October 5, 2007
The Catholic News & Herald 1
www.charlottediocese.org
Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte
Perspectives
Effie Caldarola sees bigger picture due to vanity plate; Father Hemrick reveals way to make church inspiring Established Jan. 12, 1972 by Pope Paul VI OCTOBER 5, 2007
Golden Mercy
School celebrates 50th anniversary by
| Pages 14-15 Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte
no. 42
Rejoicing in the house of the Lord Bishop Jugis dedicates new St. John the Evangelist Church
KAREN A. EVANS staff writer
WINSTON-SALEM — In 1954, Our Lady of Mercy Church was established in response to an influx of Catholics relocating from the north. In May 1957, the church was dedicated and in the fall, Our Lady of Mercy School opened its doors to a small student body in Winston-Salem. Last month, students, parents, current and former faculty members and pastors gathered to celebrate the school’s 50-year history. The celebration included a morning Mass for the student body and a cake and ice cream party in the afternoon Sept. 19. On Sept. 22, about 250 people attended a parish
JOANITA M. NELLENBACH
by
correspondent
See SCHOOL, page 8
Respect Life Month
vOLUME 16
Photo by Joanita M. Nellenbach
As Bishop Peter J. Jugis and parishioners watch, Bernie Humphries (center) and Marty Scheveling cut the ribbon before the dedication Mass of St. John the Evangelist Church in Waynesville Sept. 30.
WAYNESVILLE — The dedication Mass began as Bishop Peter J. Jugis greeted parishioners in the old church. Led by fourth-degree Knights of Columbus from Great Smoky Mountain Assembly 3001, Bishop Jugis and the entire assembly then processed, singing, “Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122), through the grounds to the new St. John the Evangelist Church Sept. 30. There, parishioner Steve Bernardi, a parish construction coordinator, gave the bishop the dedication documents and the church key. Marty Scheveling and Bernie Humphries, volunteer project
See CHURCH, page 9
Service with a smile
Youths collect, donate clothes to needy in community by
KEVIN E. MURRAY editor
Photo by CNS
This artwork is part of the materials for the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities 2007-08 Respect Life program, which has as its theme “The Infant in My Womb Leaped for Joy.” See story page 12.
CHARLOTTE — The youths were smiling, waving at passersby; some were dancing. And they were holding signs in both English and Spanish announcing their free clothing giveaway. More than two dozen youths gave away donated clothes and other items to those in need outside Our
Lady of Consolation Church in Charlotte Sept. 29. “We want to make a difference,” said Demondel Hood, 16. “When they see us out here, sharing God’s love, they respond, they smile.” “It’s time we gave back and made a difference,” said Jacqueline Scott, 15. “The See CLOTHES, page 5
Photo by Kevin E. Murray
Youths dance while holding signs announcing a free clothing giveaway outside Our Lady of Consolation Church in Charlotte Sept. 29.
Catholic Social Services
Culture Watch
OEO wins award; refugee volunteer work recognized
Monitor reveals Darfur tragedy; priest inspires film
| Page 4
| Pages 10-11
Heavenly bodies Top astronomers attend Vatican conference | Page 16
October 5, 2007
2 The Catholic News & Herald
InBrief
Current and upcoming topics from around the world to your own backyard
NEW YORK (CNS) — U.S. religious leaders are “deeply concerned about the prospect of war with Iran,” said a professor from a Catholic college who was part of an interfaith delegation that met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Sept. 26 in New York. But Joseph Fahey, professor of religious studies at Manhattan College in Riverdale, said he left the meeting feeling hopeful because of statements Ahmadinejad made about the “renunciation of war and the quest for peace.” “This meeting was an attempt to build bridges with Iran despite the generally hostile reception President Ahmadinejad received here in New York City,” Fahey said in a statement issued after the meeting. “We strongly believe that only through formal and informal diplomacy and respect for international law can there be peace between Iran and the U.S.,” he said. Protests greeted Ahmadinejad while
From the depths of God’s love
CNS photo by Nancy Wiechec
Young Catholics dip the World Youth Day cross into the sea at the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Cairns, Australia, Sept. 22. The pilgrim cross, entrusted to the youths of the world by Pope John Paul II, has been carried more than 7,440 miles across Australia ahead of World Youth Day 2008.
Patrol boat becomes open-air chapel for World Youth Day pilgrims CAIRNS, Australia (CNS) — The navy patrol boat HMAS Broome took a break from security operations along Australia’s northern border to transport the World Youth Day cross, icon and aboriginal message stick to the aqua blue waters of the Great Barrier Reef. The trip fulfilled another milestone in the epic journey that is taking the symbols around the Australian continent for a year before World Youth Day, July 15-20, in Sydney. Anchored off Fitzroy Island, nearly 14 miles east of Cairns in the Coral Sea, the HMAS Broome became a rocking open-air chapel for a prayer service Sept. 22. Deacon Matt Ransom, officiating for the Cairns Diocese, began the service quoting the Book of Genesis about God creating the waters teeming with swarms of living creatures. Deacon Ransom said the Book of Genesis could be describing the abundance of life forms on the Great Barrier Reef and in its surrounding waters. “People who spend even a few hours exploring the reef become conservationists for life,” he said, noting that warming sea temperatures and climate change posed the greatest threat to the reef’s biodiversity. Deacon Ransom told the gathered pilgrims that since the World Youth Day cross had been brought to Cairns, he had witnessed “the depths of God’s forgiving love” and its effects on the local people. “I have seen people touching the cross and afterward they are glowing, their pain
U.S. religious leaders meet with Iran’s president, stress diplomacy
is gone. As humans, if we do not turn to the cross to take our pain, then we take it out on our environment,” he said. He led the group in a prayer for “an ecological conversion which grows and spreads to every corner of the earth.” At the service, army Lt. Ivan Yau offered a prayer for God’s blessing on men and women serving in the armed forces. “By your powerful spirit shield them from all harm. Uphold them in good times and bad ... and hasten the day when the human family will rejoice in lasting peace,” he said. Representing Australia’s indigenous people at the service was 16-year-old Kim Reys, a member of the Yidinji clan, whose members traditionally have lived in the area from the southern plateaus outside Cairns to the reefs of the Coral Sea. Reys held in her hands the message stick made by Sydney’s Aboriginal Catholic Ministry. A message stick is a traditional form of greeting used by one indigenous people when entering another people’s country. The World Youth Day stick, decorated in totems of the whale, eagle and footprints, extends an invitation for all indigenous Catholics to come to World Youth Day in Sydney. Reys said she will be going to World Youth Day with other pilgrims from the Cairns Diocese because “as an indigenous young person I want to feel the spirit and meet up with other indigenous people. It’s something I’m really looking forward to.”
Diocesan planner ASHEVILLE VICARIATE ASHEVILLE — A Public Square Rosary in honor of the 90th anniversary of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s apparitions in Fatima will take place on Oct. 13 at 12 p.m. at 2 South Pack Square. The rosary will be prayed for peace, reparation of sins and the return to the church of all those who have abandoned their faith. Free parking is to the right (south) of the City Hall: enter fenced lot from Eagle Street. For more information, call Lisena Maria Moss at (828) 254-4526 or e-mail jemoss@charter.net. ASHEVILLE — A Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat for Post-Abortive Women and Men will take place in the Asheville area Nov. 2-4. For more information, call the diocesan Respect Life Office at (704) 370-3229 or e-mail mnadol@charlottediocese.org. CHARLOTTE VICARIATE CHARLOTTE — A Pro-Life Prayer Vigil will take place through 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. For more infor, e-mail Diane Hoefling at rhoef541@aol.com, call (704) 541-3760 or visit www.40daysforlife. com. 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,
he was in New York to address the U.N. Security Council Sept. 25. He spoke to an audience at Columbia University the same day. The Iranian president has been criticized for questioning whether the Holocaust and the extermination of 6 million Jews during World War II ever happened. He also has said Israel should not exist. In addition, his country’s nuclear program has brought the threat of sanctions from the U.S., France and other countries who say Iran is enriching uranium for nuclear weapons, but Iranian officials say the program’s goal is to produce energy. In his U.N. remarks Ahmadinejad said the nuclear issue is closed. The interfaith delegation had an hourlong meeting with the Iranian leader. The religious group -- made up of more than 100 faith representatives, including Catholics, United Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians and Unitarians — stressed the need for diplomacy to prevent war. please call the office at (704) 332-2901. CHARLOTTE — “Bereavement and Grief — Helping Seniors Cope” will be presented at St. Gabriel Church, 3016 Providence Rd., Oct. 18, 7-8:30 p.m. Loss is difficult at any age, but what happens when the losses keep piling up? Is there such a thing as grief overload? Larry Dawalt of Hospice and Palliative Care will speak about the variety of losses seniors experience, coping mechanisms and the importance of treating senior survivors with grace and dignity. For more information, call BJ Dengler at (704) 364-5431. CHARLOTTE — “Understanding Your Late-Life Choices” will be presented in the ministry center of St. Gabriel Church, 3016 Providence Rd., Wednesdays, Oct. 24-Nov. 14, 10-11:30 a.m. Bill Clayton, attorney, will present “Protecting Your Assets” Oct. 24. There is no fee to attend, but reservations are appreciated. RSVP to the church office at (704) 364-5431. For more information, call Suzanne Bach at (704) 335-0253. CHARLOTTE — St. Thomas Church, 1400 Suther Rd., will present “The Acts of the Apostles” Wednesdays, 10-11:30 a.m., through Nov. 14. This study program will include individual study, small-group discussions and taped lectures. For registration and more information, call Mary at (704) 948-8285 or Angela at (704) 400-8517. CHARLOTTE — Deepen your faith this fall with “Lunchtime Spirituality” at St. Peter Church, 12-12:45 p.m., in the Annex, 507 S. Tryon St. Bring your lunch, listen to a talk on spirituality and participate in a short prayer session — a great way to renew during the workweek and to prepare for Advent and Christmas. The topic for Oct. 18 will be “The Jesus Prayer.” For more information, call the church office at (704) 332-2901. 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-year-old diocesan tradition will include the Holy Rosary, a
OCTOBER 5, 20 07 Volume 16 • Number 42
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
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October 5, 2007
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FROM THE VATICAN
Too much medical technology can hurt patients, says Vatican official ROME (CNS) — While progress in medicine and technology holds great promise for humanity, relying too heavily on biomedical technology runs the risk of hurting the very people meant to be helped, said a Vatican official. Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, head of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, said state-of-the-art equipment, medical procedures and medicines “are only part of the health care system, and undue insistence on their capabilities” may place more emphasis on meeting the demands of health care providers than on the needs of the patients. The cardinal made his comments during a Sept. 28 conference on “Health, Technology and the Common Good.” The conference, which drew scholars and experts from the field of health care, genetics and pharmaceutical industries, was sponsored by the conservative U.S. think tank the Acton Institute and had the
support of the Vatican health care council. Cardinal Lozano said the ultimate goal of all technology must be that it is used for the good of all people, and he warned that “everything technologically possible need not be ethically permissible.” Even though scientific developments can appear to be “the most advanced and the most marvelous” ever seen, “technology in itself is blind” and can be used to either destroy or edify human life, he said. Ethical guidelines are needed to establish “rules of behavior in the area of health and life,” he said. The cardinal criticized a new “paradigm shift” in ethical definitions being furthered by certain international, national and grassroots groups, including the United Nations and its World Health Organization. H e s a i d t h e Wo r l d H e a l t h Organization’s value-based Health for All framework establishes rights only “for the person, not for the human being.”
Eucharistic Procession and Benediction. For more information, call Tina at (704) 846-7361.
Margaret of Scotland Church, 37 Murphy Dr., Oct. 8-Nov. 26. Small, informal groups will focus on the Apostles’ Creed — what we believe regarding the public life of Jesus, his death and resurrection; the Holy Spirit and the church; Mary, mother of Christ; and life everlasting. Inactive Catholics and anyone inquiring about the Catholic faith are also encouraged to share this journey. Morning, afternoon and evening groups are available. For more information, call Sharon Foy at (828) 926-9968.
GASTONIA VICARIATE BELMONT — A public Catholic conference, “The Ingersoll Symposium: American Ideas of Liberty and Virtue: Political, Religious and Philosophical Dimensions,” will take at Belmont Abbey College, 100 Belmont-Mount Holly Rd., Oct. 19-20. Eight speakers will participate, including Peter Augustine Lawler, Ph.D., dana professor of government at Berry College, Ga., who will speak Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. For more information, call Dr. Robert Preston at (704) 829-7231, e-mail RobertPreston@bac.edu or visit www.bradleyinstitute.org. GREENSBORO VICARIATE GREENSBORO — St. Pius X Church 2210 N. Elm St. will celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s apparition at Fatima, Portugal with a “living rosary” Oct. 13 at 12 p.m. For more information, call the church office at (336) 272-4681. GREENSBORO — A Catholic Charismatic Renewal Celebration and Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Grace Church, 2205 W. Market St., Oct. 20, 1-3 p.m. The celebrant for the Mass will be Father Andy Latsko of Maryfield Nursing Home. Music will be by Freeway. Prayers for healing will be available after the Mass. For more information, call Melissa Miller at (336) 274-6520. SALISBURY VICARIATE MOCKSVILLE — St. Francis of Assisi Church, 862 Yadkinville Rd., will hold a parish mission, “Living Our Faith With Joy,” Oct. 13-17 at 7 p.m. Franciscan Father Roderic Petrie will preach at Masses Oct. 13-14. The sacrament of reconciliation will be offered Oct. 16. For more information, call Gayle O’Grady at (336) 751-2117. SMOKY MOUNTAIN VICARIATE MAGGIE VALLEY — Renew International’s “Why Catholic?” program will be presented at St.
In message to Muslims, cardinal touches on violence, terrorism VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In a message to the Muslim world, a leading Vatican official denounced terrorism and all violence committed in the name of religion. The message also took aim at religious discrimination, saying the rights of all believers must be protected during the “troubled times we are passing through.” The text, released by the Vatican Sept. 28, marked the end of Ramadan, the Islamic month of prayer and fasting that concludes in mid-October. It was written by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, who took over as head of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue earlier this year. Christians and Muslims, the cardinal said, need to intensify their dialogue so that younger generations “do not become cultural or religious blocs opposed to each other.” Cardinal Tauran began and ended his message by expressing the church’s “warmest greetings” to the Islamic world. But the text touched on a number of sensitive issues, especially those of religious liberty, violence and terrorism. All believers should do everything
they can to “reject, denounce and refuse every recourse to violence, which can never be motivated by religion, since it wounds the very image of God in man,” the cardinal said. “We know that violence, especially terrorism which strikes blindly and claims countless innocent victims, is incapable of resolving conflicts and leads only to a deadly chain of destructive hatred, to the detriment of mankind and of societies,” he said. Cardinal Tauran said believers have a duty to work in favor of peace by showing respect for the convictions of individuals and communities everywhere. That is accomplished first of all by respecting the freedom of religious practice, which is more than freedom of worship, he said. Cardinal Tauran did not name specific places or countries, but his message appeared aimed at predominantly Muslim countries that have enacted strict forms of Islamic law, often weakening the rights of the Christian minority. He said it was important to intensify Christian-Muslim dialogue, which has an educational and cultural impact.
‘A lasting monument’
SYLVA — St. Mary, Mother of God, Church, 22 Bartlett St., will present “The Autumn of Our Lives” led by Father Walter Williams Oct. 13, beginning with Mass at 9 a.m., followed by a light breakfast. Father 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 church office at (828) 586-9496 WINSTON-SALEM VICARIATE WINSTON-SALEM — Spirit of Assisi presents the Wednesday Lunch Series, 12:30-1:15 p.m., at the Fatima Chapel, 211 W. Third St. David Harold will present “Decalogue for Peace” Oct. 10. Jim Day will present “Christian Paradox” Oct. 17. For more information, e-mail Sister Kathy Ganiel at spiritofassisi@bellsouth.net or call (336) 723-1092.
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.
CNS photo by Paul Haring
Msgr. James Gillen, Auxiliary Bishop Francisco Gonzalez of Washington, Auxiliary Bishop Martin D. Holley of Washington, Bishop Paul S. Loverde of Arlington, Va. (not fully visible), and Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl of Washington pledge allegiance to the flag at the dedication of the new headquarters of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services in Washington Sept. 26. Mike Webb of Reston, Va., a soloist with the U.S. Navy’s Sea Chanters chorus, is also pictured. In one of his last acts as head of the U.S. military archdiocese, Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien blessed and dedicated the building that he hopes will be “a lasting monument” to the service and sacrifices of American military personnel and the chaplains who minister to them. The archdiocese coordinates the spiritual care of nearly 1.5 million Catholics around the world, including active-duty and reserve military personnel and National Guard members, their families, U.S. government workers overseas and residents of Veterans Affairs hospitals.
U.S. Sikhs attend third dialogue with Catholics Episcopal
calendar
Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following events:
Oct. 8 — 6 p.m. Red Mass St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte
Oct. 12 — 12 p.m. Pontifical visit of Catholicos Karekin II, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church Duke Mansion, Charlotte
Oct. 11 — 7 p.m. Sacrament of Confirmation Our Lady of Mercy Church, Winston-Salem
Oct. 13 — 6 p.m. Deacon’s retreat dinner Catholic Conference Center, Hickory
WASHINGTON (CNS) — The conversation between U.S. Catholics and Sikhs continued in Washington Sept. 28-Oct. 1 as about a dozen members of each faith engaged in the third dialogue between the two denominations. From the dialogues the Sikh participants learn about what the two faiths have in common. “Both faiths are looking out for the welfare of mankind,” said Kavneet Singh. Both Sikhs and Catholics, he added,
share the view that there is just one God. The concept of a single God would be seen by Sikhs as more expansive than the Abrahamic concept of God, according to Manohar Singh, 71, who was born in the Punjab region of India, considered the cradle of Sikhism. Manohar Singh — no relation to Kavneet — said Sikhs consider God to be “a mother, a father, brother, sister, even as a friend — any kind of relationship that you have here” on earth.
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catholic social services
Strengthening families
Volunteer recognized for work with Charlotte-area refugees
Courtesy Photo
Father Larry Snyder (far left), president of Catholic Charities USA; and Janet Valente Pape (far right), chairwoman of the Catholic Charities USA board, present the Family Strengthening Award to (from left) Netta McFaddin, OEO Far West Families First coordinator; Claudie Burchfield, OEO program director; and Joseph Purello, director of CSS’ Office of Justice and Peace in the Diocese of Charlotte at the annual Catholic Charities USA convention in Cincinnati Sept. 15.
Office of Economic Opportunity receives Catholic Charities USA award CINCINNATI — Members of Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Charlotte recently accepted a national award from Catholic Charities USA. The Family Strengthening Award was presented to the diocesan Office of Economic Opportunity in Murphy at the annual Catholic Charities USA convention in Cincinnati Sept. 15. Accepting for the OEO were Netta McFaddin, OEO Far West Families First coordinator; Claudie Burchfield, OEO program director; and Joseph Purello, director of Catholic Social Services’ Office of Justice and Peace in the Diocese of Charlotte. Established in 1999 by the Office of Justice and Peace, the OEO serves the far-western North Carolina counties of Cherokee, Clay, Graham and Swain. The OEO is one of four programs Catholic Charities USA picked for the 2007 Family Strengthening Award, chosen from submissions from local Catholic Charities USA agencies across the country. The award includes a $25,000 grant that will be used for the ministries provided by the OEO. Programs include Far West Families First, which matches struggling families with ecumenical faith teams who provide support and encouragement to help the families reach
October 5, 2007
financial goals. The OEO’s goal “is to help families develop the skills needed to make better choices for building a more secure future,” said Burchfield. The OEO dedicated a new financial literacy computer lab Sept. 7. “The Office of Economic Opportunity is one of the brightest stars in a constellation of outstanding Catholic Charities programs working to strengthen families,” said Father Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA, who presented the award along with Janet Valente Pape, chairwoman of the Catholic Charities USA board. The Alexandria, Va.-based Catholic Charities USA is a national association of more than 1,500 local Catholic Charities agencies and institutions that serve more than 7.4 million people a year. The Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, a national charity watchdog group, recently gave its seal of approval to Catholic Charities USA, recognizing that it meets all standards for charity accountability. Catholic Charities USA also was named earlier in 2007 as the eighth most fiscally responsible charity in the nation by Charity Navigator, which describes itself as “America’s premier independent charity evaluator.”
ATLANTIC BEACH, N.C. — Bill Lamay, a parishioner of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte, was recently recognized for his volunteer efforts with refugee resettlement in Charlotte. The North Carolina State Refugee Office, an agency of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, honored Lamay as an “Outstanding Volunteer” for his work with Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Charlotte’s Refugee Resettlement Office. The award was presented during the North Carolina Refugee Conference, themed “Voyage of Discovery,” in Atlantic Beach, N.C., Aug. 26-29. The conference, held every two years for refugee resettlement agencies and ancillary agencies, offered workshops on refugee employment and health issues, English language training and other refugee-specific topics. Lamay, 64, who recently retired from the Mecklenburg County Fire Department, serves as a Catholic Social Services board member and assists the CSS Refugee Resettlement Office in a number of capacities.
He divides his 35 volunteer hours per month between tutoring two Russian families in English, helping to set up apartments for new refugee arrivals, speaking on behalf of the Refugee Resettlement Office at special events, and being the “go-to” person when critical situations arise. “Bill is never too busy to help. He’s always ready to rearrange his schedule to accommodate a special need and is like a magnet for drawing other people in to help,” said Cira Ponce, diocesan Refugee Resettlement Office director. The Refugee Resettlement Office also recognized Southern Staircase as “Outstanding Employer.” The company employed 30 Montagnard refugees. “With the assistance of Catholic Social Services, our refugee workforce has raised the bar on what we have come to expect from our team members,” said Joe Brienza, Southern Staircase’s Charlotte branch manager. Brienza, a parishioner of St. Matthew Church, is a member of the Refugee Resettlement Office’s employment advisory council.
Courtesy Photo
Bill Lamay accepts his Outstanding Volunteer award from Marlene Myers, state refugee coordinator with the N.C. State Refugee Office, during the N.C. Refugee Conference in Atlantic Beach, N.C., Aug. 26-29.
October 5, 2007
from the cover
The Catholic News & Herald 5
“It’s a great experience to help the less fortunate and to give of myself to help others.”
Youths collect, donate clothes to those in need CLOTHES, from page 1
people who come for the clothes — they smile, happy that they can get what they need and go.” The youth group at Our Lady of Consolation Church used to sell the donated clothes at low cost as a fundraiser, but many of those in need still couldn’t afford them. “We prayed about it and realized it wasn’t about making money but about helping the community, so we decided to give the clothes away for free,” said Nanette Lide, youth minister. The youth group put up flyers around the community and placed ads in local Spanish-language newspapers. Clothing items were donated by parishioners, most of whom live outside of the community, said Lide. “Those of us who are blessed want to share with those who aren’t,” she said. “We want to help make the community a better place,” said Sierra Stinson, 14. The youth group is involved in a number of outreach activities, including
collecting clothes for a battered women’s shelter, organizing Christmas wish trees for a homeless shelter and a nursing home, and visiting a children’s hospital. The youths felt the clothing giveaway was another way to help those in need and to share Christ’s love. They greeted all who approached with enthusiastic smiles; they waved eagerly to passing motorists, many of whom responded with waves or by honking horns. “It’s an important community service, and we’re representing our church,” said Jade Jones, 11. “Many people have thanked us for doing this,” said Carrington Byers, 11. “They really appreciate this.” “Little things can make a big difference in people’s lives,” said India Lipscomb, 17. Julian Tucker, 16, agreed. “We don’t know what people are going through in their lives, so even the smiles on our faces can make their day a little bit better,” he said. “I like seeing the smiles on their faces,” said Julian. “It’s a great experience to help the less fortunate and to give of myself to help others.”
— Julian Tucker, 16
Photo by Kevin E. Murray
A youth group member at Our Lady of Consolation Church in Charlotte holds a sign in Spanish announcing a free clothing giveaway outside the church Sept. 29.
Contact Editor Kevin E. Murray by calling (704) 370-3334 or e-mail kemurray@charlottediocese.org.
Photo by Kevin E. Murray
People look through clothes being given away outside Our Lady of Consolation Church Sept. 29.
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FROM THE COVER
October 5, 2007
Our Lady of Mercy School celebrates 50th anniversary SCHOOL, from page 1
celebration including a Mass and a party. Sisters of St. Joseph, who have served as administrators and teachers for much of the school’s history, were recognized for their dedicated service to the school. During the party, Conventual Franciscan Father William Robinson, pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Church, and Sandra McMonagle, a former principal who served for 13 years, reminisced about the school’s long history. In February 1984, McMonagle was hired as the first lay principal. Three Sisters of St. Joseph continued to teach in Our Lady of Mercy School, while two others ministered in the field of religious education and social services. During the celebration, Sister of St. Joseph Geri Rogers was especially honored for her 25 years of service. Ten members of her first class at Our Lady of Mercy School returned to surprise her. Sister Rogers taught first grade for nine years, followed by 11 years teaching sixth grade. Following four years as assistant principal, she succeeded McMonagle as principal in August 2007. The 276-memeber student body distinguishes itself by its dedication to community outreach projects. Among the projects, the younger grades visit nursing homes at Christmas and Valentine’s Day; several grades send care packages to soldiers serving overseas. “We are building leaders for the future beyond the classroom by allowing students to participate in outreach programs,” said Linda Buchmeier, marketing chairperson for the school.
Each month of the school year the students will collect items for the disadvantaged. In September, the students collected nearly 200 suitcases, backpacks and duffle bags to be donated to Forsyth County Child Protective Services. “When children have to be removed from their homes, they often have to carry their belongings in a trash bag,” Buchmeier said. “Now they will have something of their own in which to carry their personal belongings.” Throughout the year, they will help stock the Catholic Social Services food pantry, beginning in October. In November, students will bring in coats, gloves and mittens, hats, scarves and boots for children who do not have winter clothing. A toy drive is scheduled for December. In November 2002, the school moved from its original location on Banner Avenue to the former Bishop McGuinness High School. The move enabled the renovated school to offer a preschool for four-year-olds, individual classrooms for specialist teachers, a large media center, and a separate gym and cafeteria. In the days ahead, the parish school of Our Lady of Mercy hopes to carry on the past tradition and develop an even richer one. The school utilizes 60 laptop computers, which can be used in the each classroom as additional learning resources. “We hope to continue to grow as a faith community, increase enrollment and keep up with the latest technology,” Sister Rogers said. Contact Staff Writer Karen A. Evans by calling (704) 370-3354 or e-mail kaevans@charlottediocese.org.
Courtesy Photo
Teachers at Our Lady of Mercy School in Winston-Salem sing a song dedicated to Sister of St. Joseph Geri Rogers, principal, during the school’s 50th anniversary celebration Sept. 22.
“We hope to continue to grow as a faith community, increase enrollment and keep up with the latest technology.” — Sister of St. Joseph Geri Rogers, principal
October 5, 2007
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FROM THE COVER
Bishop Jugis dedicates new St. John the Evangelist Church in Waynesville CHURCH, from page 1
superintendents, cut the blue ribbon at the entrance. Father Lawrence LoMonaco, pastor, unlocked the door and parishioners streamed into the airy interior, singing, “Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates” (Psalm 24). It was the latest milestone for the oldest North Carolina Catholic parish west of Asheville. From humble beginnings Mass had been celebrated in homes and in the ballroom of the Gordon Hotel since before 1900. In 1925, Bishop William J. Hafey, first bishop of the Diocese of Raleigh (the Diocese of Charlotte was not created until 1972) established the parish, which at that time comprised the seven counties of the Smoky Mountain Vicariate. Some 27 people attended the new parish’s first Mass in May 1926, in a private home that had been converted into a chapel and rectory. St. John the Evangelist Church’s pastors were circuitriding priests who visited the other communities in the seven counties. In 1954, Glenmary priests began working with the bishop to establish parishes in towns throughout those counties. Construction on Waynesville’s first St. John the Evangelist Church, with a 250-person seating capacity, began in 1941.
Photo by Joanita M. Nellenbach
Bishop Peter J. Jugis pours sacred chrism onto the altar as altar server Joey Pelletier and Father Christopher Roux, bishop’s priest secretary, watch during the dedication Mass of St. John the Evangelist Church in Waynesville Sept. 30. The original church was not handicap accessible — worshipers had to climb two sets of steps from the sidewalk to the church and descend outside steps to reach the parish hall in the church basement. The new handicap-accessible church seats 299. The old church will be used for Haywood Catholic Youth activities, Bernardi said.
A place for God “Why is it that we spend so much time and energy to build a beautiful church and fill it with beautiful images?” Bishop Jugis asked in his homily. “Here is the dwelling place of God.” He recalled that, “In the Old Testament we can see how the Jewish people meticulously prepared a place for God. The Arc (of the Covenant) was solemnly processed into the temple. Nothing else could take place in the temple except the worship of God.” “We have the real presence of God in the holy Eucharist: the real presence of Jesus Christ — his body, blood, soul and divinity,” the bishop said. “In the place of honor in the middle of the Temple is the real presence of God,” he said. Bishop Jugis went throughout the church, sprinkling the people and walls with holy water, symbolically washing the building and those within it. Bernardi brought out a relic of St. Alfonso de Orozco to be inlaid in the altar. The bishop kissed the relic, then placed it, along with information about the saint, in an envelope and fastened it to the underside of a tile inlaid in the altar surface.
Bernardi cemented the tile in place, thus completing the center of the altar. St. Alfonso de Orozco (15001591), an Augustinian priest and writer, preached to people at all levels of Spanish society. According to information about him, “For Alfonso, preaching was a necessity inspired by the love of Jesus and done for the love of Jesus.” Canonized in 2002, his relic was chosen for the church when Augustinian Father Dennis McGowan was St. John the Evangelist Church’s pastor. “We’d been thinking about a new church for 40 years, but Father Dennis got it started,” Bernardi said later. Bishop Jugis rubbed sacred chrism into the altar and four crosses on the walls, asking God to make holy the altar and the building — visible signs of the mystery of Christ and his Catholic Church. Adding to the fragrance of the chrism oil, incense smoke rose like prayer. Father LoMonaco then lit candles at the altar and around the church as electric lights switched on, filling the church interior with warm light. Along with Father LoMonaco, Father William Evans and Father James Cahill, retired priests from the Smoky Mountain Vicariate, concelebrated Mass with Bishop Jugis. The service concluded as the Blessed Sacrament was placed in the tabernacle for the first time. Community effort At the barbecue lunch after the service, Bernardi lauded the many volunteers of the 230-family parish who helped make the new church a reality. In addition to raising money to build the structure, parishioners did most of the interior finishing work after the building’s shell was completed. “It was a great communitywide project,” Bernardi said. “I’ve been here eight years, and I got to know people I’d never known very well. It was almost an old-fashioned barn raising in a way,” he said. “I really just thank God for giving us the grace, and the people get the credit,” Father LoMonaco said. “They made it happen.” One part of the worship space will be a day chapel. Not yet completed are the parish hall, a covered walkway and a bell tower. Although those projects remain, “We do have the crown jewel,” Father LoMonaco said. Contact Correspondent Joanita M. Nellenbach by calling (828) 627-9209 or e-mail jnell@dnet.net.
October 5, 2007
10 The Catholic News & Herald
Culture Watch
A roundup of Scripture, readings, films and more
One of first Darfur monitors shares experiences in book, documentary by MARK PATTISON catholic news service
WASHINGTON — Today, most of the world knows of the horrors of the Sudanese region of Darfur: the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of people; the seemingly indiscriminate killing by the Janjaweed, militia groups believed to have government backing; the refugee crisis created by the murders; the terrorizing of aid workers who have gone to help. But those horrors weren’t always known. Brian Steidle, a Catholic, was one of the first to witness them for himself. At age 27, Steidle, a former U.S. Marine captain, became a monitor with the African Union in Darfur. He was completely unprepared for what he would see. Now 30, Steidle has been crossing the United States telling about the situation in Darfur. His experiences led to the filming of a documentary, “The Devil Came on Horseback.” Steidle and his sister, Gretchen, also co-wrote a book, “The Devil Came on Horseback: Bearing Witness to the Genocide in Darfur.” Steidle, in an interview with Catholic News Service, cited the reason why he went to Darfur in the first place. “I was in the country already. I was working near the mountains, for a private contractor monitoring the North-South cease-fire,” he said. There have been a series of ceasefires in Sudan’s long and bloody civil war pitting the Muslim government dominated by Northerners against the largely Christian and animist populations in the South. “Before I went there, we didn’t know anything about that war,” Steidle said. “The press doesn’t move around the country. We didn’t know what was going on,” he said. “Nobody knew. Nobody had been there. Nobody reported. There hadn’t been any information.” The enormity of the carnage Steidle witnessed in Darfur literally filled a book. Still, he declined to single out just one atrocity that exemplified what he and many others — including the U.S. Congress — consider genocide. “There’s not one thing I can pick out. There’s definitely not one thing,” he said. “There’s too many to mention. It was every single day, different times
each day.” Estimates of the lives lost in Darfur have reached 400,000. Steidle said he is grateful the United Nations announced a peacekeeping mission in Darfur, although “I think it’s been tremendously slow — too slow. I wish it had been faster. It shouldn’t have taken millions of people around the world (to press for peacekeepers). It should have taken governments to do what is right. I’m glad there is now some push forward.” How to solve the crisis? Steidle has some ideas. “We need to continue pressure on the U.N. to make sure the Security Council resolution (authorizing peacekeepers) is implemented. ... They’ve already backtracked and delayed deployment of the U.N. troops because they don’t have enough commitment,” he said. “They need the financial support and the airplanes and the helicopters and it’s up to the Western powers to stand up and give it to them.” “We need to have some serious efforts on these peace talks next month in Libya,” he added. Rebel groups and the government of Sudan were scheduled to begin talks Oct. 27. “A no-fly zone should have been implemented years ago,” he said There should be “legislation that prohibits any individuals or corporations from investing in companies or doing business with corporations that do business in Sudan — that’s a blanket thing for all around the world. Travel ban restrictions on individuals around the world. All of these things need to be done,” he said. Steidle said the highest-ranking U.S. official he has talked to about the genocide is U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. “There wasn’t really too much there” in that conversation, he said. “It was all ‘we’re doing what we can. Thank you for what you’ve done.’” “I’d like to see people take care of one another regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or anything,” he said. “I’ve read the Bible and I’ve read the Quran; I’ve read the Torah. That’s what all religions teach, Buddhism and Hindu(ism): Respect individuals of this earth. That’s the best lesson God and Jesus ever taught us,” said Steidle.
WORD TO LIFE
Sunday Scripture Readings: OCT. 14, 2007
Oct. 14, Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle C Readings: 1) 2 Kings 5:14-17 Psalm 98:1-4 2) 2 Timothy 2:8-13 3) Gospel: Luke 17:11-19
Gratitude to God means giving something back by JEAN DENTON catholic news service
Larry has been a theater teacher at a public high school for more than 20 years. Although his entire life is intensely infused with his Christian faith, he knows he can’t be proselytizing among students. That’s not his mode of operating anyway. But he said, “I’ve never backed down from saying to the young people, ‘You need to know where your gift comes from, and it’s not from me.’” When Larry was coming of age, drifting in and out of college trying to find himself, he found Jesus instead. It happened during a Catholic retreat to which he’d been invited by a friend. The friend must have been astute to recognize Larry’s need for faith and a seeming desire to be persuaded. Once converted, “It changed my life,” said Larry. Totally. “I instantly wanted to give something back to God,” he said.
Within two months he had formed a theater company called The Agape Players, and at age 21 he was leading the troupe around his southern California community, bringing performances of “Godspell” and the stories of Paul (“The Servant”) and Peter (“The Witness”) to Catholic churches and smaller venues. Larry hasn’t looked back as his career has been alternately in youth ministry and theater — and often a combination of the two. Always, though, in his work with young people in the performances and original plays he produces he shares the basic message of Christ. His work has been unabashedly “for God.” I’ve heard conversion stories before. But the way Larry’s conversion immediately compelled him to live every aspect of his life for God was a notably radical response to the gift of faith. In reading the Scriptures for this weekend, Larry’s life-changing attitude came back to me in the passage from Timothy: “If we have died with him, we shall also live with him.” While the Gospel story about the leper may suggest the message is about thanksgiving, it was that reminder in Timothy that points us back to a conversion message in the Old Testament story of Naaman who was drawn indeed by gratitude to change his life to live entirely for God. Questions: When have you felt such gratitude to God that you desired to “give something back”? How can you translate that desire into a lasting response?
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF OCT. 7-13 Sunday (Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time), Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4, 2 Timothy 1:68, 13-14, Luke 17:5-10; Monday, Jonah 1:1--2:2, 11, Jonah 2:3-5, 8, Luke 10:25-37; Tuesday (St. Denis and Companions, St. John Leonardi), Jonah 3:1-10, Luke 10:38-42; Wednesday, Jonah 4:1-11, Luke 11:1-4; Thursday, Malachi 3:13-20, Luke 11:5-13; Friday, Joel 1:13-15; 2:1-2, Luke 11:15-26; Saturday, Joel 4:12-21, Luke 11:27-28. SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF OCT. 14-20 Sunday (Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time), 2 Kings 5:14-17, 2 Timothy 2:8-13, Luke 17:11-19; Monday (St. Teresa of Avila), Romans 1:1-7, Luke 11:29-32; Tuesday (St. Hedwig, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque), Romans 1:16-25, Luke 11:37-41; Wednesday (St. Ignatius of Antioch), Romans 2:1-11, Luke 11:42-46; Thursday (St. Luke), 2 Timothy 4:10-17, Luke 10:19; Friday (St. John de Brébeuf, St. Isaac Jogues and Companions), Romans 4:1-8, Luke 12:1-7; Saturday (St. Paul of the Cross), Romans 4:13, 16-18, Luke 12:8-12.
The Catholic News & Herald 11
October 5, 2007
Motivations behind ‘The Price of Sugar’ Filmmaker found priest ‘extraordinary charismatic and principled’ by MARK PATTISON catholic news service
WASHINGTON — Filmmaker Bill Haney, who made the new documentary “The Price of Sugar,” said one reason he decided to make a movie on the plight of Haitian sugar-cane cutters in the Dominican Republic was Father Christopher Hartley, the British-born priest who worked for several years with the Haitians and appears throughout the film. “I found Father Christopher an extraordinarily charismatic and principled man,” Haney said. Although “educated in the spirit of reflection and contemplation,” he added, “he was a bold leader taking real-life risks on behalf of the principles that he committed his life to.” Another reason was “the kind of startling and stark and almost painful dichotomy between the lifestyle that the resort-dwellers were enjoying along the (Dominican) coast and the deeply, deeply troubling conditions that the sugar-cane workers were enduring just a few miles away,” said Haney, a Catholic. A third reason for the film comes from Haney’s education at Portsmouth Abbey in Portsmouth, R.I., a Benedictine-run school he attended from eighth through 12th grades while his father was teaching there. “The stories in the media about
CNS photo by Uncommon
An armed man guards the fields while cutters gather the sugar cane in a scene from the documentary “The Price of Sugar.” priests in the last 10 years in the Boston area where I’m from have not been particularly heartening. When I was a boy, most of the adults I knew were priests, because my father taught at a boarding school,” he said. “I had a warm and positive feeling about that experience. So the story — a warm and compelling story — about a priest who is doing his ministry in such a self-sacrificing way, was compelling to me,” he added. Haney said he made 14 visits to sugarcane country in the Dominican Republic, east of Santo Domingo, the capital. He said he had to be mindful of the possibility of violence during his trips. “You’re holding a camera and you’re a Caucasian from North America. And you’re in a sugar-cane field and you’re surrounded by guys on horses with weapons. (Verbal) abuse was pretty common,” Haney said. “The notion that something would get out of hand was always on our minds.” “The Price of Sugar” details how Haitians are lured from their incredibly poor country to work in the sugar-cane fields — but not before they are stripped of their passports and identity cards by the sugar growers’ recruiters once they have crossed the Haiti-Dominican border on the island of Hispaniola. Actor Paul Newman narrates the documentary. It could be his last presence in a film. The 82-year-old actor announced earlier this year he was retiring from acting. Although Newman’s voice-over is gravelly, “it fits our story,” Haney said. “It’s a bit of the voice of God. He’s got a bit of Methuselah in his voice.” “The Price of Sugar” is “both the inspiring story of an individual and the history of a mass movement,” said a review by John Mulderig, a staff critic in the U.S. bishops’ Office for Film & Broadcasting. “This is a tale of exploitation. But it is also, fundamentally, a celebration of the good that can spring from one individual’s deep religious commitment and from well-organized, nonviolent methods of mass resistance,” he said. The film received a classification of A-II — adults and adolescents — for graphic depictions of disease and brief nudity among bathing children.
12 The Catholic News & Herald
Respect life month
‘Witness to the truth’ about dignity of human life, cardinal urges WASHINGTON (CNS) — Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on ProLife Activities, called on Catholics and “all people of good will to witness to the truth about the incomparable dignity and right to life of every human being.” In a Sept. 25 statement for Respect Life Sunday, to be celebrated in Catholic parishes in the United States Oct. 7 this year, the cardinal noted widespread confusion on life issues, including embryonic stem-cell research, partialbirth abortion and euthanasia. The right to life is more than a religious concern, he said. Quoting from the preamble to the 1989 U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, he said the “recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.” In 1972 the U.S. bishops launched the Respect Life program and designated the first Sunday in October as Respect Life Sunday. To mark the day and to kick off Respect Life Month, hundreds of Catholic churches around the country participate in Life Chains. In the Diocese of Charlotte, parishioners will be standing along property lines of their respective churches, on city sidewalks and with other church groups in their towns, holding pro-life placards. Pro-life individuals are welcome to participate in any of the gatherings. Material published by the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities for the 2007-08 Respect Life program uses the phrase “The Infant in My Womb Leaped for Joy” as its theme. Taken from the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke, the words refer to the pregnancies of Mary and her elderly cousin, Elizabeth — both “cause for rejoicing” despite their unusual circumstances, said a brochure published as part of the Respect Life package. “The Old and New Testaments are filled with such passages extolling children as gift and blessing,” the brochure says. “It is disheartening, therefore, to see how far our culture has diverged from this view.” “There was no confusion as to
October 5, 2007
respect life
Photo by Kevin E. Murray
People hold pro-life placards outside of St. Ann Church in Charlotte as part of a parish Life Chain Oct. 1, 2006. what and who were nestled under their mothers’ hearts,” Cardinal Rigali said about Mary and Elizabeth. “Yet 2,000 years later, many welleducated people do not know — or claim they do not know — the truth about human life before birth,” he said in his statement.
LIFE CHAINS For a list of Life Chains in the Diocese of Charlotte, go online to www.charlottediocese.org.
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Attention Readers! Have a Story to Share? Do you have a story to share with The Catholic News & Herald? Do you know of people who are living the tenets of their faith? Do you have photos of a parish- or ministry-based event? If so, please share them with us. Contact Staff Writer Karen Evans at (704) 370-3354 or kaevans@charlottediocese.org.
October 5, 2007
Smart shoppers
in our schools
The Catholic News & Herald 13
BMHS seniors commended in National Merit Scholarship program
Courtesy Photo
Kimberly Van Scoy, a reporter with WXII television news, interviews Christian Gruebel and Annie Hanson, third-graders at St. Leo the Great School in Winston-Salem at a Lowes Foods supermarket Sept. 27. The third-grade class and their teacher, Maureen Patti, took part in the store’s free educational program, “Be a Smart Shopper,” which teaches healthy eating and lifestyle habits. The third-graders sampled different types of foods, including vegetables. Both Christian and Annie told Van Scoy that they enjoyed red cabbage.
KERNERSVILLE — Sean O’Shea and George Englebretson, seniors at Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville, were named as Commended Students in the 2008 National Merit Scholarship Program. Principal George Repass made the announcement in a press release Sept. 27. The program, an academic competition for recognition and scholarships, is conducted by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, a nonprofit corporation established in 1955. High school students enter the program by taking the Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which serves as an initial screening of approximately 1.4 million entrants each year, and by meeting published program entry/participation requirements. O’Shea and Englebretson are among 34,000 of the 50,000 high scorers on the qualifying test who will receive Letters of Commendation for their exceptional academic promise.
Although Commended Students do not continue in the 2008 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, some of them become candidates for special scholarships sponsored by corporations and businesses. “The young people named Commended Students in the 2008 National Merit Scholarship Program are distinguished by their strong academic performance in their rigorous competition,” said a press release issued by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. “Our nation’s pursuit of educational excellence can be furthered by publicly honoring these outstanding students and by acknowledging the important role schools play in fostering their development,” said the statement. “We hope that this recognition will contribute to their educational opportunities and encourage all students to strive to realize their potential,” it said.
Soaring students
Picture perfect
Courtesy Photo
Art teacher Sara Romanik is pictured Sept. 27 with the winners of the first photography contest held at St. Leo the Great School in Winston-Salem. Teachers judged the entries, taken over the summer break, and chose first- and second-place winners from three categories: kindergarten through second-grade, third- through fifth-grades and sixth- through eighth-grades. Pictured are: second-grader Kathryn Anderson, first place for K-2; second-grader Molly Isaac, second place for K-2; fifth-grader Ryan Anderson, second place for 3-5; fifth-grader Will Bruns, first place for 3-5; eighthgrader Daniela DeCristo, second place for 6-8; eighth-grader Caitlin Ferguson, first place for 6-8.
Courtesy Photo
Eighth-graders from St. Pius X School in Greensboro are pictured at the Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Education Center in Reidsville Sept. 10, where they participated in the “Soaring Thru Spaces” program. The program utilizes group initiatives, teambuilding challenges — including highand low-rope courses — and focused discussions to develop life skills and character. Working in small teams, the 43 eighth-graders shared ideas, made decisions and created plans of action to accomplish goals.
October 5, 2007
14 The Catholic News & Herald
Perspectives
A collection of columns, editorials and viewpoints
Valuable hurricane relief lessons learned
Tips for successfully helping those in a disaster
Our parish is making it sixth mission trip to the Mississippi Gulf coast since Hurricane Katrina. Here are a few of the lessons learned over the last two years. First, capitalize on the moment. When Hurricane Katrina hit it was all over the news. It was on everybody’s mind. The Sunday afterward, we did not take up our regular parish collection. Instead, we took up a collection only for hurricane relief. Making a sacrifice said these people have needs greater than our own. We got more than $20,000 that day alone. Over the next year we would collect another $85,000. Second, make a contact on the ground in the area of need. Right after Hurricane Katrina hit I heard a priest, Josephite Father Richard Wagner, on National Public Radio. I called him up and asked what we could do. It was the beginning of a great relationship. He directed us to where help was really needed. Third, do what the local people say is needed, not what you think is needed. Father Wagner told us about the need for gift cards so families could buy necessities. We bought thousands of dollars of them and sent them to pastors in the hurricane-affected areas. Fourth, establish a long-term personal relationship and tell people you are with them for the long haul. This is the most important lesson learned. Father Wagner put us in touch with 86-year-old Josephite Father Bart Endslow at Our Mother of Mercy Church in Pass Christian, Miss. It was a perfect fit; his parish’s need matched our capabilities. Their rectory had floated away in the storm surge. The church and school were ruined. But they were still there. Over the past two years we have built not just buildings but a relationship. We have come to know the parishioners in Mississippi as our friends. They are part of our extended family. It is like being home. Sending aid to them is not like writing a check to some relief organization; it is like helping your own family. Fifth, get people who know what they are doing and send them down in advance to scope out the work. Before we sent any volunteer team to the Gulf Coast, four of us made an advance trip — a home builder, an electrician, the manager of our buildings and grounds, and I made the journey. We decided we could put a roof on the school building. We figured out the costs, the tools and the time. A month later we were back with the people, tools and supplies needed. It was a success. All the subsequent volunteer trips
Parish Diary FATHER PETER DALY cns columnist
used similar advance planning. When we needed windows we sent down our project manager and a window manufacturer. It is worth a few hundred dollars in airfare to save a disastrous experience for the volunteers on an unplanned trip. Seventh, keep the parish fully informed. We make periodic reports to our parish on our progress. We honor the volunteers that go to Mississippi. We bring back photos and display them in church and on our Web site. So when we ask for more money, people give it willingly. Finally, make it a spiritual relationship. That is the difference between us and FEMA. Every Sunday we pray for our sister parish in Mississippi. We call them on the phone. We invite them to our parish events. That is what it means to be a communion of saints. Our parish experience in disaster relief has been a real blessing.
‘UR4GVN’
A vanity plate made me see the bigger picture You wouldn’t expect grace or theological insight or a moment of inspiration to come to you via the vanity license plate on the car in front of you. But maybe a generous God, and one with a sense of humor, knows that sometimes a busy mom needs any opportunity she can get for inspiration. And wasn’t it St. Ignatius of Loyola who said we should find God in all things? It was an icy day outside our Catholic elementary school. Just moments before I arrived to pick up my two children, the school prankster was heard to remark to a friend, “See those sixth-graders over there? I’m going to slide into them and see how many of them I can knock down.” As luck would have it, one of those sixth-graders was my son and the unexpected impact of the collision sent him to the pavement where he bumped his teeth and loosened his braces. As Mike and his sister climbed into the car, he presented his mouth for inspection. “Great. This is just what I need today,” I thought. Our orthodontist works on the other side of town. Pushing aside thoughts of “What’s for dinner?” and the 20 other things I had on my agenda for the rest of the day, I headed to the orthodontist with the two children in tow, hearing the gory details of the sliding incident. My anger and frustration built. What a pointless, careless thing to do on the part of the offender. And was there damage to the teeth? The teeth I was already paying several thousand dollars to straighten? When we finally reached the orthodontist’s office, Mike disappeared into the examination room, and I flipped through a dog-eared magazine I could muster absolutely no interest in. The good news: The braces could be tightened; the teeth had not been hurt. We all headed to the car, the darkness
Making church inspiring When you enter church, are you gripped with a sense of reverential awe? Does stillness and order speak of being in God’s presence? Or do you get the impression of a social gathering of friends? When you enter are people scurrying around the altar, lectors looking over texts, choirs practicing and ushers and parishioners conversing? Several years ago, a classmate and I visited a newly constructed church. As we entered, a woman was standing at the lectern hollering instructions to young people about an upcoming social event. My classmate remarked, “The lectern should be kept sacred for the word of God. It’s not a public podium!” At first I thought this conservative. I have experienced churches being used for social gatherings. In many poor parishes, they don’t have any other facility to use. With the recent concern of Pope Benedict XVI about the surge in
secularism and loss of sacredness, I’ve had a change of mind. I now wonder whether our churches are unconsciously contributing to this. To be secular is to be primarily concerned with the here and now. Sacred traditions are of no value, nor is meditating the transcendent. Not only is our society more secular; it is more profane. The word “profane” means to be “outside the temple.” How to get more of our society into the temple and its divine mysteries is a big challenge. This is especially true of attracting our youth who are brought up in overstimulated environments. What is there to attract them to our churches? Do we compete with their music with upbeat songs? Do we provide a more inviting social atmosphere for them? Do we focus on contemporary homilies that aim at their world? Or are on the wrong track in this thinking? Instead of increasing stimulation in our churches,
For the Journey EFFIE CALDAROLA cns columnist
of evening already gathering around us, and headed back out into the clogged streets full of people hurrying home from work. My relief that the teeth were OK soon gave way to frustration that night was coming, that the whole evening was in disarray, that dinner would be late. I felt my stomach tighten; my body became that little knot of tenseness that is the opposite of everything I try to be. Then on the street ahead, I saw the license plate: UR4GVN, it announced to me just as clearly as if the Archangel Michael had climbed into the front seat of the car and delivered the message personally. Suddenly, I had to wipe away the tears that clouded my eyes. A feeling of release went through my whole body. I was forgiven? I could forgive the boy who slid on the ice. But could I forgive myself for my impatience and anger? For not being the efficient homemaker with dinner planned out ahead of time? For putting too many things on my “to do” list and then going nuts when it deteriorated into a “didn’t do” list? But I was forgiven. Who, I wondered, pays to put a message like that on their vanity plates? Someone who has no idea he made a frazzled mom cry on the way home from the orthodontist.
The Human Side FATHER EUGENE HEMRICK cns columnist
make them quiet, awesome temples. What would happen if more people entered a church in which no one was on the altar, at the lectern, practicing music or conversing within its walls, a church whose entrance promoted silence not in a disciplinary way but as a way of encouraging people to focus their powers of concentration on entering into its divine mysteries? Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “Concentration is the secret of our strength.” Churchgoers should leave church strengthened. What better way to achieve this than creating an awesome stillness that says, God is here?
October 5, 2007
The Catholic News & Herald 15
Bring on the ‘individuarians’
New word classifies someone intent on improving common good There is no room for individualism in Catholic social teaching, I remarked recently to a Jewish friend. She thought there should be and wondered why I thought differently. I explained that any “ism” throws a noun into italics, so to speak, or gives it a bold-face emphasis that almost always results in an imbalance. Racism, sexism, materialism are just three examples I offered to make that point. I indicated that the word I’ve come up with to describe an individual who is unique, autonomous and socially responsible is “individuarian.” The word is not in the dictionary, I acknowledged, but it is one that is useful to describe persons who are neither rugged individualists nor ideological communists, even though they are strong-minded individuals. A good description of the wrong kind of individualist is offered by Mary Douglas and Steven Ney in “Missing Persons”: “Individualists, as the name implies, are not trying to create a community but rather aiming to free themselves from the fetters of social restriction. They thrive in loose organizational structures,
around which they can move freely without long-term commitment, able to negotiate their own dealings with other individuals. “Well-being for them means the freedom to pursue self-interested ends. It is the well-being of the narrowly defined ego, the ideal of negative freedom from interference.” We certainly don’t need more of that in contemporary society. We need persons with higher ideals, larger hearts and wider horizons. In searching for a label for this kind of person, I recalled that “communitarian” came into currency some years ago to describe a community-minded, socially responsible, environmentally sensitive, resourceful and self-starting citizen. Might not “individuarian” be a good label now for the innovators and enablers we need to offset the community-eroding effects of individualism in daily life? Individuarians are needed now if America is to find a balanced future free of individualistic excesses. The meaning of individualism, David Riesman wrote decades ago, depends on the historical setting. In America at mid-20th century,
Letting go as your children grow up
Maturity is needed for both kids, parents It should get easier, shouldn’t it, letting our children move on to the next step — the next stage — in their lives? But it never does, does it? Dropping the little one at day care for the first time. Walking out of the kindergarten classroom. Seeing a child enter middle school, high school, college. Standing by as they enter the job market or the military. An overseas deployment. A move to another part of the country or the world. It isn’t that you don’t want that child to grow in wisdom and age and grace. It’s just that ... Just that what? Sometimes we’re so busy parenting, we fail to notice that our child is changing; is, in so many ways, becoming a different person. Day to day, we aren’t as likely to see it. It’s at those dramatic moments, those milestones, that the transformation is startling. It suddenly becomes clear we no longer have a preschooler. Yes, those early years had their challenges and, yes, we looked forward to that little one heading off to school for
a half day — then a full day! — but when that first school year actually begins — it’s then we realize the preschooler is gone. And we loved that preschooler. Just as we loved that infant. Then that toddler. Just as, a few years down the road, we’ll love that middle-schooler. That high-schooler. That college student. That young adult. (And, as some older seniors will tell you, eventually that middle-ager who has become eligible for AARP, senior discounts and social security. Don’t say you weren’t warned!) Loving and letting go is at the heart of parenting. We love who they were. We love who they are. We love who they will be. We treasure all three. A friend of ours who is a parish director of religious education says one of her favorite stories in the Gospels is Mary and Joseph losing Jesus after a visit to Jerusalem. After three days (three days!), they find him in the Temple (Lk 2:41-52). Mom: “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been
Looking Around JESUIT FATHER WILLIAM J. BYRON cns columnist
he saw newer varieties of what he labeled “groupism” becoming “increasingly menacing,” while there was a corresponding rise in a character orientation he called “inner-direction” that was guided by values and ideals that made the principled persons who held them “appear to be more individualistic than they actually were.” The “appear to be” qualifier is important. I use “individuarian” to describe a good form of individualism. It is needed now, I think, to protect the common good from the extremes of self-centeredness on the right and mindless groupism on the left. It serves to classify the strong individual who is intent on contributing to a stronger and measurably more just society by protecting and advancing the common good. Although respectful of competition and fully capable of confrontation, the individuarian prefers cooperation as an instrument of change on the way to community improvement. We need more individuarians at all levels of society if society itself is going to survive.
Your Family BILL and MONICA DODDS cns columnists
looking for you with great anxiety.” Child: “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” “There you have proof,” our friend maintains, “even in the very best of families, things get mixed up. And messed up. If it happens in the Holy Family, you can be sure it’s going to happen in yours.” Sometimes it’s our children who remind us they’re growing up. They really are old enough to do this or that. But other times, it’s a mom or dad who has to point out to that child — or teen — that he or she isn’t quite that old yet. The opposite can happen, too. A parent may need to do a little prodding to get a son or daughter to take the next step. That could be one very loose interpretation of the story of the wedding feast at Cana (Jn 2:1-12). The sandal was on the other foot there! It was Mary who nudged Jesus to perform his first public miracle.
Pope says Jesus’ promise to remain with believers gives them strength The Pope Speaks POPE BENEDICT XVI VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The fact that Christ is both human and divine, that he existed from all eternity and has promised to stay with believers until the end of time, gives Christians the strength they need to live meaningful and upright lives, Pope Benedict XVI said. “This is important: The eternal God was born of a woman and remains with us each day. Trusting in this, we live. And trusting in this, we find the pathway for our lives,” the pope said Oct. 3 at his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square. The pope had returned to the Vatican from his summer villa at Castel Gandolfo where he had been since late July. The pope discussed the teaching of St. Cyril of Alexandria, the fourth-century bishop and doctor of the church known especially for his defense of the teaching that Jesus Christ was both human and divine, one person with two natures. The pope described as “significant” St. Cyril’s insistence on “the clarity of the doctrine of our faith.” Here is the Vatican text of Pope Benedict’s remarks in English. Dear Brothers and Sisters, The subject of today’s catechesis is St. Cyril of Alexandria, known as the “pillar of faith” and the “seal of all the Fathers.” He was born somewhere between 370 and 380, and at a young age became bishop of Alexandria. Cyril was a zealous defender of the faith. He took care to ensure that his theology was firmly situated within the tradition of the church by referring to preceding ecclesiastical authorities, especially Athanasius. Through a series of letters countering the position of Nestorius, the bishop of Constantinople, Cyril made a very significant contribution to Christology, defending the divinity and humanity of Christ united in the one Lord, Christ and Son. He was also of utmost influence at the Council of Ephesus, supporting the recognition of the Virgin Mary as the “Mother of God.” This led to the deposition of Nestorius as bishop of Constantinople. St. Cyril, a prolific writer whose works were read throughout the church, was declared a doctor of the church by Pope Leo XIII in 1882. May our remembrance of this outstanding figure in the history of Christianity remind us that the centre of our faith is the encounter with Jesus Christ, who gives each one of us a new horizon and a decisive direction.
October 5, 2007
in the news
The Catholic News & Herald 16
Heavenly bodies Vatican pulls top astronomers into its orbit for galaxy conference by CAROL GLATZ catholic news service
ROME — The Vatican Observatory called together some of the world’s top astronomers for a major conference on the creation and evolution of disk galaxies in an effort to better understand the nature of the universe. More than 200 men and women from 26 countries attended the Oct. 1-5 conference in Rome to share some of the discoveries since the Vatican’s last galaxy conference in 2000. The observatory director, Argentine Jesuit Father Jose Funes, said they were able to attract top scientists and scholars for the meeting because “the Vatican Observatory is a prestigious institute, and the Holy See is well recognized in this field of astronomy.” Hosting the meeting in the heart of Rome also made it “particularly appealing to people,” he told reporters Oct. 3.
So much is to be discovered about how planets, stars and galaxies are formed, he said. Scientists hope getting a clearer picture of how nearby galaxies developed will help unlock secrets about the nature of more distant galaxies, he said. Father Funes, an astronomer who specializes in galaxies, said participants were investigating one type of galaxy, the disk galaxy, which, because of its flat circle of stars rotating around a nucleus or central bulge, looks like “a fried egg.” Because of the development of bigger and more powerful telescopes, many discoveries are being made, he said. For example, galaxies are spread out even farther than scientists once thought, he said. Father Funes said new findings on how galaxies are growing also were being unveiled at the gathering. Mary Putman, a professor of astronomy at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, said smaller, dwarf
CNS photo by NASA
The Whirlpool galaxy and the Companion galaxy are seen in this image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. The Vatican Observatory held an international conference Oct. 1-5 in Rome on the formation and evolution of disk galaxies. galaxies are being lured toward a larger galaxy, which then “gobbles up” the smaller star-systems. She said neighboring dwarf galaxies are drawn in and ripped apart by the strong gravitational pull of the larger galaxy that then sucks in the smaller galaxy’s material for its own use. Putnam, with a team of astronomers, produced in 1998 the world’s first image showing the Milky Way tearing off parts of two nearby galaxies. She told Catholic News Service that an evolving disk galaxy is in constant need of fuel to power its growth. Earth’s galaxy, the Milky Way, gets its energy from a combination of eating up smaller orbiting systems, and having giant clouds which condense in the disk’s outer reaches and then “rain” hydrogen fuel onto the galaxy, she said. Putnam said colleagues in the United States were surprised and “got a kick”
out of hearing she was going to present her research to a conference sponsored by the Vatican. But she said that “when I was getting into astronomy I was aware of the Vatican Observatory.” She said seeing the church involved in the field “also shows that whatever your belief system, there is still the mystery of the science going on in the universe that’s intriguing to everyone.” Father Funes said that while studying the stars and gazing at galaxies does not erase misery and suffering in the world, “astronomy plays an important role in making us more human.” Discovering the immensity of the universe “helps us to realize we’re a small planet, a very fragile planet and we have to take care of it,” and save resources for future generations, he said. Astronomy shows that human beings also “are fragile and small, and in the hands of God,” he said.