costs have gone down,” said Joseph Loiacono, an official with Catholic Health Services. “At first it costs more, but in the long run it goes down.” “When you buy packaged food, you’re paying for the labor,” said Anthony Rezza, corporate chef for the health system. “With fresh ingredients, you can use the leftovers to make other dishes.”
Diocesan planner CHARLOTTE VICARIATE
CHARLOTTE — “God Loves Us into Creation: A Retreat for Young Adults (ages 18-40)” will be held at St. Peter Church, 507 S. Tryon St., Sept. 29, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. in Biss Hall (below the church). To register call Kelly Payne at (704) 661-3302 or e-mail kelleepain@aol.com. HUNTERSVILLE — Come Be Fed Physically and Spiritually at St. Mark Church, 14740 Stumptown Rd., Oct. 8, 6-8:30 p.m. Jason Kotecki, author and cartoonist, will share his insights into how each of us can develop a more childlike faith amid the busyness of life. Reservations are required; e-mail Donna Smith at dsmith18@bellsouth.net or call (704) 948-1306. CHARLOTTE — A Pro-Life Prayer Vigil that will take place Sept. 26-Nov. 4. It will be a 40 day/24 hour peaceful prayer vigil in front of an abortion center with pro-life participants of many denominations. There will be a kick-off rally at St. Ann Church, 3635 Park Road, Sept. 26, with numerous Christian speakers. Together we can all build a Culture of Life. For more information, e-mail Diane Hoefling at rhoef541@aol.com or call (704) 541-3760. Also visit www.40daysforlife.com. HUNTERSVILLE — Jesuit Father Joseph Koterski of the Fordham University Philosophy Department will present “The Problem of Dirty Hands” Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. in the family center of St. Mark Church, 14740 Stumptown Rd. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Sponsored by the CSS offices of Family Life and Justice and Peace. To register, call (704) 370-3228 or e-mail s a b e a s o n @ c h a r l o t t e d i o c e s e . o rg . M o r e
doors or through windows. One of the damaged churches still had the tarps it used after Hurricane Rita and they were immediately put on the church roof when the shingles were blown off by Hurricane Humberto. The area is still recuperating from Hurricane Rita. One of the most damaged Catholic churches from that storm just reopened two months ago, although workers are still finishing the interior. Another church, torn down because of extensive damage, still hasn’t been rebuilt. Since Hurricane Rita, parishioners have been attending Mass in the parish hall. Catholic Charities USA is collaborating with the local Catholic Charities agency to assess post-storm damages, the needs of local residents and recovery efforts. Officials were concerned because the area has been recently saturated with large amounts of rain, making it more prone to severe flooding.
information is available at www.cssnc.org. The presentation will also be presented at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Greensboro Oct. 8. CHARLOTTE — An Immigration Reform Workshop will be held in Biss Hall of St. Peter Church, 507 S. Tryon St., Oct. 9, 7-8:30 p.m. The issue of immigration and migration has been called the “central narrative of our faith today.” An immigration panel will present and discuss the issue as is affects our lives and the lives of our neighbors. For more information please call the office at (704) 332-2901. CHARLOTTE — St. Maximilian Kolbe Fraternity will host a Transitus Service in remembrance of the passing of St. Francis of Assisi to eternal life at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Rd., Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. There will be a reception after the service with light refreshments. For more information, call the church office at (704) 549-1607. CHARLOTTE — Join thousands across the nation for the 2007 Life Chain. The Charlotte Life Chain is a very important event to save lives of precious unborn children. Stand for one hour in peaceful prayer as a witness to the sanctity of each human life. We will pray Oct. 7, 2-3 p.m., on the corner of Kings St. and Morehead St. Parking is available at The Map Shop at 1500 East Morehead St. For more information, call Tina at (704) 846-7361. CHARLOTTE — The Semi-annual Rosary Rally will be held Oct. 14 at 3 p.m. at St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Rd. East. This 33-yearold tradition will include praying the rosary, a eucharistic procession and Benediction. For more information, call Tina at (704) 846-7361. CHARLOTTE — Dr. M. Shawn Copeland will present “Who is my Neighbor? The Challenge of Solidarity” as part of the Kennedy lecture series in Biss Hall at St. Peter Church, 507 S. Tryon St., Oct. 20, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Admission is free. For more
SEPTEMBER 21, 2007 Volume 16 • Number 40
Publisher: Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis Editor: Kevin E. Murray Staff Writer: Karen A. Evans 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.
September 21, 2007
The Catholic News & Herald 3
FROM THE VATICAN
Vox Clara Committee hopes missal translation completed by 2009 VATICAN CITY (CNS) — An international liturgical committee that advises the Vatican reported progress in its work on the new English translation of the Mass. After meeting at the Vatican Sept. 2-6, the Vox Clara Committee said it hoped the English translation of the Roman Missal would be completed and approved by the end of 2009. It was the first time a specific date had been anticipated for the completion of the lengthy project. The third edition of the Roman Missal was promulgated in Latin by Pope John Paul II in 2002, and work on the English translation began soon afterward. A Vox Clara statement reviewed the most recent draft translations of the Roman Missal, as produced in English by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL), which is preparing the translation in several sections.
The material included Masses for various needs and intentions, ritual Masses, and the eucharistic prayers for Masses with children. It said the final draft translation for the missal should be published by next spring. Then ICEL will complete a second draft, taking into account the reactions of English-language bishops’ conferences and the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments. After that, the bishops’ conferences vote on the second draft. The Vatican’s worship and sacraments congregation then takes final action, considering any eventual amendments that are proposed by bishops’ conferences. Church sources said that, in the end, most experts expect the Vatican to come up with a single, consensus version of the missal to serve the entire Englishspeaking world.
information, visit www.stpeterscatholic.org.
St., will celebrate being designated as a parish in the Diocese of Charlotte Oct. 7, 3-6 p.m. with a bilingual Mass, potluck dinner, parish history slideshow, Spanish and English singing, events sponsored by the youth group and preschool and soccer games starting at 11 a.m. If you are a priest or deacon who has served at St. Joseph Church or a parishioner interested in joining us, call Christine in the office at (704) 932-4607.
GREENSBORO VICARIATE HIGH POINT — The Worldwide Children’s Holy Hour will be celebrated at Maryfield Perpetual Adoration Chapel, 1315 Greensboro Rd., Oct. 5. All schoolchildren and their families are invited to gather for one hour of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament to pray for their own families and all the families of the world. All participants will receive the apostolic blessing of Pope Benedict XVI. Adoration will begin in the large chapel at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call Dianne at (336) 887-7303 or Geri at (336) 644-8883. The sacrament of reconciliation will be available during the holy hour. GREENSBORO — Mark Shea, Catholic convert, writer, speaker and apologist, will give three talks at Our Lady of Grace Church, 2205 W. Market St., Oct. 6. For more about Mark Shea, visit www.mark-shea.com Registration is required, as seating is limited. Register with Jim McCullough by email at jmcculloug@olgchurch.org or call (336) 274-6520, ext. 335. GREENSBORO — Jesuit Father Joseph Koterski of the Fordham University Philosophy Department will present The Problem of Dirty Hands” Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. at St. Paul the Apostle Church, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Rd. Sponsored by the CSS offices of Family Life and Justice and Peace. To register, call (704) 370-3228 or e-mail sabeason@charlottediocese. org. More information is online at www.cssnc.org. HICKORY VICARIATE MORGANTON — The Cursillo Movement of the Diocese of Charlotte is hosting a diocesanwide Grand Ultreya at Steel Creek Parka and Campgrounds Sept. 29, 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Bishop Peter J. Jugis will celebrate Mass at 12 p.m. For more information and directions, call Kathy Hack at (704) 548-1834. SALISBURY VICARIATE KANNAPOLIS — St. Joseph Church, 108 St Joseph
Episcopal
calendar
Vatican cardinal urges respect for people’s right to Tridentine Mass VATICAN CITY (CNS) — As Pope Benedict XVI’s decree on the Tridentine Mass went into effect, a Vatican cardinal called on bishops and pastors to respect the “right of the faithful” to have the liturgy offered in the 1962 rite. “Let’s give thanks that the Holy Father has recovered this treasure for the church,” Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, head of the Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei,” told Vatican Radio Sept. 13. In July, a papal document said Mass celebrated according to the 1962 Roman Missal, commonly known as the Tridentine Mass, should be made available in every parish where groups of the faithful desire it. It also said any priest could freely celebrate the rite. The decree went into effect Sept. 14. Cardinal Castrillon said the relaxation of restrictions was not “a step backward,” but a move to give greater liturgical freedom to priests and the faithful. “Nothing is being imposed on anyone. The pope imposes no obligation; but the pope does impose that this possibility be offered where the faithful
ask for it,” the cardinal said. Some bishops had opposed the change, fearing that their authority, particularly in liturgical matters, might be diminished. Cardinal Castrillon said the decree does not take any authority from bishops. He said the Code of Canon Law already makes it clear that it is not the bishop’s role to give permission for the celebration of particular Masses, but is generally up to parish pastors. The cardinal said it was important that local pastors “open the door” to all qualified priests who want to celebrate the Tridentine Mass. The pope’s document did not require all parishes to automatically establish a Tridentine Mass schedule, but it said that where “a group of faithful attached to the previous liturgical tradition exists stably,” the pastor should “willingly accede” to their request to make the old Mass available. The document stipulated that priests who use the 1962 Roman Missal must be qualified to do so.
Remembering the miners
SMOKY MOUNTAIN VICARIATE SYLVA — St. Mary, Mother of God, Church, 22 Bartlett St., will present “The Autumn of Our Lives” Oct. 13, beginning with Mass at 9 a.m., followed by a light breakfast. Father Walter Williams will provide scriptural-based teachings that will motivate and prepare us for this time of our lives. We will end with a noon luncheon. People over 40 are invited to attend. For more information, call the office at (828) 586-9496. WINSTON-SALEM VICARIATE KERNERSVILLE — The Worldwide Children’s Holy Hour will be celebrated at Holy Cross Church, 616 South Cherry St., Oct. 5. For more information, see the entry in the Greensboro Vicariate. Adoration participants will meet in the library at 5:45 p.m. Adoration will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the First Friday Mass at 7 p.m. For questions, call Geri at (336) 644-8883. The sacrament of reconciliation will be available during the holy hour.
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 Karen A. Evans at kaevans@charlottediocese.org or fax to (704) 370-3382.
Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following events:
Sept. 25 — 1:30 p.m. Building Commission meeting Pastoral Center, Charlotte
Sept. 29 — 12 p.m. 2007 Cursillo Grand Ultreya Mass Steel Creek Park, Morganton
Sept. 26 — 7 p.m. Sacrament of Confirmation Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Charlotte
Sept. 30 — 11 a.m. Dedication of new church St. John the Evangelist Church, Waynesville
CNS photo by Barbara Stinson Lee, Intermountain Catholic
Family members of miners Luis Hernandez and Juan Carlos Payan, lost Aug. 6 in the collapse of the Crandall Canyon Mine in Huntington, Utah, lay roses Sept. 10 at one of seven holes bored into the mountain in an effort to locate the miners. The group released balloons representing the six miners killed in the cave-in and three miners who died trying to rescue them. Three of the miners were Catholic, and for the service 25 of their family members traveled to the top of the hill where the mine is located.
Catholic groups send goods, workers to help Indonesian quake victims PALEMBANG, Indonesia (CNS) — International and local Catholic organizations sent aid and volunteers to areas in Indonesia affected by the midSeptember earthquakes. The Archdiocese of Palembang on Indonesia’s Sumatra Island sent financial aid and volunteers to the quake-affected area of Bengkulu, said Sacred Heart of Jesus Father Antonius Yuswita. Father Yuswita, archdiocesan vicar general, said the archdiocese planned to transfer nearly $17,000 as emergency aid to St. John the Evangelist Church’s
disaster committee in Bengkulu. He said the archdiocese also was sending a volunteer team of medical and construction workers to help the victims. “All aid from Catholics and through the local Catholic Church is humanitarian, meant for all victims, regardless of their religious backgrounds,” he said. The powerful earthquakes that hit Indonesia Sept. 12 and 13 severely damaged buildings and forced thousands of people to leave in fear of a tsunami. At least 10 people were reported killed, and hundreds were injured.
4 The Catholic News & Herald
around the diocese
September 21, 2007
Igniting the faith of catechists Bilingual Mass a success
Courtesy Photo Photo by Deacon Gerald Potkay
About 200 people gather for the “Lighting the Fires of Faith XIII” workshop held at Holy Family Church in Clemmons Sept. 15.
Catechists gather for enrichment, education by
DEACON GERALD POTKAY correspondent
CLEMMONS — About 200 people gathered for enrichment and education at “Lighting the Fires of Faith XIII.” The bilingual event, an integral part of the ongoing training for catechists, youth ministers, RCIA teams and adult education leaders, took place at Holy Family Church in Clemmons Sept. 15. Sponsored by the diocesan Office of Faith Formation’s northern region office, the training was designed to help those who serve Catholic youths obtain certification and commissioning as required by the Diocese of Charlotte. A dozen presenters offered sessions in English and Spanish. Topics included Scripture, Catholic social teachings, morality and the call to be a catechist. “It is most commendable that so many people voluntarily gave up their Saturday to come here to this 13th edition of ‘Lighting the Fires of Faith’ to learn about Jesus, our Father and the church,” said Loretta Bedner, a catechist at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Greensboro who spoke on morality and Catholic social teachings at the event. According to Sister of Providence Betty Paul, northern region coordinator of faith formation, the 180 participants represented 17 of the 22 churches located within the Greensboro and WinstonSalem vicariates and making up the faith formation office’s northern region. “This indicates that there are many new catechists this year and that they are very interested in faithfully serving our children,” said Sister Paul. “It is important for all of our parishes to encourage catechists to take advantage of these workshops to develop their own faith, even as they learn how to teach our children about the faith,” she said. In her first year as northern region director, Sister Paul has visited most of the churches in the two vicariates. “I certainly recognize the determined dedication of these volunteers in both time and effort in their quest to help our young people grow in their faith,” she said. Deacon Fred Scarletto, a permanent
deacon at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in High Point, presented sessions, “The Call to be a Catechist,” and “Using the Lectionary in the Liturgical Year.” He has taught at the workshops for the last four years. “The fact is, there is so much about the faith, about the church, that needs to be addressed that I keep on doing it,” he said. After Deacon Scarletto’s session on being a catechist, Sue Myrick, a parishioner at Holy Infant Church in Reidsville, said, “We learned more about what it means to be a catechist, including my own personal call to worship, to serve and to preach from the heart.” Richard Phillips, a parishioner of Holy Cross Church in Kernersville, enjoyed the session on “The Person and Mission of Jesus.” “It gave me a more versatile way of expressing who Jesus is and what his church is here to do,” said Phillips. “The rewards that the kids get are more than just their learning about the faith. It makes the whole thing worthwhile as they think more about Jesus and why we love him,” he said.
Father James Hawker, pastor of St. Luke Church in Mint Hill and vicar for education in the Diocese of Charlotte, stands with children who attended the parish’s first SpanishEnglish Mass Sept. 9. Nearly 70 people attended the Mass, a much higher number than Edra Alonso, the parish’s Hispanic ministry coordinator, was expecting. “Most parishes have about five people at Mass when they first start offering it in Spanish,” she said in the Sept. 7 issue of The Catholic News & Herald. “So, if there are 15 people there, I’ll be thrilled.” In the near future, Alonso plans to offer faith formation classes, spiritual and social ministries targeted for Hispanics at St. Luke Church. She also wants to offer English as a second language classes. The bilingual Mass will be celebrated each Sunday at 1 p.m. at St. Luke Church.
Forward in faith
Courtesy Photo by Vicki Dorsey
Father Matthew Kauth, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Franklin, is pictured with parishioners who celebrated the sacraments of their first Communion and confirmation Aug. 26. Baptism, the Eucharist and confirmation are considered the three sacraments of initiation in the Catholic Church.
September 21, 2007
The Catholic News & Herald 5
from the cover
St. Gabriel Church celebrates golden jubilee JUBILEE, from page 1
Photo by Karen A. Evans
A young girl prays during the Mass celebrating the 50th anniversary of St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte Sept. 15.
Church Sept. 15. Rather than giving a homily following the Liturgy of the Word, Father Bryon recollected the earliest days of the parish. He spoke of clearing the hay in the church’s front yard by hand, playing a pump organ “as loud as it would go, which wasn’t very loud,” and how he and 175 families became a community as they laughed at their predicament. “We started out happy, and for my 10 years at St. Gabriel, we always were,” Father Bryon said. The Mass culminated a celebration that began in April with a Mass recognizing the charter and early members, past school principals, past directors of religious education and the Sisters of Mercy. In the following months a carnival, fiesta and banner Sunday and gala marked the anniversary. “We wanted this year to promote the sense of community we have at St. Gabriel,” said Pauline Jackson, volunteer co-chairperson of the 50th-anniversary activities. Under Father Byron’s direction, a kindergarten was begun in 1958, followed in 1960 by a grade school staffed by Sisters of Mercy from Belmont. The school opened with 150 students; within a few years, the enrollment had climbed to 350, and a two-story gymnasium and cafeteria were built. Father Byron recalled passing by the convent one evening and seeing Mercy Sister Jeanne Marie Kienast playing the piano as Mercy Sister Therese Galligan came dancing into the room. “I once heard it said, ‘the sisters are a blessing to the church in that they teach us how to live by doing it,’” he said. From dozens to thousands By the mid-1960s, parish membership
“We wanted this year to promote the sense of community we have at St. Gabriel.” — Pauline Jackson included more than 500 families. Msgr. Michael J. O’Keefe, pastor at that time, directed a parish renovation and expansion project to accommodate more parishioners at the crowded weekend Masses. When groundbreaking ceremonies took place in 1973 — a year after the founding of the Diocese of Charlotte — St. Gabriel Church was North Carolina’s largest parish with 690 families. During the mid- to late-1970s, parish membership continued to grow quickly and steadily, reflecting the city’s population growth. By 1977, membership included more than 1,000 families. Today, St. Gabriel Church is the second-largest parish in the Diocese of Charlotte, with a parish registration of 3,600 families under the pastoral leadership of Father Frank O’Rourke; Father Luis Osorio, parochial vicar; and permanent deacons Ben Wenning, Curtiss Todd, Dr. Richard Hanners, Mark Diener and Robert Gettelfinger. Father Byron described his 10 years at St. Gabriel, building the church and the parish, as “a glory.” “To the best of my recollection, the reason was that we laughed a lot … and we didn’t take ourselves too seriously,” he said. Contact Staff Writer Karen A. Evans by calling (704) 370-3354 or e-mail kaevans@charlottediocese.org. WANT MORE PHOTOS? More photographs of the 50th anniversary Mass are available online at www.charlottediocese.org.
Photo by Karen A. Evans
Mercy Sisters Therese Galligan and Jeanne Marie Kienast pray the Our Father during the Mass celebrating the 50th anniversary of St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte Sept. 15.
6 The Catholic News & Herald
in memorium
Dominican Sister Ann Thomas Griffin dies at 93 ADRIAN, Mich. — Dominican Sister Ann Thomas Griffin, who served in the Diocese of Charlotte, died at the Dominican Life Center in Adrian, Mich., Aug. 15. She was 93 and in her 75th year of religious profession to the Adrian Dominican congregation. Born Anna Rita Griffin in Chicago, Sister Griffin spent 10 years at St. Elizabeth Church in Boone, serving as a campus minister at Appalachian State University from 1974 until 1984. With a bachelor ’s degree in mathematics, master ’s degrees in mathematics and religious education, and a doctorate in education, Sister Griffin spent approximately 70 years ministering in education at schools in Michigan, North Carolina and Florida before becoming a resident of the Dominican
Dominican Sister Ann Thomas Griffin Life Center in 1991. She is survived by nieces and nephews. Burial was in her congregation’s cemetery in Adrian. Memorials may be made to Adrian Dominican Sisters, 1257 East Siena Heights Drive, Adrian, Michigan, 49221.
Franciscan Sister Sprouse dies at 93 ALLEGANY, N.Y. — Franciscan Sister Cosmas Sprouse, who grew up and served in the Diocese of Charlotte, died at the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany’s St. Elizabeth Motherhouse in Allegany, N.Y., Aug. 3. She was 93. Born Wyolene Mary Sprouse in Spartanburg, S.C., and raised in Lenoir, N.C., Sister Sprouse ministered at St. Benedict the Moor Church in WinstonSalem, as well as at parishes in Florida.
With a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a master’s degree in education, she served as a nurse and officer in the U.S. Army in the European Theater during World War II. She also served in the nursing field at hospitals in Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island. She is survived by a brother and sister. Burial was at St. Bonaventure Cemetery in Allegany.
September 21, 2007
September 21, 2007
respect life
The Catholic News & Herald 7
Vatican: food, water must be provided to patients FOOD, from page 1
The text was prepared by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in the form of a response to questions raised by the U.S. bishops’ conference. It was signed by U.S. Cardinal William J. Levada, prefect of the doctrinal congregation, and approved by the pope before publication. The congregation’s document strongly reaffirmed points made by Pope John Paul II in a landmark speech in 2004, when he said nutrition and hydration, even by “artificial” means such as feeding tubes, should generally be considered ordinary care and not extraordinary medical treatment. That was a key point, because the church teaches that “extraordinary” means of treatment for unresponsive patients can sometimes be discontinued. Clarifying the issues The late pope’s speech prompted questions in the theological and medical communities, and the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Doctrine submitted questions to the congregation in 2005 to clarify the issues. A f t e r a l e n g t h y s t u d y, t h e congregation released its responses to two basic questions. First, it said, administering food and water to a patient in a vegetative state is
“It is not, nor is it mean to be, a treatment that cures the patient, but is rather ordinary care aimed at the preservation of life.” — Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith morally obligatory “to the extent to which, and for as long as, it is shown to accomplish its proper finality, which is the hydration and nourishment of the patient.” “In this way suffering and death by starvation and dehydration are prevented,” it said. Second, the congregation said it was not morally acceptable to discontinue such care even when physicians judge that the patient will never regain consciousness. “A patient in a ‘permanent vegetative state’ is a person with fundamental human dignity and must, therefore, receive ordinary and proportionate care which includes, in principle, the administration of water and food even by artificial means,” it said. The congregation’s accompanying commentary explored the reasons behind the church’s teaching and explained a few scenarios where exceptions might apply. It noted that the very expression “vegetative state,” which the church reluctantly uses because it is a common medical term, is unfortunate and misleading. Patients in this state maintain
CNS photo by Jim Stem, Reuters
People pray in support of keeping Terri Schiavo alive during a protest outside the Woodside Hospice in Pinellas Park, Fla., in this March 18, 2005, photo. The case of Schiavo, a brain-damaged woman, fueled debate and legal wrangling about whether a person in a persistent vegetative state must receive food and water. Schiavo died 13 days after her feeding tube was removed March 18, 2005, at the order of a Florida judge. full human dignity, right up to natural death, it said. Moreover, such patients are not necessarily terminally ill and generally carry on basic metabolic functions. They are simply unable to feed themselves, it said. “If they are not provided artificially with food and liquids, they will die, and the cause of their death will be neither an illness nor the ‘vegetative state’ itself, but solely starvation and dehydration,” it said. The commentary said the artificial administration of food and water usually does not impose a heavy burden on the patient or the relatives, although it acknowledged that the burden could become notable when such treatment continues for months or years. Nutrition and hydration does not require excessive expense and does not of itself require hospitalization, it said. “It is not, nor is it meant to be, a treatment that cures the patient, but is rather ordinary care aimed at the preservation of life,” it said. In that sense, it said, the general ethical principle is that “the provision of water and food, even by artificial means, always represents a natural means for preserving life and is not a therapeutic treatment. Its use should therefore be considered ordinary and proportionate, even when the ‘vegetative state’ is prolonged.” That was also the conclusion of Pope John Paul’s 2004 speech and reflects the development of church statements over the last 50 years, the Vatican said. Possible exceptions In a discussion of exceptions to this basic moral principle, the congregation outlined three possible situations: — In very remote or impoverished places, artificial provision of food and water may be physically impossible. — Because of complications, a patient may be unable to assimilate foods and liquids, so their provision becomes useless. — In some rare cases, artificial nourishment and hydration may be excessively burdensome for the patient or may cause significant physical discomfort. The U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops, in a question-and-answer commentary on the Vatican document, also looked at the potential exceptions. It said there are medical situations in which it is moral to withhold nutrition and hydration — for example, a patient in the last stages of stomach cancer might refuse nutrition and hydration because it causes pain and produces little benefit. But the vegetative state is not itself a case of imminent dying and, therefore, it is generally not a burden to nourish such patients, it said. The USCCB commentary said providing such nutrition and hydration could impose significant financial burdens on Catholic health care facilities, which are sometimes obliged to bear the cost of health care for families that are poor or have no health insurance. “In the loving care that they provide to such persons, with the assistance of the entire Catholic community, they can provide concrete examples of the church’s commitment to human life,” it said. No change in teaching In an interview with Vatican Radio, U.S. Dominican Father J. Augustine Di Noia, undersecretary of the doctrinal congregation, said the insistence on nutrition and hydration as an ordinary means of treatment does not represent a change in church teaching. It should be remembered, he said, that the person in a persistent vegetative state generally does not face imminent death and so is “not actually dying, in that sense, any more than any of us.” “The church is not here enjoining a kind of excessive prolongation of life, but simply saying that to withdraw nutrition and hydration is to end a life that would otherwise continue naturally,” Father Di Noia said. What the congregation is also saying is that the “quality of life” frequently mentioned as a determining factor in medical care is not a judgment that is “in our hands to make,” he said. He said the church teaches that life is a gift from God and that human dignity endures through a person’s entire physical development — from the mother’s womb to the moment of natural death.
8 The Catholic News & Herald
September 21, 2007
social justice
Working for change
Weaving Appalachia’s landscape, shaping its future by
JOANITA M. NELLENBACH correspondent
MAGGIE VALLEY — The Catholic Committee of Appalachia’s annual meeting, this year themed “Weaving a Diverse Landscape: Food as a Common Thread,” was held at Living Waters Catholic Reflection Center in Maggie Valley Sept. 14-16. The meeting focused on food- and health-related issues. Kate Slattery of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project spoke on the “Connection between Healthy Soil, Healthy Food and Healthy People.” Dr. Ann Bullock, medical director
of the Health and Medical Division for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, talked about “The Connection of Stress and Trauma to Diabetes.” A food fair featured organic and sustainable farm produce and offered ideas, suggestions and materials for attendees to take to their homes and parishes. A film also showed the devastation of mountaintop removal aimed at mining coal and other minerals. Contact Correspondent Joanita M. Nellenbach by calling (828) 627-9209 or e-mail jnell@dnet.net.
Photo by Joanita M. Nellenbach
Mary Herr (left) chats with Barney Offerman and Jan Valder, who nominated her for the 2007 Bishop Sullivan Peace and Justice Award. Herr received the award at the Catholic Committee of Appalachia’s conference at Living Waters Catholic Reflection Center in Maggie Valley Sept. 15.
Mary Herr receives peace and justice award by
JOANITA M. NELLENBACH correspondent
MAGGIE VALLEY — Mary Herr has received the Bishop Sullivan Peace and Justice Award for 2007. Herr, who retired last year as the Smoky Mountain Vicariate’s faith formation coordinator and Native American multicultural worker, received the award Sept. 15 during the Catholic Committee of Appalachia’s (CCA) conference. This year themed “Weaving a Diverse Landscape: Food as a Common Thread,” the CCA conference was held at Living Waters Catholic Reflection Center in Maggie Valley Sept. 14-16. “I was astonished that I was nominated, and then I was overwhelmed that I was receiving it,” Herr said. “I think there are so many more people who are deserving.” The award is named for its first recipient, Bishop Walter F. Sullivan, then-bishop of the Diocese of Richmond, Va., who was honored in 2000. The CCA selects the award recipients. Nomination criteria for the Bishop Sullivan Peace and Justice Award: — any person who has at least 10 years’ experience in peace and justice-type work in Appalachia, such as housing minorities, community organizing, prisons, environment, workers’ rights, women’s empowerment, health issues, education, living wage, dismantling racism, death penalty moratorium, and so forth; — a person who is supportive of the Appalachian pastoral messages “This Land is Home to Me” and “At Home in the Web of Life”; — a compassionate person; — a CCA member.
Nomination criteria include being a CCA member and having performed significant peace and justice work in Appalachia. Herr serves on the CCA board of directors. Benedictine Sister Jan Barthel, CCA board chair, lauded Herr’s “organization, enthusiasm and commitment.” “She’s a real joy to have on the board. She knows her issues and she’s committed to them,” said Sister Barthel. Barney Offerman and his wife, Jan Valder, parishioners at St. Peter Church in Charlotte, felt Herr fit the criteria. Their nomination essay described her as a “compassionate, courageous, caring, sharing, loving woman who also has a sense of humor.” They noted her volunteer work with AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) in Virginia and West Virginia. Herr trained as a paralegal and in turn trained others, then “worked for the legal services program as a community educator and paralegal supervisor on the Qualla Boundary, the Cherokee Indian reservation (in Western North Carolina). … She was the Qualla Boundary’s first guardian ad litem, a children’s advocate.” Herr has also served on the Diocese of Charlotte’s Catholic Campaign for Human Development committee. She continues to be involved in efforts to stop mountaintop removal and to encourage efforts such as the theme of this year’s CCA conference — encouraging people to buy locally-grown food. “Mary has been nourished personally by her life in Appalachia and, in turn, she has nourished Appalachia,” Offerman and Valder said. Contact Correspondent Joanita M. Nellenbach by calling (828) 627-9209 or e-mail jnell@dnet.net.
Photo by Joanita M. Nellenbach
Emily Iafrate of Tyler County, W.Va., plays with Ella Reindel-Swan, 21 months, daughter of Patrick Reindel and Kelly Swan of Charleston, W.Va., during a break in the Catholic Committee of Appalachia’s annual meeting at Living Waters Catholic Reflection Center in Maggie Valley Sept. 14-16.
September 21, 2007
social justice
The Catholic News & Herald 9
Lab will help build financial literacy, stronger families LAB, from page 1
“St. William is such a blessing to us,” said Claudie Burchfield, OEO director. “We could not function as well if we were not on the grounds of St. William Catholic Church.” The lab has four computer stations with laptop computers to teach financial literacy. The fifth station will be used by a part-time computer lab coordinator who will be hired soon. “We want people to understand financial literacy at the most basic level,” Burchfield said. People will learn such skills as budgeting, pulling up their credit reports, online banking services, online financial literacy programs and computer training in how to access these services so that they become financially self-sufficient. The ABLE Financial Literacy Program also offers individuals and families the opportunity to attend financial
literacy workshops and seminars. They can meet with a trained counselor once a month for “one-on-one” sessions to develop plans of action for debt repair, repayment or budget planning. The ABLE program has sponsored classes on budgeting, renters’ rights (attended by both renters and landlords) and affordable housing. Free tax preparation for low-income people are offered in collaboration with community partners. Carolyn McCarter Woods, of OnTrack Financial Education & Counseling in Asheville, spends a day each month at the OEO. “I never say to people, ‘If you just budget, everything will be OK,’” Smith said; there’s much more involved. It means such steps as clearing up debt by making better decisions and becoming financially literate, and achieving financial stability. The OEO understands that “families are strengthened when there’s increased knowledge about financial matters,” said Joe Purello, director of the diocesan Office of Justice and Peace. “Community strength is increased or
Conference explores financial literacy, livelihood BEGLEY, from page 1
“Those who need help — their job is to summon us to be a caring community,” including helping them to become more financially literate, Glenmary Father John Rausch said. Father Rausch, director of the Catholic Committee on Appalachia and coordinator of the Commission for Justice and Peace for the Diocese of Lexington, Ky., was one of two keynote speakers at the Bishop Begley Conference on Appalachia III. Focusing on financial literacy, the conference, held at the Hinton Rural Life Center Sept. 8, was sponsored by the diocesan Office of Justice and Peace and its Office of Economic Opportunity in Murphy. Speakers talked about those who “just get by” or go under, and those who
thrive: Father Rausch spoke about the fringe economy and the working poor. From fringe to friendships The working poor have jobs, often at minimum wage. Many are singleparent families. According to Father Rausch, people in these circumstances can be financially illiterate, trapped in a “fringe economy” in which they pay more for services than do the financially sophisticated, simply because they don’t know that alternatives exist. If someone has a bank account, for example, he or she can go to a bank to cash his or her paycheck or social security check for free. However, those in the fringe economy include the 12 million households in this country who are “unbanked.” To cash their paychecks, they may use check-cashing establishments that charge fees — fees that could pay for necessities. A financially illiterate person might
Photo by Joanita M. Nellenbach
Catholic Social Service’s Office of Economic Opportunity in Murphy recently turned its porch into an enclosed financial literacy computer lab, which was dedicated Sept. 7. decreased by the financial knowledge of families,” he said. Some people visiting the OEO for the first time are so intimidated that they don’t even look directly at the people who work there, but, “Everyone who comes through the door is welcome here,” Burchfield said, and they begin to relax. People can come to the OEO “just as they are,” Burchfield said.
Netta McFadden, coordinator for the OEO’s Far West Families First program, summed it up very well at the Bishop Begley Conference on Appalachia the next day, Sept. 8. “It’s about self-esteem, being able to hold your head up, being able to look someone straight in the eye,” she said. Contact Correspondent Joanita M. Nellenbach by calling (828) 627-9209 or e-mail jnell@dnet.net.
pay several hundred dollars to a tax preparer, not realizing that there are organizations that prepare income tax forms for free. To help those who are less financially educated, Father Rausch suggested that churches and individuals find ways to get to know them as friends. “An authentic relationship is a twoway street,” Father Rausch said. “We are all teachers, and people will teach us. We in the church have got to continue asking people, ‘tell me about your life,’ (just as) Jesus listened to people’s stories.” Partner with someone, using your expertise to help him or her, suggested Father Rausch. For example, if someone wants to buy something from a rent-to-own store, go with that person “so that you can ask the questions (about such things as financing) that the unsophisticated person might not know to ask,” Father Rausch said.
They look realistically at their situation and devise “deliberate constructs to create more positive understanding or meaning for the situation,” Smith said, They consider what worked and what didn’t in the past, she said. “Resiliency then constructs bridges from the present to a better future,” Smith said. “The ability to think in the future and a concern for future generations are common bridges used by resilient thinkers.” They also use what they already have in new ways, set goals and find others who think in new ways and can work with them, she said.
Lively choices Carolyn Richardson Smith, the second keynote presenter, spoke of how a caring community means “livelihood” in the Midwestern farm areas, in which she primarily works. Smith, former director of community resources for the Ligutti Rural Community Support Program with the National Catholic Rural Life Conference in Iowa, is a community and organizational development and smallbusiness planning consultant. Most rural families with whom she is acquainted practice livelihood, which is not the same as a job. Livelihood is a whole way of life, she said. Those with a livelihood have resiliency, she said. They understand the situation as completely as possible, find resources available and figure out ways to combine them to make it through tough situations. “People have to have solid foundations to make good choices,” she said.
Sense of mission The Bishop Begley Conferences grew out of two documents issued by the Catholic bishops of Appalachia. “This Land is Home to Me: A Pastoral Letter on Powerlessness in Appalachia” (1975), was signed by 25 U.S. bishops, including Bishop Michael J. Begley, first bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte. “At Home in the Web of Life: A Pastoral Message on Sustainable Communities in Appalachia,” 1995, celebrated the 20th anniversary of “This Land is Home to Me.” The Catholic Committee of Appalachia has just issued a combined edition of the two letters. Father Rausch, in his introduction to that combined edition, writes, “We in the Catholic Committee of Appalachia reissue these pastorals to help reinvigorate the sense of mission and ministry to the mountains. “We continue to identify with the words of the bishops’ pastorals: ‘The dream of the mountains’ struggle, and the dream of simplicity and justice, like so many other repressed visions are, we believe, the voice of the Lord among us.’” Contact Correspondent Joanita M. Nellenbach by calling (828) 627-9209 or e-mail jnell@dnet.net.
September 21, 2007
10 The Catholic News & Herald
Culture Watch
Church officials examine book by theologian Father Peter Phan
Possible ambiguities on role of church may exist in book by
CAROL ZIMMERMANN catholic news service
WASHINGTON — Church officials are examining a book written by a Vietnamese-American theologian, Father Peter Phan, for possible ambiguities on the unique role of the Catholic Church in the framework of religious pluralism. “There has been correspondence and dialogue” between Father Phan and the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Doctrine, according to Father Thomas Weinandy, a Capuchin Franciscan who is executive director of the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat for Doctrine and Pastoral Practices. Father Phan is a member of the theology department at Jesuit-run Georgetown University in Washington. Father Weinandy told Catholic News Service Sept. 13 he could not comment on the private dialogue in order to “respect the privacy of Father Phan and the work of the committee.” A Sept. 12 story by the National Catholic Reporter said the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has voiced concerns about Father Phan’s book, “Being Religious Interreligiously: Asian Perspectives on Interfaith Dialogue,” published in 2004. NCR said the congregation’s primary concern over the book is that it is “notably confused on a number of points of Catholic doctrine and also contains serious ambiguities.” An official at the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said the congregation had no comment on the report. Father Phan could not be reached for comment by CNS. The central issues of concern, according to the article, included the book’s unclear descriptions on Christ’s role as universal savior, the function of the Catholic Church in salvation and the value of non-Christian religions. Although Father Phan was reportedly asked to write an article clarifying these issues and to request his publisher not to reprint the book, the theologian had not yet complied with these requests, according to the NCR report. Father Phan, a former Salesian, is a priest of the Dallas Diocese who came to the United States as a refugee from Vietnam in 1975. He holds the Ellacuria chair of Catholic social thought in the theology department at Georgetown. The priest, who has three doctorates, is a former president of the Catholic Theological Society of America. Along with his teaching position at Georgetown University, he is also on the faculty of the East Asian Pastoral Institute in
WORD TO LIFE
A roundup of Scripture, readings, films and more
Manila, Philippines, and Liverpool Hope University in England. He has published numerous theological writings particularly on Asian Christianity and global issues affecting the Catholic Church. In a statement released Sept. 13 by Georgetown University, a spokeswoman said university officials were aware of the correspondence between Father Phan and church officials but they respected the “privacy of that exchange.” “Georgetown University embraces academic freedom and supports the free exchange of ideas in order to foster dialogue on critical issues of the day, especially those related to faith, ethics and international affairs,” the statement said. One idea in Father Phan’s book that is in dispute is that of religious relativism, or that many faiths offer valid spiritual paths. The inquiry into Father Phan’s writing is reminiscent of the Vatican investigation into the writings of Jesuit Father Jacques Dupuis, an expert on religious pluralism, who died three years ago. The Belgian-born priest’s book, “Toward a Christian Theology of Religious Pluralism,” was closely examined by the doctrinal congregation from 1998 to 2001. After the three-year study, the congregation concluded the book contained no doctrinal errors, but said there were “ambiguities and difficulties on important points which could lead a reader to erroneous or harmful opinions.” Terrence Tilley, president-elect of the Catholic Theological Society of America and chairman of the theology department at Jesuit-run Fordham University, told CNS Sept. 14 that he could not comment in depth over the inquiry into Father Phan’s book without having seen the documents about it firsthand. But he noted that the book grapples with “rather technical” theological issues and also stems from a unique Asian perspective. Tilley said the book examines “how we can live out our tradition in the midst of other traditions” — an issue that he said “needs to be explored more fully.” He said he is confident this concept can be further developed, noting that these types of discussions take time, such as the “400 years to come to an understanding with Lutherans about faith and works” and the past 40 years of coming to “understand how God’s grace comes to non-Christians.” “It seems perhaps premature to end the exploration,” he said, “or to say only one path forward is open — without more theological disputation.”
Sunday Scripture Readings: Sept. 30, 2007
Sept. 30, Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle C Readings: 1) Amos 6:1a, 4-7 Psalms 146:7, 8-9, 9-10 2) 1 Timothy 6:11-16 3) Gospel: Luke 16:19-31
Faith should be approached with enthusiasm, fervor by
SHARON K. PERKINS catholic news service
At this time of year, our household, along with hundreds of others in America, is consumed with children’s activities as programs begin anew. For my eighth-grader, these consist of a new school term, soccer season and, this year, confirmation preparation. Each has its own set of registration forms, permission slips, participation fees and schedules of meetings and practices. Given the way these things work and the busy-ness of our family’s life, it’s pretty easy to take the path of least resistance and treat preparation for the sacrament as simply one more extracurricular activity. Unfortunately, having observed other families in my situation, it seems that the enthusiasm for competitive sports at any level often far outweighs that for sacramental catechesis. Without picking on overextended parents, criticizing particular parish programs or denigrating youth sports and
their benefits, I must admit that the idea of “competing” for the faith and “laying hold of eternal life,” featured in the reading from 1 Timothy, makes me pause. What would it be like if Christians really and truly “laid hold of” the gift of faith and its sacramental confession made “in the presence of many witnesses,” with the same fervor that we bring to our many entertainments and creature comforts? What if the complacency of consumerist America, like that of the Zion of Amos or the Palestine of Jesus, were supplanted with zeal for the justice and mercy of the Lord? What if I personally allowed that kind of enthusiasm to break through the barricade of my own narrow concerns? The word “enthusiasm,” according to its Greek roots, means “in possession by a god.” I’ve also heard it explained this way: “en” + “theos” (in God) ending with I.A.S.M. (I am sold myself). May we be so thoroughly “sold” on God’s reign and so possessed by God’s spirit that the daily disposition of all our time and resources — from children’s soccer practices to caring for the poor in our midst — truly becomes the stuff of eternal life to which we lay claim. Questions: In what ways have you become too complacent/absorbed in your own narrow concerns to appreciate the gift of faith you’ve been given? What is God calling you to become more enthusiastic about? Scripture to be Illustrated: “Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:12).
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE Scripture for the week of Sept. 23-29 Sunday (Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time), Amos 8:4-7, 1 Timothy 2:1-8, Luke 16:1-13; Monday, Ezra 1:1-6, Luke 8:16-18; Tuesday, Ezra 6:7-8, 12, 14-20, Luke 8:19-21; Wednesday (Sts. Cosmas & Damian), Ezra 9:5-9, Tobit 13:2-4, 7-8, Luke 9:1-6; Thursday (St. Vincent de Paul), Haggai 1:1-8, Luke 9:7-9; Friday (St. Wenceslaus), Haddai 2:1-9, Luke 9:18-22; Saturday, Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14, John 1:47-51. Scripture for the week of Sept. 30-Oct. 6 Sunday (Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time), Amos 6:1, 4-7, 1 Timothy 6:11-16, Luke 16:19-31; Monday (St. Thérèse of Lisieux), Zechariah 8:1-8, Luke 9:46-50; Tuesday (The Guardian Angels), Zachariah 8:20-23, Matthew 18:1-5, 10; Wednesday, Nehemiah 2:1-8, Luke 9:57-62; Thursday (St. Francis of Assisi), Nehemiah 8:1-12, Luke 10:1-12; Friday, Baruch 1:15-22, Luke 10:13-16; Saturday (St. Bruno, Bl. Marie-Rose Durocher), Baruch 4:5-12, 2729, Luke 10:17-24.
The Catholic News & Herald 11
September 21, 2007
Missouri, Virginia musicians combine Catholicism, bluegrass by MITCH FINLEY catholic news service
SPOKANE, Wash. — Bluegrass music, with its high lonesome sound, has roots in both hillbilly music and early blues music. In 1947, Bill Monroe, known as the “father of bluegrass music,” put together what many regard as the first true bluegrass band, when banjo innovator Earl Scruggs joined Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys. Monroe always included sacred or gospel songs in his repertoire, but the primary influence was a generic evangelical Protestant Christianity. There are no gospel bluegrass “standards” about the Mass, the sacraments — except vague references to baptism — or any of the saints, in particular Mary. Catholic bluegrass music simply has never existed — until recently, that is. Father Edward James Richard — pronounced “Ree-shard,” revealing the priest’s Louisiana Cajun roots — is a LaSalette Missionary priest who teaches at his order’s Kenrick-Glennon Seminary near St. Louis. On the side Father Richard, 50, is a bluegrass musician who has played guitar since he was a boy and five-string banjo since his college years. “I learned by listening and watching others,” he said. He has the Scruggs book, “Earl Scruggs and the Five String Banjo.” He said his “main influence” is banjoist and singer Ralph Stanley, and he has “learned a lot listening to” the recordings of veteran five-string banjo player Butch Robbins. With a bluegrass band he put together, Father Richard has recorded three CDs, the sales of which help support the missionary efforts of his order’s 200 members in North and South America. “I like bluegrass music,” Father Richard said, “and I have liked it since I first heard it (growing up in Louisiana). ... Music is spiritual and healing. It’s a special gift that God gave us. “Bluegrass music falls into the category of music that really belongs to the people,” he continued. “It grew up out of tunes that were passed down from generations, and it has a lot of stories about common experiences. Gospel music is integral to bluegrass.” Sometimes, Father Richard changes “a word or two” in a classic gospel bluegrass song, “because,” he said, “theologically or biblically, they were just wrong.” On his CDs, the priest includes songs he wrote based on themes that those outside Catholic tradition overlook. “I write about the Eucharist,” the priest said, “the Blessed Virgin Mary and other Catholic themes.” He often plays for non-Catholic groups and receives a warm welcome. “I have played in a lot of churches of various denominations,” he said, “(and) even in a synagogue. I have incorporated my music into my ministry. ... It is also an outreach to those who don’t know about Our Lady of LaSalette. “It seems to work well, also, when
CNS photo by Mark Kempf
Father Edward James Richard, with his banjo, is pictured outside Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis. I can combine speaking of moral issues and performing,” he said. Another influential Catholic presence in the American bluegrass music community is five-string banjo player and publisher John Lawless. His company promotes and supports playing the traditional bluegrass instruments, primarily banjo, guitar, mandolin and fiddle, and produces both video and print learning resources. Lawless grew up Norfolk, Va., in Sacred Heart Church. Today he lives in Roanoke, Va., and attends Mass at St. Andrew Church. “My interest in banjo music goes back to a very young age,” he said, “although I didn’t start playing seriously until I graduated from high school.” He said that as a boy he was “a devoted fan of the ‘Captain Kangaroo’ program on television, and a regular character, Mr. Green Jeans, played a ... banjo on the show.” “It appealed to me right away,” he said. “It was reinforced by the ’60s folk music my parents played at home — Kingston Trio, etc. — but it wasn’t until I started hearing bluegrass banjo as a teen that the notion that I could learn to play really took hold.” Lawless said he has “pondered a good bit” the question of why relatively few Catholics actively play and enjoy bluegrass music. “Part of it, I think,” he said, “is simply the immigration patterns when European Catholics came to the United States. They tended to congregate around northern, urban areas while bluegrass music, and earlier hillbilly styles, were a southeastern, rural phenomenon.” Rarely these days, Lawless said, does he encounter negative attitudes toward Catholics in the bluegrass music community. But his favorite experience of ignorance concerning Catholicism came from a banjo student who asked, “What is it that you Catholics don’t believe? It’s something weird — you don’t believe that Jesus died on the cross?” “I explained to him how the earliest Catholics preserved and compiled what he now accepts as the inerrant word of God, but I’m not sure he bought it,” he said.
12 The Catholic News & Herald
September 21, 2007
in our schools
Remembering Mother Teresa
A council of students
Courtesy Photo by Caroline Coppola
Father Brian Cook, pastor of St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem, talks to students in the gymnasium of St. Leo the Great School Sept. 5 about Blessed Mother Teresa and his encounter with her during her visit to Washington, D.C. The date marked the 10th anniversary of the death of the world-renowned nun, who lived in this eastern Indian city of Calcutta. That same day at Mother Teresa’s tomb in Calcutta, Sister Nirmala Joshi, Mother Teresa’s successor, spoke to more than 150 men, women and children from slum areas where Mother Teresa had begun her mission among the poorest of the poor. Sister Joshi said she was “overwhelmed with joy” and had “a great feeling of gratitude for what God has given to each one of us, especially in Calcutta,” through Mother Teresa. She wanted all to “pray to mother to instill in us love for God and all his children, especially the neglected, poor and those who have nowhere to go.”
Courtesy Photo
Father Brian Cook, pastor of St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem, blesses the newly installed student council officers and class representatives of St. Leo the Great School during Mass in the church Sept. 14. The student council advises the school administration concerning the needs and desires of the students; participates in carrying out religious, social, academic and administrative programs concerning the student body; and, with the advice and consent of the principal, plans and conducts social functions and fundraising activities for the school and community.
A gathering of grandparents
Courtesy Photo
Students of St. Leo the Great School in Winston-Salem and their grandparents enjoy refreshments in the gymnasium during “Grandparents’ Day” Sept. 7. Many of the grandparents joined the students for Mass, then toured their grandchildren’s classrooms.
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September 21, 2007
in our schools
Remembering 9/11
The Catholic News & Herald 13
MACS foundation gives grants to Charlotte-area Catholic schools
Courtesy Photo
Students raise an American flag outside of St. Ann School in Charlotte during the school’s Sept. 11 ceremony, commemorating the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attacks. The Flag of Honor, which includes the names of the 3,000 people who perished in New York, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pa., in the 2001 attacks, was provided by Kathleen Britton.
CHARLOTTE — The smiling faces of Catholic school students greeted guests attending the Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools (MACS) Education Foundation’s “Circle of Celebration.” The annual celebration, held this year at the home of Robert and Cathie McBride Jr. in Charlotte Sept. 17, showcases Catholic education in the MACS system and thanks donors to the foundation’s annual giving campaign. Bishop Peter J. Jugis opened the event with a prayerful reminder of the value of parental involvement in the academic and spiritual growth of children. The Charlotte Catholic High School jazz band entertained as parents, principals and teachers saluted the foundation’s contributions and work on behalf of Catholic education. During the event, the foundation presented grants totaling $318,081 to further the education and music
curricula of MACS. Principals of the eight schools in the MACS system received $290,000 for school projects and services, including academic and cultural enrichment, professional development for teachers and classroom instruction enhancement — such as new computer equipment and technology. Stan Michalski, MACS music program director, accepted a $4,000 grant for the music program. Twenty-three teachers received grants totaling $24,081 for innovative educational learning programs and tools for students. WANT MORE INFO? For more information about the MACS Education Foundation, go online to www.charlottediocese.org/MACSfoundation.
Britton, an alumni of St. Ann School, worked and lived near the World Trade Center in New York at the time of the terrorist attacks. She spoke to the students about that day and about her experiences as a student at St. Ann School. “When I saw the massive dust cloud, which enveloped lower Manhattan, coming toward me, I thought that I would die,” said Britton. “I asked myself, ‘When had I last gone to confession?’” “I then asked God to please forgive whatever I had done wrong. I learned to do that at St. Ann,” she said. Courtesy Photo
Bob Fontana (right), MACS Education Foundation chairman, and principals of MACS schools hold a check from the foundation during the “Circle of Celebration” event in Charlotte Sept. 17. Pictured (from left): Mary Leva, Our Lady of the Assumption School, Charlotte; St. Joseph Sister Helen Nagle, St. Ann School, Charlotte; Deborah Butler, St. Mark School, Huntersville; Kevin O’Herron, St. Matthew School, Charlotte; Sharon Broxterman, St. Gabriel School, Charlotte; Carole Breerwood, Holy Trinity Middle School, Charlotte; Jerry Healy, Charlotte Catholic High School; and Fontana. (Not pictured: Debbie Mixer, St. Patrick School, Charlotte.)
Celebrating a bishop’s birthday
Courtesy Photo
Bishop Emeritus William G. Curlin is pictured with first-grade students of St. Pius X School in Greensboro Sept. 13. Bishop Curlin was the guest speaker at the Fall Day of Reflection for Seniors, held that morning at St. Pius X Church and sponsored by Catholic Social Services’ Elder Ministry. Because it was Bishop Curlin’s 80th birthday Aug. 30, and he is in his 50th year as a priest, the first-graders prayed the Hail Mary in Italian as a surprise gift. The students also presented cards to the retired bishop.
September 21, 2007
14 The Catholic News & Herald
Perspectives
A collection of columns, editorials and viewpoints
So that no one Mother Teresa: The dark dies alone Ministry helps see ‘suffering Christ’ night or depression in the dying People may experience both spiritual pain and severe depression “If I ever become a saint — I will surely be one of ‘darkness,’” Mother Teresa wrote in September of 1959. “I will continually be absent from heaven — to light the light of those in darkness on earth.” Two years earlier she wrote this to Calcutta’s Jesuit Archbishop Ferdinand Perier: “There is so much contradiction in my soul. Such deep longing for God — so deep that it is painful, a suffering continual, and yet not wanted by God, repulsed, empty, no faith, no love, no zeal. Souls hold no attraction. Heaven means nothing; to me it looks like an empty place; the thought of it means nothing to me and yet this torturing longing for God. “Pray for me please that I keep smiling at him in spite of everything. For I am only his, so he has every right over me. I am perfectly happy to be nobody even to God.” Some people have interpreted the doubt and despair in the personal writings of Mother Teresa — compiled and edited by Brian Kolodiejchuk of the Missionaries of Charity Fathers in a book entitled “Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light” — to be a “dark night of the soul,” as expressed by the Spanish Carmelite mystic St. John of the Cross. Others understand the agony of this modern-day saint as a clear example of clinical depression. The distinction between a dark night of the soul, a spiritual dryness or emptiness, and depression, a physiological mood disorder, has long intrigued me. I run into that gray area between the dark night and depression every day because my Beliefnet blog “Beyond Blue” chron-
CNS photo by Michael Hoyt
Our Turn THERESE J. BORCHARD cns columnist
icles a spiritual journey to mental health. I suffered from severe depression at St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Ind., where, as a religious studies major, I had the great fortune of studying Carmelite spirituality under Keith J. Egan, one of the country’s most distinguished Carmelite scholars. Four years ago, Egan compiled a book of essays from other prominent Carmelite thinkers, “Carmelite Prayer: A Tradition for the 21st Century.” In Chapter 8, Discalced Carmelite Kevin Culligan explains what he sees as the difference between the dark night and clinical depression, the question he is asked most frequently in workshops and seminars on spiritual guidance. “In the dark night of spirit, there is a painful awareness of one’s own incompleteness and imperfection in relation to God,” he writes. “However, one seldom utters morbid statements of abnormal guilt, self-loathing, worthlessness and suicidal ideation that accompany serious depressive episodes. “Thoughts of death do indeed occur in the dark night of spirit, such as ‘death alone will free me from the pain of what I now see in myself’ or ‘I long to die and be finished with life in this world so that I can be with God,’ but there is not the obsession with suicide or the intention to destroy oneself that is typical of depression. “As a rule, the dark nights of sense and spirit do not, in themselves, involve eating and sleeping disturbances, weight fluctuations and other physical symptoms (such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain).” Father Culligan also explains that the dark night and depression can happen together. He gives some examples of people who might be experiencing both interior spiritual pain as well as severe depression. For that reason, he encourages spiritual directors to follow a collaborative approach in assisting others with their spiritual journey, that they consult with or make referrals to medical professionals when appropriate while trying to reach the deeper place with prayer.
My friend Ed and I are sipping lattes and talking about death. It’s not anyone’s favorite topic. But as we huddle, oblivious to the bustle of early morning caffeine addicts enjoying free Internet and designer drinks, Ed tells me about his foray into the land of the dying. Ed himself is very much alive. A handsome man of Japanese descent, Ed is going to leave the coffee shop after our visit to attend one of eight parties planned around his 60th birthday. Ed is the kind of guy you just naturally want to celebrate. My friend is a volunteer with NODA — No One Dies Alone. It’s a national program with an affiliate at Providence Alaska Medical Center. The organization’s name spells out its mission: If you’re dying at one of the Providence facilities in Anchorage, Alaska, you will not die without someone present in your final moments. Like many great ideas, it grew from personal sorrow. The Oregon nurse who founded the program in 2002 saw someone die alone on her shift; she didn’t want to see that again. The woman who brought NODA to Anchorage wasn’t able to get to Texas in time when her own mother died. NODA volunteers are available for “activations,” taking their shifts at the bedside of a person who may be within 72 hours of death. For Ed, each activation is an encounter with God. “The thought that hits me is, ‘I will be with you in your greatest time of need,’” said Ed. “This is a holy place. Christ is there because of a person’s suffering.” Ed, retired from a career in Washington, D.C., is willing to take the middle-of-the-night shifts, and since the program began last summer, has been present at the death of two patients. Touch played a role in comforting each dying person. One man was struggling to breathe and flailing his hands. Ed lightly touched his shoulder. “He calmed down and looked my way. His breathing was not as labored, not as much of a struggle. Within five minutes he was gone.” At another bedside, Ed softly prayed the rosary. The dying man kept raising his hands. “So I thought, ‘Why don’t I just hold his hand?’” Ed said. Soon, the man quietly died. Ed first felt called to the dying when the AIDS epidemic became widely known in the 1980s. Like many, he feared the disease about which so little was known. Characteristically, Ed faced his fear and volunteered for the Red Cross. He
For the Journey EFFIE CALDAROLA cns columnist
became educated as a speaker, making 99 presentations to schools, churches, any organization wanting to know the facts about HIV/AIDS. “People were still asking, ‘Can I touch them (AIDS sufferers)?’” Ed told me. His work led him to Damien Ministries, which offers retreats for those with AIDS. Ed gave presentations to the staff at the retreat center — the cooks, the cleaners — and he began to attend Friday Mass with those on retreat. “Too many died while I was there, including the founder (of Damien Ministries),” Ed explained. “It got me in touch with death and dying.” After retiring to Alaska with his wife, a nurse, Ed began taking the Eucharist to the sick from his parish. And when NODA began, Ed volunteered. At the end of our meeting, Ed glances at the clock and realizes he’s late for his own birthday party. After he hurries off, his words linger as I finish my coffee: “When I visit a person who is seriously ill, I see a suffering Christ. What would it have been like to be brave enough to be at the foot of the cross?”
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September 21, 2007
The Catholic News & Herald 15
Learning the faith: It’s not just for children
Catholics should study up on church’s social teaching The start of the school year for youngsters and teens provides a natural reminder to adults that learning is really a lifelong adventure. The habit of learning is an essential ingredient to living a wise and joyful life. And that especially applies to continually learning about the faith. Yet, sadly, countless adult Catholics put very little effort into deepening their knowledge of the faith. It appears that many have come to the conclusion that having attended parochial elementary school, Catholic high school or even a Catholic college, they therefore largely know the faith. Not so! Actually, they have only scratched the surface. But when one considers the infinite wisdom of God, the bottomless wealth of sacred Scripture and 2,000 years of holy tradition, it becomes clear that all of us still have much to learn. Nowhere else is a weakness in the knowledge of church doctrine more evident than in the area of Catholic social teaching. Unfortunately known as our bestkept secret, Catholic social teaching is a compilation of over 100 years of outstanding social justice and peace documents authored by popes, the Second Vatican Council, international conferences of bishops and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Sadly, they attract more dust than readers. Catholic social teaching’s highly developed set of principles and reflections are designed to help faithful Catholics apply the liberating message of the Gospel to catastrophic social, economic, ecological and political problems facing humanity, such as abortion, hunger, poverty, global warming and war. The central themes of Catholic social teaching are: The protection of all human life and the promotion of human dignity. The call to participate in family and community life. The promotion of human rights and responsibilities. The preferential option for the poor and vulnerable. The safeguarding of workers’ dignity and rights. The building of global solidarity and the common good. The care for God’s creation. The universal destination of goods. The call to become peacemakers. Judging from letters to editors of diocesan papers throughout the United States, I find that most readers objecting to the social justice and peace positions I take do so from a purely nationalistic and/or militaristic mentality. While everyone is entitled to his or her opinions, we are instructed
Praying with children Helping kids to pray helps all to grow in faith I’ve had some interesting conversations lately with parents who want to discuss praying with their children. Talking to children about God begins in infancy and develops through stages marked notably by mealtime and bedtime prayers. There is a sense of wonder associated with a child’s idea of God. Memorization of prayers is helpful for children. Very early on, children tend to hold hands and recite or sing prayerful words together. This is a point where a parent or teacher can encourage children to imagine themselves as so many links in a hand-holding ring that reaches around the world. An unseen God can be imagined to be somehow, somewhere at the center of the circle — looking out, listening, smiling. The hand being held on either side can be imagined as a small hand, big hand, young hand, old hand, black, white or yellow hand, the hand of a soldier or sailor, the hand of a farmer or factory worker, the hand of an athlete or movie star. Anyone at all who can be presumed to be open to God can be imagined by the child to be present in the circle. An atlas of the world in the lap of
an adult can be used as a prayer book for page-turning children. Their minds can be stretched along lines of global consciousness and their hearts are opened in gratitude to the Creator of the world. They can be encouraged to pray for children less fortunate than they are, and a sense of solidarity with those in distant lands can begin to root itself in their consciousness. A family photograph album can become a prayer book, as can a school yearbook, an address book, a scrapbook, a family tree. Anything that can evoke memories of days past and loved ones who have left this world can stimulate prayerful reflection about their lives, their values, loves, dreams, disappointments, achievements and, most of all, their faith. Words alone are not enough in talking about God or sharing faith-related ideas with young children. Drawing materials have to be at hand. Spoken words or lines on paper can provide surprise responses to the question: “What is God like?” However God-talk is initiated with children, elders have to be ready to say who and what God is in their own lives as they listen to children speak of God in theirs. “What does God look like?” opens up
Making a Difference TONY MAGLIANO cns columnist
by popes and bishops to base our political, economic, ecological and social judgments first and foremost on Catholic teaching, and not primarily on our feelings, political party affiliation or the opinions of government leaders. With more than 100 years of Catholic social teaching to learn from, where should one begin? I suggest starting with three very challenging documents: The Second Vatican Council’s Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World and Pope John Paul II’s encyclicals “On Social Concerns” and “The Gospel of Life.” For a summary of the aforementioned documents get a copy of the fourth edition of “Catholic Social Teaching: Our Best Kept Secret” from Maryknoll’s Orbis Books and the Center of Concern. Also consider consulting Catholic organizations that work hard to put the principles of Catholic social teaching into practice. Among the best are Pax Christi USA, Catholic Relief Services, Network (Catholic social justice lobby), Priests for Life and Catholic Charities USA. Catholic social teaching could become a tremendously effective tool for building a just and peaceful world if we would regularly read it, pray with it, teach it, preach it — and live it!
Looking Around JESUIT FATHER WILLIAM J. BYRON cns columnist
a specifically Christian avenue of reflection that draws out (literally or figuratively) the implications of the Christian doctrine of the Incarnation. Ever so gently, children can be helped to see God suffering in human beings who suffer. Talking about beautiful things is a great way to point to God as reflected in all things beautiful as well as to suggest that God is at work behind every sunrise and sunset, behind every blooming flower or flying bird. But birds fall and flowers fade; the earth quakes and skies grow dark. So expect questions about evil, illness, war and natural disasters that are theologically challenging to anyone engaged in an honest exploration of the question of what God is like. Dialogues with children about spiritual things will produce growth on both sides of the conversation. Pray with your children and you will begin to notice growth in them and also in yourself.
Children must be guided early on with God’s law, says pope The Pope Speaks POPE BENEDICT XVI VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Young children must be guided from a very early age with moral law so that they will have direction as they weather life’s storms and resist its temptations, Pope Benedict XVI said. “God’s law must be impressed on the soul from the beginning ‘like on a piece of wax,’” the pope said, citing the teachings of St. John Chrysostom at his Sept. 19 weekly general audience. Early infancy “is in fact the age that is the most important” because it marks the time when “the great directives that point to the right course to (take in) life” really take hold in a person, he said. Pope Benedict returned briefly to the Vatican from his papal summer villa south of Rome for the weekly audience in St. Peter’s Square. The pope dedicated his talk to the life and writings of St. John Chrysostom, the fourth-century doctor of the church and archbishop of Constantinople, now Istanbul, Turkey. The 1,600th anniversary of his death is being celebrated this year. Here is the Vatican text of Pope Benedict’s remarks in English. Dear Brothers and Sisters, Our catechesis today focuses on a great orator of the early church, St. John Chrysostom: the “golden-mouthed.” After his schooling in Antioch, St. John went into the desert to meditate on the “law of Christ.” Illness forced him to return to the city, where he heard the Lord calling him to full-time pastoral service. Years of prayer had prepared him to preach the Word of God with tremendous power and persuasion. Chrysostom constantly strove to connect Christian doctrine to daily living, emphasizing lifelong human development in a person’s physical, intellectual and religious dimensions. Fundamental to this is the first phase when parents must firmly impress God’s law upon their children’s souls. Yo u n g p e o p l e w i l l t h u s b e strengthened to confront the “storms” of adolescence when they must learn to temper concupiscence and eventually to assume the duties of marriage. Indeed, St. John taught that the family is a “little church” within the wider ecclesial community. Consequently, each of us has a responsibility for the salvation of those around us. Through the intercession of this saintly bishop, may we generously embrace this and all our responsibilities in the church and in society.
September 21, 2007
in the news
The Catholic News & Herald 16
Cambodian children, including teens, enjoy Jesuit storytelling Sessions encourage reading, intellectual development by
CNS photo by Sovanna Ly, UCAN
Kol Seab of Jesuit Service Cambodia reads a story to students in a classroom in Kompong Speu, Cambodia, Aug. 10. Jesuit Service Cambodia runs a storytelling program for children in 21 villages in several Cambodian provinces.
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
KOMPONG SPEU, Cambodia — It was 9 p.m. on a Friday and rain was about to fall, but 100 happy Cambodian children, ages 6-16, waited outside a school. “Let’s go into the classroom. The teacher is coming!” called out a loud voice from among the children running in front of the school building in Kompong Speu. The children were excited about a storytelling session sponsored by Jesuit Service Cambodia. In the classroom, some children sat on the floor while others sat on chairs. Those who could read held books in their hands, while the others just listened to the “teacher,” storyteller Neang Thida, 24. She asked the children what they learned from each story and how this could help them in their lives. After the hourlong session, she told the Asian church news agency UCA News that all the children came from the nearby village of Phom Ra. Many of the children told UCA News they appreciate the storytelling sessions. “I love this program very much, because I can hear many good stories,” said Sok Ann, 13. At her public school, she said, the teachers do not pay much attention to the students.
One child identified only as Sambath, 15, said, “I like listening to the stories in this program and have never missed them.” Jesuit Service Cambodia runs the storytelling program for 21 villages in Kandal, Kompong Chnang and Kompong Speu provinces. The program, which started in 2005, grew out of the Jesuits’ villagelibrary project, in which libraries for schoolchildren have been set up in villages and Jesuit staffers write storybooks for the libraries. Jesuit staffers said the order initiated the storytelling program because staffers found children who could not read but were placed in the same school grade as others their age. The storytelling sessions take place in homes and under trees, as well as inside school classrooms. Some of the library staff are also the storytellers. One of them, Sorn Korn, told UCA News the job is not difficult. “I am very happy when I see a lot of children interested in our program and their parents encouraging them to come,” Korn said. Another staff member, Kol Seab, has written many children’s stories — including one about the futility of illegal drug use — for the project. “We want the rural children to be literate in their Khmer language. After we tell the stories, we ask questions. We want them to develop their intellect,” she said.