`Hope for a better life`

Transcription

February 12, 2010
The Catholic News & Herald 1
www.charlottediocese.org
Roman Catholic Diocese
of Charlotte
Perspectives
The Human Side: How
do we grow in prayer this
Lent?; Lent is all about
becoming saints
Established Jan. 12, 1972
by Pope Paul VI
February 12, 2010
Conversion
breaks bonds of
selfishness, pope
says in Lenten
message
VATICAN CITY (CNS) —
Conversion to Christ gives
people the strength to break
the bonds of selfishness and
work for justice in the world,
Pope Benedict XVI said in his
message for Lent 2010.
“The Christian is moved
to contribute to creating just
societies where all receive what
is necessary to live according to
the dignity proper to the human
person and where justice is
enlivened by love,” the pope
said in the message released
Feb. 4 at the Vatican.
Latin-rite Catholics begin
Lent Feb. 17 while most
Eastern-rite Catholics begin
the penitential season Feb. 15.
The theme of the pope’s
message was, “The Justice
of God Has Been Manifested
through Faith in Jesus Christ.”
T h e
c o m m o n
understanding of “justice,” he
said, is to give each person his
or her due.
But because people are
created in God’s image, they
not only need food, water,
shelter and jobs; they need God
and they need love, he said.
The greatest sign of God’s
love is the gift of salvation
in Christ. When people
accept that gift, the pope said,
they recognize that they are
dependent on God.
“Conversion to Christ,
See LENT, page 6
More inside
Lent starts on Wednesday,
Feb. 17. Do you know the rules
for fasting and abstinence?
See page 14.
| Pages 14-15
Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte
vOLUME 19
no. 13
“We have a responsibility to reach out to our brothers and sisters as part of our faith.”
—CSS employment specialist Linda Campbell
‘Hope for
a better life’
Catholic Social Services helps
refugees from all over the world
start anew in our diocese
SUEANN HOWELL
Special to The Catholic News & Herald
CHARLOTTE — Mat Kar Sin received a
remarkable gift for his 21st birthday this year:
his freedom.
Sin, a Burmese refugee, waited 15 years
to escape the abject poverty of a refugee camp
in Thailand.
Sin, his wife Sai Na and 19-month-old
son Da Ra are the newest arrivals receiving
See HOPE, page 8
Photo by sueann howell
Mat Kar Sin, a Burmese refugee newly arrived from a refugee camp in Thailand, and his son Day Ra are
adjusting to their new lives in Charlotte. The family is one of several hundred helped by Catholic Social
Services’ Refugee Resettlement Office each year.
Also inside
This week’s Year for Priests profile
features Father Tien Duong, himself a
refugee from Vietnam. See page 4.
‘Operation Rice Bowl’ starts
Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17
Program raises awareness of hunger, poverty
FROM STAFF REPORTS
The Catholic
News & Herald
This Lenten season,
millions of Catholics in the U.S.
— including 45 parishes and
four schools here in the Diocese
of Charlotte – will participate
in “Operation Rice Bowl,”
Catholic Relief Services’
annual Lenten program that
starts Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17.
Parishes and schools from
more than 12,000 communities
nationwide will use symbolic
rice bowls as the focal point for
their prayer, fasting, learning
and giving.
Rice bowl kits will also be
See BOWL, page 6
In the News
Culture Watch
Update on diocesan Haiti
relief efforts; Haitian parish
aids earthquake victims
N.C. Bishops oppose
textbook wording on
Roe v. Wade
| Page 12
| Page 11
February 12, 2010
2 The Catholic News & Herald
InBrief
Current and upcoming topics
from around the world to your
own backyard
Church committed to protecting
children and family, pope says
child, the pope acknowledged that
VAT I C A N C I T Y ( C N S ) —
some priests have violated children,
T h e C h u r c h c o n tin u es to b e a
“a behavior which the church does not
leading promoter of the rights of
and will not hesitate to deplore and
children and of their well being
condemn.”
and education, Pope Benedict
The U.N. Convention on the
XVI said, despite the deplorable
Rights of the Child says the family is
behavior of a few priests.
“The harsh words of
Jesus against those who V i e w th e D i o c e s e o f C ha r l o tt e ’ s
would scandalize one of p o l i cy a b o u t s af e e nv i r o n m e nt s at
the little ones requires the charlottediocese.org/protectinggodschildren.
commitment of all to never
lower the level of respect and
the natural environment for a child’s
love” for children, the pope said Feb.
growth and well being, the pope said.
8 during a meeting with the Pontifical
Children “want to be loved
Council for the Family.
by a mother and a father who
The council was holding its
love each other, and they need to
plenary meeting, which was to
live and grow with both parents
include a study day on the status of
because the maternal and paternal
upholding the rights of children as
figures are complementary in the
well as the beginning of work on
education of children and in the
guidelines for marriage preparation.
construction of their personality
Before turning to the importance
and identity,” he said.
of a united family in the life of a
cns photo by Patrick
J. Carroll, The Catholic Spirit
A portrait of Maria Esperanza Medrano de Bianchini is displayed at St. Francis Cathedral in Metuchen,
N.J., during a ceremony opening her cause for sainthood Jan. 31. The Venezuelan mystic, who died in New
Jersey, became known after Mary reportedly appeared to her and 150 others on a farm in Venezuela in
1984. The initial phases of the investigation include gathering witnesses, documents and other evidence
to determine her holiness.
Metuchen opens sainthood
cause for Venezuelan mystic
METUCHEN, N.J. (CNS) — The
sainthood cause has formally opened for
Maria Esperanza Medrano de Bianchini,
a Venezuelan woman believed to have
seen 31 apparitions of Mary, and who
spread worldwide a message of family
reconciliation and fraternal unity that she
said Mary relayed to her.
“We gather together as a people
filled with faith believing in the gift of
God,” said Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski,
who presided at the ceremony and
bilingual Mass at St. Francis of Assisi
Cathedral in Metuchen Jan. 31. “We
believe God gives us men and women
of fine example who show us the way to
Jesus Christ.
“Today, we begin the cause for
Maria Esperanza, a woman of faith and
we pray as this faith community that God
will recognize her through his church as
one of his saints,” he said.
The Mass, which was concelebrated
by 29 priests, drew more than 1,100
people, including family members,
a 60-member choir and others from
Bianchini’s native Venezuela.
Bianchini reportedly first saw an
apparition of Mary in 1976, but she
became a world-renowned figure after
Mary reportedly appeared to her and 150
others at a farm named Finca Betania
in Venezuela on March 25, 1984. Mary
is said to have appeared under the title
“Mary, virgin and mother, reconciler of
all people and nations.”
The apparition was deemed valid by
Bishop Pio Bello Ricardo of Los Teques,
Venezuela, in 1987.
A biography of Bianchini, who
died in New Jersey in 2004, notes she
was endowed with the “gift of healing,
the gift of counsel, discernment of
spirits, visions, locutions, ecstasies,
levitation, the odor of sanctity, the
stigmata ... and the ability to read the
hearts of others.”
An ecclesiastical tribunal has
been established to gather witnesses,
documents and other evidence to
determine the holiness of Bianchini.
“We continued to be mystified by
the life of Maria Esperanza,” said Father
Timothy E. Byerley, a Camden priest
who is vice postulator of her cause. “She
wanted to teach us the way of love, the
Gospel of love. If you want to know
about her life, that was it.
“It is the mission, the message of
fraternal unity and family reconciliation.
When Our Lady came to Betania in 1984
that was the message, when the family’s
healed, society’s healed,” he added.
Maria Gracia Bianchini, one of
Bianchini’s daughters, said the ceremony
“was like a dream” and emphasized her
mother’s desire to strengthen the bonds
of family.
Born on Nov. 22, 1928, Bianchini
was the mother of seven children and
grandmother of 20 children.
The Church’s process leading to
canonization involves three major steps.
First is the declaration of a person’s
heroic virtues, after which the Church
gives the sainthood candidate the title
of “venerable.” Second is beatification,
after which he or she is called “blessed.”
The third step is canonization, or the
declaration of sainthood.
Diocesan
planner
For more events taking place
in the Diocese of Charlotte,
visit www.charlottediocese.
org/calendarofevents-cn.
ASHEVILLE VICARIATE
SWANNANOA — Parishioners are invited to
participate in listening and discussing major
themes in Scripture, presented on tape by Father
Richard Rhor and facilitated by Deacon Eckoff, at
St. Margaret Mary Church, 102 Andrew Pl. The
proposed time is 1 p.m. Feb. 17, and continuing
as long as parishioners would like.
CHARLOTTE VICARIATE
CHARLOTTE — St. Thomas Aquinas’ Parish
Lenten Mission will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 22, 23 and
24, 1400 Suther Road. The theme is “Discipleship:
A Courageous Step Forward,” presented by
Father Vincent Fortunato, OFM Cap.
CHARLOTTE — Join other adults from 6:30
to 8 p.m. Feb. 21 at St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621
Dilworth Road East, for Adult Catechism, in
the Family Life Center, for a discussion on
intercessory prayer to the saints and how to have
a fruitful Lent. For more information, contact
Renee O’Brien at [email protected].
MINT HILL — St. Luke Church, 13700 Lawyers
Road, will have a special Mass for those wishing
to receive the Holy Sacrament of Anointing of the
Sick at 10 a.m. Feb. 20, sponsored by the HOPE
Committee. Anointing is typically presented to
those who need healing from physical or mental
illness or someone undergoing surgery. For more
information, call 704-545-1224.
CHARLOTTE — St. John Neumann Church,
8451 Idlewild Road, presents “Reduce Internet
Victimization” from 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 25 in the Parish
Hall. Members of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police
Department will educate parents and caregivers
about the challenges facing youths on the Internet.
For more information, contact Shannon Cutler at
704-536-6520.
CHARLOTTE — Join parishioners at St. Matthew
Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., as they
gather in small communities once a week during
Lent to reflect on our faith, using the guide Christian
Prayer: Deepening my Experience with God. “Why
Catholic?” begins Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17, and
ends Mar. 31. Sign up in the church narthex after
each Mass or at www.stmatthewcatholic.org. For
more information, contact Pat or Julia at 704-5437677, ext. 1039 or 1056.
CHARLOTTE — St. John Neumann Church, 8451
Idlewild Road, invites the public to participate in
a Forty Hours Devotion. It will begin with solemn
evening prayer at 7 p.m. Mar. 3 and conclude with
solemn evening prayer at 7 p.m. Mar. 5. Monsignor
John McSweeney will preach each evening, with
talks related to the theme, “Food for our journey:
Eucharistic Stories of Faith.” For more information,
contact the parish office at 704-536-6520.
MINT HILL — The adult education commission
of St. Luke Church, 13700 Lawyers Road, presents
Lenten Seminars with Sister Veronica Grover. Plan
to attend one or all of the seminars, to be held from
3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Family Life Center. Sign up in
the brick area or by email to amber.ockerbloom@
yahoo.com.
CHARLOTTE — Father Philip Scarcella will
present a four-part series on early Christian writings
february 12, 2010
Volume 19 • Number 13
Publisher: Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis
Editor: Patricia Guilfoyle
Graphic DESIGNER: Tim Faragher
Advertising MANAGER: Cindi Feerick
COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT: Denise Onativia
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: [email protected]
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.
February 12, 2010
FROM THE VATICAN
Pope puts charity at center of church life, USCCB official says
WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNS) —
With his encyclical “Caritas in Veritate”
(“Charity in Truth”), Pope Benedict
XVI “placed charity at the very center
of church life, and defines charity in
the most challenging, demanding way,”
said John Carr, executive director of the
U.S. bishops’ Department of Justice,
Peace and Human Development.
Speaking Feb. 8 at the annual
Catholic Social Ministry Gathering
in Washington, D.C., Carr said Pope
Benedict made justice “inseparable
from charity and intrinsic to it.”
The pope’s encyclical underscores
the importance of the Catholic
Campaign for Human Development,
Carr said in his talk, “Speaking
‘Charity in Truth’ to Power.” “CCHD
is about the institutional path of charity
— empowering people so they can
speak for themselves.”
He later added, “We need to
recommit to CCHD because its work
(the Didache) at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400
Suther Road. The text has three main sections
dealing with Christian lessons and rituals, and
Church organization. Sessions will be held from 7
to 9 p.m., Feb. 16 through Mar. 16.
CHARLOTTE — St. Peter’s Church, 507 S. Tryon
St., is offering a five-week guided Lenten retreat
experience, Shaped by the Cross, from 8:30 a.m.
to noon, Feb. 20 through Mar. 27, meeting weekly
in Biss Hall (under the church). Daily prayer
readings will be provided. Parking is free in the
Green Parking Garage next to the Church. To
register, contact the Parish Office at 704-332-2901
or [email protected].
is more important than ever,” which
elicited applause from Carr’s audience.
CCHD is the U.S. bishops’ domestic
anti-poverty agency.
Carr pointed to a year full of
unexpected political developments
since the last Catholic Social Ministry
Gathering, one of them being the
phenomenon of pro-life Democrats,
whom he said are viewed as suspect by
both other Democrats and other prolifers. Yet “they made the difference …
in passing the health care bill” in the
House, Carr said.
Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., a
Catholic congressman, sponsored
the amendment to the House
version of the health care bill that
would extend the original Hyde
amendment that forbids federal
funding of abortions.
Health care absorbs a lot of the
public’s interest and the bishops’ as
well, he added.
The House and Senate both passed
health reform bills, but since the Jan.
19 election of Republican Scott Brown
of Massachusetts to the upper house
broke up the Democrats’ 60-vote
supermajority in the Senate, the future
of health reform legislation is up in
the air.
Carr noted other items on
the bishops’ legislative agenda,
including putting the needs of
the poor first; fixing the U.S.
immigration system; addressing
long-term recovery in Haiti and
“the poorest places in the world”;
working toward a responsible
transition in Afghanistan; and
reforming and strengthening foreign
development assistance to promote
a better and safer world.
HIGH POINT — Immaculate Heart of Mary
Church, 4145 Johnson St., will have Lenten
Simplicity Meals of soup and bread at 6:30 p.m.
Feb 19, 26, Mar. 5, 12, 19 and 26 to share prayer,
fasting and almsgiving. This event will be held in
the Gathering Space, with an opportunity to make
a donation to the poor and the Stations of the Cross
at 7:30 p.m. in the Church.
HIGH POINT — Adult Faith Formation at
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 4145 Johnson
St., will host a presentation by Hospice of the
Piedmont on Mar. 3. The speaker will explain
how Hospice provides palliative care and assists
families when a loved one is at the end of life.
For more information, call Deacon Wally at
336-884-5212.
cns photo by Paul
Haring
Pope Benedict XVI offers his blessing after leading the Angelus prayer from the window of his apartment
overlooking St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Feb. 7.
GASTONIA VICARIATE
BELMONT — Queen of the Apostles Church,
503 North Main St., will have a Community
Breakfast 8-11 a.m. Feb. 13 in the MAK Center.
Enjoy Walter’s famous pancake and sausage
breakfast as well as conversation with friends and
fellow parishioners.
GREENSBORO VICARIATE
GREENSBORO — A Matter of Balance will be
sponsored by St. Pius X Church Senior’s Ministry
and presented by Abbotswood at Irving Park. It
will be from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays and
Fridays, Feb. 24 through Mar. 19 at Kloster Center,
220 State St. This four-week program, involving
eight two-hour sessions, is designed to reduce the
fear of falling and increase activity levels of older
adults who have concerns about falling. Space is
limited to 15 participants. Call the parish office to
register by Feb. 19, 336-272-4681.
GREENSBORO — Join Our Lady of Grace
School, 2205 West Market St., for an open house
at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 25. There will also be a special
middle school program at 9:30 a.m. Mar. 4. For
more information or to make an appointment with
the principal, call 336-275-1522.
Episcopal
SALISBURY VICARIATE
MOORESVILLE — Extraordinary Ministers of
Holy Communion, lectors, ushers, altar servers
and music ministers are invited to participate in a
Liturgical Minister’s Retreat at St. Therese Church,
217 Brawley School Road, beginning with Mass
at 9 a.m. Feb. 20. It will be facilitated by Father
Don Ward.
WINSTON-SALEM VICARIATE
WINSTON-SALEM — Our Lady of Mercy School
will host an open house from 9 a.m. to noon Feb.
24. Our Lady of Mercy, 1730 Link Road, is SACS
accredited and enrollment is available for pre-K to
eighth grade for the 2010-’11 school year. For a
student-led tour, call 336-722-7204.
Is your parish or school sponsoring a free event
open to the public? Deadline for all submissions
for the Diocesan Planner is 10 days prior to
desired publication date. Submit in writing to
[email protected] or fax to
704-370-3382.
calendar
Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in
the following events:
February 13 – 10:30 a.m.
Sacrament of Confirmation
St. Gabriel Church, Charlotte
February 21 – 2:00 p.m.
Rite of Election
Holy Family Church, Clemmons
Diocesan Finance Council Meeting
Pastoral Center
Rite of Election
St. Gabriel Church, Charlotte
Several factors govern date of
implementation for new Roman Missal
WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNS)
— When liturgists in the Englishspeaking world talk about when the
new Roman Missal might go into use
in Catholic parishes, the date most
often mentioned is Nov. 27, 2011, the
start of Advent and the beginning of the
church’s liturgical year.
But is that what Catholics in the
United States can expect? It depends,
said Father Rick Hilgartner, associate
director of the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat
of Divine Worship.
First the U.S. bishops have to wait
for the Vatican Congregation for Divine
Worship and the Sacraments to grant its
“recognitio,” or official approval, of
the translations that have been in the
works since Pope John Paul II issued
the new missal in Latin in 2002.
“The publishers tell us they need at
least 12 months” to print and distribute
the new missal to every U.S. parish,
Father Hilgartner said. “And the
bishops tell us they need at least 12
months for catechesis.”
Other, smaller English-speaking
countries might not need a full 12
months for implementation, he noted.
Although the Catholic bishops’
conferences in the U.S. and Canada
will make their decisions separately
about the implementation date in their
own countries, “we’re each trying to
be aware of what the other is doing,”
he added.
But the time between the
“recognitio” and U.S. implementation
of the missal could be more than
12 months, depending on when the
Vatican announcement is made, Father
Hilgartner said.
If the “recognitio” comes this
June, for example, “implementation
in the middle of the summer would be
foolish,” Father Hilgartner said. And
it is unlikely that the bishops would
choose to implement it during Lent,
which covers March and most of April
in 2011, he added.
Ultimately, the decision on the
implementation date will rest with
Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago,
president of the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops.
Once he sets the date, the USCCB
Publishing Office will make available
a parish implementation kit that will
include a planning guide, suggested
activities and resources for every facet
of parish and school life, and a detailed
planning workbook designed to make
the catechetical period a time of parish
liturgical renewal.
February 12, 2010
AROUND THE DIOCESE
Year for Priests
Lending a hand
Interviews with priests
around the diocese
FATHER TIEN HUNG DUONG
courtesy photo
FATHER TIEN HUNG DUONG
Pastor, St. Francis of Assisi Church in
Franklin, Smoky Mountain Vicariate
Place of Birth & Home Parish – Born
in Saigon, Vietnam; Hang-Xanh Parish
was my home parish in Vietnam; in U.S.
my home parish is St. Joseph Vietnamese Church in Charlotte
High School – Thanh-Da,
Saigon, Vietnam
College/University/Seminary – St.
Joseph Seminary College in Covington,
La., for philosophy
Seminary – St. Vincent Seminary in
Latrobe, Pa., for theology
Date of Ordination – June 2, 2001
What assignments have you had since
ordination?
Parochial vicar, St. Gabriel Church
in Charlotte; St. Mark Church in
Huntersville; Administrator at Our Lady
of the Mountains Church in Highlands
and St. Jude Church in Sapphire Valley
What have been some of the greatest
joys for you as a priest?
There are many! Celebrating the
first Mass of Thanksgiving with my
brother, Father James Duc Duong; laying
my hands on my younger brother at
his ordination to the priesthood for the
Vincentians Community; celebrating
and giving blessing to my parents on
their 50th and 55th wedding anniversaries;
saying, “Welcome back” to those who
return to God and the Church in the
sacrament of reconciliation.
Who influenced you most to consider
the vocation to priesthood?
Father Thomas Tran Le Vinh, pastor
at Hang-Xanh Parish in Vietnam.
What was your background before you
entered seminary?
In Vietnam I made reed mats at home
for a living, studying secretly with my
spiritual director at seminary. I escaped
from Vietnam twice and came to the
U.S. in 1991; I worked for over a year,
and then joined the diocese to study for
the priesthood.
The Columbiettes of Holy Cross Church in Kernersville recently presented
What would people be surprised to
know about you?
I am one of the “boat people.” I
spent almost two-and-a-half years in a
refugee camp in Indonesia. I have two
brothers who are priests. I was ordained
together with my brother, Father James
Duc Duong, at St. Gabriel Church. I love
a good sense of humor and I am much
older than people think!
Columbiettes said they were grateful they could help out. From left are
What are some of your hobbies?
Collecting humorous stories (that are
appropriate and have a good meaning),
and listening to religious music
in Vietnamese
What are some of your favorite
books/spiritual reading/magazines?
The Priest, The Catholic Answer and
apologetics books
a check to Crisis Control Ministry Director Kathy Hoffner. The need
for assistance from the Crisis Control Ministry has increased, and the
Susan Bellanger and Barbara Tesh, Holy Cross Columbiettes, and Hoffner.
Partners in Hope
A Triad Event to benefit the work of Catholic Social Services
with offices in Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point
Saturday, February 20
Old Salem Museum & Visitor Center
Winston-Salem
7pm – 10pm
Who is a hero to you?
St. Peter (in Vietnamese, Phero),
which is my baptismal name; Father
Thomas Tran Le Vinh and Father Francis
Xavier Nguyen Huu Tan
What are some ways that we can help
all people/families understand their
role in promoting and supporting
vocations?
Mention it in the homily and in
the prayers of the faithful at Mass. The
priest’s life itself must be the best and
concrete way.
What advice would you give a young
man who is contemplating a vocation
to the priesthood?
Spend more time before the Blessed
Sacrament; talk to Jesus, particularly
right after receiving Him into your soul
at Communion; and don’t forget to ask
Mary, Mother of Jesus, for guidance and
also your patron saint(s) for support.
Enjoy an evening with friends, cocktails, hearty hors d’oeuvres,
music and a silent auction.
Keynote address will be offered by The Most Reverend William
G. Curlin, DD, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Charlotte.
Tickets: $50 per person
$350 table of eight
your local
Catholic Charities Agency
For tickets or information: Tammy at (336)727-0705 x228 or email
[email protected]
February 12, 2010
around the diocese
Parish energy audits target waste, promote stewardship
JOSEPH PURELLO
Special to
The Catholic News & Herald
CHARLOTTE — Free energy
audits of two Charlotte churches
last month by a N.C. Department of
Environment and Natural Resources
engineer are expected to provide useful
information for all parishes on how
to reduce energy usage and be better
stewards of their resources.
John Seymour led a presentation Jan.
28 about how to reduce energy usage,
attended by physical plant directors and
facility managers from four Charlotte
area churches, the Pastoral Center
and the Sisters of Mercy Sacred Heart
Campus in Belmont, held at Our Lady of
Consolation Church in Charlotte.
Afterwards, Seymour conducted a
free walk-through energy audit in several
buildings on the grounds of Our Lady of
Consolation and at St. Peter Church.
The program was co-sponsored
by Catholic Social Services Office of
Justice and Peace, which plans to present
the full audit findings in the program
“Parishes and Parishioners Energized”
March 13 at Our Lady of Consolation
(see ad on page 8).
Q: How were these energy
audits planned?
A: Our Lady of Consolation and
St. Peter, two of the four churches cosponsoring the March 13 event, invited
Seymour to conduct the energy audits.
(The other church sponsors are St.
Matthew and Queen of the Apostles.)
These free congregation audits are
arranged by N.C. Interfaith Power &
Light, a program that came out of the
North Carolina Council of Churches.
NCIPL set up the relationship with the
N.C. Department of Environment and
SPECTACULAR - UNSPOILED – HISTORICAL
CROATIA
with a special visit to Medjugorje
October 18-28, 2010
Natural Resources to give churches
the opportunity to have energy use
experts visit their facilities and audit
energy usage.
Q: Why is the Office of Justice and
Peace involved?
A: Being good stewards of our
resources is part of the Church’s social
teaching. Parishes that reduce energy
use not only save money that could
be used for key parish ministries, but
are also following the call of the U.S.
bishops and the Holy Father to be better
stewards of our earth’s resources. Pope
Benedict XVI, in his 2010 World Day
of Peace Message “If You Want to
Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation,”
associates the need to protect creation
as a condition to addressing poverty
and promoting global peace.
Q: What kind of energy saving tips
could parishes find?
A: An obvious one is with lighting
— not just the types of bulbs used,
although LEDs are beneficial — but also
when and where lights are on, how much
natural lighting is used, and ensuring
bulbs are dusted regularly. Another is to
“plug leaks” — making sure all exterior
doors have sweepers that cut airflow
— and turning off “energy vampires,”
appliances and electrical devices that
drain energy all the time.
A report on the energy audit findings
will be given on March 13. “Parishes &
Parishioners Energized!” will provide
attendees with knowledge about the
connections between protecting creation,
addressing global poverty, and promoting
peace; an understanding of Franciscan
spirituality of creation care; and resources
to learn more about how Catholics can
promote better stewardship of resources
in their parishes.
D a n Tu r n e r, t h e D i o c e s a n
Maintenance Coordinator, summed up
what he learned during the Jan. 28 audit,
saying that just like we reprogram our
thermostats for more efficient energy
usage, we need to “reprogram ourselves”
by realizing that what we’ve been doing
all these years may not be the best way to
keep doing them.
We can reduce a great deal of the
energy we’re using in our homes, offices
and churches by simple measures such
as turning off electrical devices we’re
not using, plugging energy leaks,
and using available energy-saving
technologies.
Holy Angels president to lead
Gaston Chamber of Commerce
Bring family and friends to join with the Diocese of Charlotte as we
experience Croatia – lying just across the Adriatic Sea from Italy! We’ll see
breathtaking natural beauty, significant places of European history and 3
UNESCO World Heritage sites! Plus, a spiritual visit to Medjugorje -- making
this trip a definite favorite for all!
Highlights of these 11 days include:
• Zagreb, the capital city with rich cultural and governmental history, and Roman
settlements from the 1st century
• beautiful, old-world Bled, Slovenia – a “pletna boat” will glide us across glacial
Lake Bled with the majestic, snow-tipped Julian Alps as the backdrop
• a tour of the world-famous Lipizzaner horse farm where we’ll witness an actual
training session of these magnificent Slovenian treasures!
• charming seaside Opatija, nestled in beautiful woods with elegant villas and a
seaside promenade to bring the Adriatic right up to your feet!
• the spectacular, breathtaking phenomenon of Plitvice Lakes national park – 16
terraced lakes connected by magnificent waterfalls and free-flowing cascades. A
lake cruise reveals the underwater life thriving in this natural wonderland!
• the ancient seaside city of Split (once the most important Mediterranean port in
then-Yugoslavia) where we’ll explore the Old City, the markets, Diocletian’s
Roman Palace and much more of its charm and fascinating history
• Medjugorje, the village which promises to inspire and enrich us as we learn about
Our Lady’s appearances there since 1981 – personal time for prayer, reflection and
Mass at beautiful St. James Church
• exciting Dubrovnik offers us its fascinating Old City, world-famous Franciscan
Monastery, exceptional architecture, seaside promenade and more!
• unforgettable home visit and culinary feast with a Croatian countryside family
sharing their culture and customs to enrich our total experience!
Unparalleled beauty, fascinating history and more await you on this trip!
Check out these highlights on the Internet and you’ll see why Croatia is
becoming a must-see destination, still unspoiled by “too many tourists.”
Price per person (double occupancy) is only $3,379 and includes: roundtrip
airfare from Charlotte; all hotels and transfers; most meals; fulltime
professional Tour Manager; local guides. Not included are cancellation
waiver/insurance ($200 per person) and air taxes/surcharges ($150).
For a brochure or questions, call Cindi Feerick at the diocese
(704) 370-3332 or e-mail [email protected].
Holy Angels President and CEO
Regina Moody was sworn in as the 2010
Chair of the Gaston Regional Chamber
during its 97th annual meeting Jan. 21 at
Gaston Country Club in Gastonia.
Moody has been a member of the
Chamber’s Board of Directors since
2004, when she served as the chair of
Gaston Together. She later became a
member of the Gaston 2012 initiative
and served as chair of that committee.
“As the President/CEO of Holy
Angels, it is important for myself as
well as Holy Angels to be involved in
the activities of the community. This
not only provides needed volunteers
for many of the civic organizations,
but gives the local area another way
to know the ministry and mission of
Holy Angels. I am honored to have
this opportunity to serve as the chair
of the Gaston Regional Chamber of
REGINA MOODY
Commerce,” Moody said.
Holy Angels was founded in 1956
by the Sisters of Mercy. The private,
nonprofit corporation in Belmont
provides residential services and
innovative programs for children and
adults with varying degrees of mental
retardation and physical disabilities,
some of whom are medically fragile.
February 12, 2010
FROM THE COVER
ORB way to help end hunger
This year’s theme: ‘Solidarity will transform the world’
BOWL, from page 1
distributed to Catholic Campus Ministry
participants in the “Give Your Heart
Away” justice and service weekend Feb.
12-14 at the Catholic Conference Center
in Hickory.
Getting involved in Operation Rice
Bowl is a tangible way to help people
living in poverty around the world — and
here locally.
Some participants make the small
sacrifice of preparing simple, meatless
recipes each week and putting the money
they otherwise would have spent on
a big meal into symbolic rice bowls.
Others make a daily or weekly donation
to their Operation Rice Bowl box by
doing without snack or candy purchases
during Lent. However the funds are
generated, the money goes to support
CRS’ mission to fight global hunger
and poverty — supporting long-term
development projects overseas and in
the U.S. in such areas as health care,
agriculture, education, micro-financing
and peace-building.
Last year Catholics nationwide
raised more than $6 million through
Operation Rice Bowl, 75 percent of
which is used to fund hunger and poverty
projects in 40 countries. The remaining
25 percent stays in dioceses to alleviate
hunger and poverty at the local level.
In the Charlotte diocese, this locally
retained money is used to provide $1,000
“mini-grants.” Coordinated by Catholic
Social Services’ Office of Justice and
Peace, mini-grants totaling $12,000 were
awarded to 15 groups in the diocese last
year, according to Joe Purello, director
of the Office of Justice and Peace. Five
grants were awarded in the western
region, four grants were awarded in
the central region, and six grants were
awarded in the eastern region.
Grants were used to support soup
kitchens, food pantries, homeless shelter
meals, families in crisis, and even a
parish garden project to produce fresh
vegetables for needy families.
“Participating in Operation Rice
Bowl provides Catholics with 40 days
of making a real difference in the lives
of people struggling with hunger and
poverty,” says Beth Martin, national
program manager for Operation Rice
Bowl. “Learning about our brothers
and sisters in developing countries and
following the call to sacrifice helps
thousands of people onto a path out of
poverty every year.”
The theme for this year’s program
is “Solidarity will transform the world.”
Countries overseas on which this
year’s ORB will focus are Lesotho,
Bolivia, Afghanistan, Nicaragua and
Ethiopia, with participants learning
about what kind of projects CRS is doing
in those nations.
Since its beginning in 1975,
Operation Rice Bowl has raised more than
$173 million to fund CRS’ development
projects. With active participation
in almost every diocese in the U.S.,
many communities and families have
adopted Operation Rice Bowl as a way
to observe Lent.
Catholic parishes and schools that are
not participating in the 2010 Operation
Rice Bowl Collection, but would like to
next year, should call 1-800-222-0025
to be placed on the distribution list for
material order requests that will be sent
out in the fall.
Want to participate in a Lenten
sacrifice, but don’t have Operation Rice
Bowl at your parish or school?
The Food Fast program (www.
fastfood.org) makes the tragedy of
hunger tangible and real for young
people through 24 hours of fasting,
prayer and reflection. Rooted in Catholic
faith traditions, this unique program
educates youth and young adults alike
about global poverty. It challenges
people to view their lives differently,
empowering them to act in ways that can
have long-term, positive effects on the
lives of the poor.
For other educational resources
about CRS, go to www.education.crs.org.
cns photo by
David Gray, Reuters
A man hunches on a footpath as he begs from passing crowds at the Longtan Park temple in Beijing
Jan. 30. United Nations statistics report in 2008 the number of undernourished people in the world
rose to 963 million.
Pope’s Lenten message
stresses justice, poverty
LENT, from page 1
believing in the Gospel, ultimately
means this: to exit the illusion of selfsufficiency in order to discover and
accept one’s own need — the need
of others and God, the need of his
forgiveness and his friendship,” the
pope wrote.
The Vatican invited Hans-Gert
Pottering, the former president of the
European Parliament and president
of Germany’s Konrad Adenauer
Foundation, to present the pope’s
message to the press.
Pottering said the basic call of the
pope’s message is “to work in union
with our creator on our responsibility
in the world.”
“In these words — charity,
solidarity, fraternity — lie the
key to a true understanding of the
responsibility of Christians in the
world,” he said. “Solidarity or charity
implies the responsibility to defend
and protect the universal dignity of
any human being anywhere in the
world under any circumstances.”
Pottering said unfortunately
modern politics has placed so much
emphasis on promoting freedom and
equality that it has almost ignored
the obligation to promote solidarity
and fraternity.
For example, “whereas Europe
and the world have already invested
unimaginable sums for the fight
against the financial crisis, the
implementation of charity leaves
much to be desired, especially
in the fight against hunger in the
world,” he said.
More than a billion people live
on less than $1.50 a day, he said.
AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis are
devastating the world’s poorest nations,
and pollution is destroying the air, water
and farmable land.
The international reaction to
the financial crisis demonstrates
that “international cooperation can
overcome huge challenges. A similar
firmness is equally necessary in the
fight against worldwide poverty,”
Pottering said.
February 12, 2010
AROUND THE DIOCESE
Annunciation Kof C recognized
Sister of virtue
courtesy photo
The Knights of Columbus Council 10495 of Our Lady of the Annunciation Church in Albemarle has
earned the 2008-’09 Star Award from the international organization, recognizing its overall excellence in
membership recruitment and retention, promotion of the fraternal insurance program and sponsorship of
service-oriented activities. “Your dedication is seen in the high standard of excellence you have achieved,”
said Carl A. Anderson, CEO of the Knights, in a recent letter. “May I encourage you to carry forward
this enthusiasm to meet the future challenges that face the Knights of Columbus.” The 50 members
of Annunciation Church’s Knights have raised and distributed approximately $200,000 to people and
charities in need since their inception nearly 20 years ago. Pictured is council Grand Knight Thomas
Horten receiving the award from past N.C. state Deputy Knight John Gouldie.
All are invited to
join in the Lenten Mission
“Responding to God … Person to Person”
Sunday, February 21
through Tuesday, February 23
St. Mark Catholic Church
14740 Stumptown Rd., Huntersville
(exit 23 from I-77)
courtesy photo
Presented by Vinny Flynn, well known as “the man
who sings the Divine Mercy Chaplet on EWTN,” this
mission will help lead you to a deeper personal
relationship with God by experiencing Vinny’s gifts of
music, teaching and prayer.
Sunday, Feb 21: 7-8:30pm — “Saying Yes to the Father” focuses on God, not merely as
Creator, but as a Father who wants to be personally involved with each of His children.
(For a minimum donation, after the 5pm Mass, pizza will be served in the Parish Hall for
those attending the Mission tonight.)
Monday, Feb 22nd: 9-10:30am — (immediately following 9am Mass) -- For those
unable to attend at night, this morning session will include insights from all 3 evening
sessions. A light brunch will follow in the Parish Hall.
Monday, Feb 22nd: 7- 8:00pm — “Meeting Jesus the Healer” focuses on the sacrament
of Reconciliation as a profound healing encounter with the Person of Jesus Christ.
Reconciliation will follow at 8pm.
Tuesday, Feb 23rd: 7-8:00pm — “Becoming Transparent to God” focuses on the
Eucharist and Our Blessed Lady. This evening will be based on the writings of Pope John
Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, as well as Vinny’s book “7 Secrets of the Eucharist.” A
healing procession with the Eucharist will follow, along with a reception in the Parish Hall.
Childcare (nights only) is available by reservation only –
contact Colleen Siadak 704-987-7926 or [email protected]
Mission info: Donna Smith at [email protected] or 704-948-1306
For info on Vinny Flynn, go to his Web site www.MercySong.com.
Providence Sister Katherine Francis has been honored by parishioners of
Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Lexington with the Salesian Award, given
to the church member who most exemplifies the virtues of St. Francis de Sales:
gentleness, dedication to the Catholic Church, support of parish life, service
to those in need, and outreach to the community. Pictured with her after Mass
Jan. 23 is Oblate of St. Francis de Sales Father Al Gondek, pastor.
February 12, 2010
from the
the cover
from
cover
CSS helps give refugees
HOPE, from page 1
help from the Catholic Social Services
Refugee Resettlement Office in the
Diocese of Charlotte.
After years in the camp, a grueling
20-plus hour plane trip and only a week
in the U.S., Sin said, “I don’t know how
to feel yet.”
That’s the grim reality for many
refugees who finally have the chance
to resettle here through a joint effort of
the federal and state governments and
humanitarian agencies that assist them.
courtesy photo
Parishioners of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte help furnish and fully stock an apartment for the Kichigin
family, refugees from Russia, before their arrival in the summer of 2006.
How can you help?
Catholic Social Services is a Christian ministry of charity, service and justice providing help to
those in need, hope to those in despair and inspiration for others to follow. CSS helps people
of all faiths and nationalities in the diocese. Offices are in Asheville, Charlotte, Greensboro,
High Point, Murphy and Winston-Salem.
Donations needed are: Blankets, coats, used cars, diapers, dishes, furniture (beds, couches,
dining sets, dressers, TVs, etc.), laundry detergent, linens, pots and pans, rice cookers, soap,
toilet paper, toothpaste, towels. Financial assistance and volunteers are also needed. Call
Mary Jane Bruton at 704-370-3283 for details.
If your company has job opportunities, call Linda Campbell at 704-370-3257 or Leon Shoats
at 704-370-3285.
Parishes & Parishioners Energized!
Switching on the Call to be Faithful Stewards of Creation,
Switching Off Excess and Wasted Energy
Saturday, March 13, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
Family Life Center, Our Lady of Consolation Church
1135 Badger Court, Charlotte 28206
Please register by Wed., March 10.
Directions, registration and event information:
www.cssnc.org/justicepeace.
Event is free and includes lunch. (A contribution of $10 will help defray
event costs.)
Event presentations include:
A Catholic Approach to the Care of Creation & Climate Change
Reflections on the Franciscan Spirituality of Creation Care
Report on Findings of a Congregation Energy Efficiency Audit
Co-sponsored by: the parishes of Our Lady of Consolation,
Queen of Apostles, St. Matthew and St. Peter; CSS Office of
Justice and Peace; and the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas.
Following the event, all are invited to attend the 5 pm vigil Mass
celebrated at Our Lady of Consolation Church.
What is a refugee?
Refugees are defined by the United
Nations as persons who have fled
their countries of origin and who are
unable or unwilling to return to those
countries because of a well-founded
fear of persecution based on race,
religion, nationality, political opinion or
membership in a particular social group.
That means it’s unsafe for them to
return to their former homes. They do not
have a choice. They must relocate if they
hope to survive.
Since 1975 the Catholic Social
Services Refugee Resettlement Office
in the Diocese of Charlotte has resettled
more than 10,000 refugees from 27
countries, primarily in Mecklenburg
County. CSS also provides case
management services, immigration,
translation, and information and referral
to refugees in Buncombe County.
“Their need is so great. It is life or
death in many cases,” said Mary Jane
Bruton, the CSS refugee resettlement
office’s community relations coordinator.
“As Christians, we are mandated
to help them.”
Last year the CSS refugee
resettlement office resettled 401
refugees. They came from 11 countries:
Afghanistan, Burma, Bhutan, Cuba,
Vietnam, Eritrea, Iraq, Liberia, Somalia,
Sudan and former Soviet states. The top
three countries of origin were Bhutan
(116 refugees), Burma (78 refugees) and
Vietnam (52 refugees).
For 2010, the CSS refugee
resettlement office is slated to receive
365 refugees – a drop from the previous
year because of the weak economy.
Refugees from Bhutan and Burma
come here to escape refugee camps in
Nepal and Thailand.
Hari Prasad Chamlagai, who works
part-time as an employment case aide
for the CSS refugee resettlement office,
emigrated here in March 2009 from a
refugee camp in Nepal. He lived for 18
years in a hut with bamboo walls, dirt
floors and a thatched roof. Everything
he owned got soaked when it rained. The
camp’s school building was the same
way, so on rainy days children could not
go to class.
Chamlagai has heard from friends
who were resettled in other cities and
states, who reported it was too hot
or too cold or not safe where they
were relocated.
“Charlotte is good. It is better
here. This is a better place to settle,”
Chamlagai said.
His situation mirrors that of many
other refugees as they flee persecution,
hoping to enjoy the freedoms many
Americans take for granted. They board
a plane for a 20-hour flight, many times
with only their immediate family, to
come to this unfamiliar land.
When they arrive they often have
just the clothes on their backs and their
relocation documents. They are hungry,
tired, scared, anxious … but hopeful.
They don’t know the language. They
don’t know a soul.
Adjusting to a new culture
Gull R’Com, a case coordinator
for the CSS refugee resettlement office
and himself a Montagnard refugee from
Vietnam, is there to greet them. He
helps them find suitable housing and
helps them apply for government cash
assistance, Medicaid and food stamps.
“Just getting used to the food here can
be difficult,” noted Cira Ponce, director
of the CSS refugee resettlement office.
“We try to buy culturally appropriate
food. We can’t always buy what they are
used to having, but make every effort to
provide the most appropriate food.”
Gull also shows them how to use
their new appliances, as most of the
refugees have never seen or used electric
or gas appliances.
He also has to explain American
property ownership laws so they can
understand why building their own home
just anywhere isn’t possible.
“Many refugees don’t know what
rent is,” Gull said. “Some have said,
‘Why don’t you give us materials and we
will build our own home?’”
Case managers and employees at the
CSS refugee resettlement office also help
the refugees overcome language, cultural,
financial and employment hurdles. They
help them sign up for English as a Second
Language (ESL) classes and enroll
the children in school. They help them
navigate public transportation and orient
them generally to American culture.
Refugees are helped to apply for
federal assistance through the Work First,
Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (formerly called
“food stamps”). This assistance is
minimal. It takes at least 45 days for
some programs to begin and does not
cover all basic monthly living expenses.
So CSS also helps bridge the gap
when possible.
But CSS has a budget of a one-time
payment of $425 per person. That money
is used to find an apartment and pay
the first month’s rent, utility deposits
and food.
Steady work is critical
Finding a job quickly is the critical
need for a refugee or the head of a
refugee family — increasingly difficult
in today’s economy.
One of the refugees fortunate enough
to have found a job is Hasta Pradhan,
who emigrated here from Bhutan with
his wife and two children in April 2009.
February 12, 2010
from the cover
from
cover
new hope and new lives
“I was a bit nervous at first when we
arrived, at how we might get along here,
get used to the culture here, because it is
a place that has its own values that are
very different from where we are from,”
Pradhan said.
“The people at the CSS refugee
resettlement office helped us and we did
not find any obstacles,” he added. “We
are indebted to Catholic Social Services
because we could not get settled without
their help.”
Hasta’s son, Ujwal, is enrolled in the
ninth grade at Myers Park High School in
Charlotte — and taking Honors English
despite the language not being his
native tongue.
Ujwal likes public school. “It’s
good. I am learning a lot,” he said.
Other refugee families are having a
difficult time, though, especially trying
to find steady work.
So CSS employment specialists
also meet with the refugees, explain
American business practices, help find
job opportunities for them, help teach
them job search skills, and give them
interviewing tips.
“Our main purpose is to make sure
they have a successful resettlement
in this country,” said employment
specialist Leon Shoats. “The economy
is very challenging right now. The
opportunities we had in the past just
aren’t there anymore. The jobs have
either been shipped overseas (semiskilled or unskilled) and the jobs that are
available — there is stiff competition for
those jobs with Americans.”
Maintaining a job to keep their home
is the most critical obstacle for many
refugee families right now.
Many struggling in today’s economy
The Shar family in Charlotte is one
of those struggling families. Alee Shar
has been unable to find steady work
since arriving in May 2009. His wife
and four young children depend on
his income. Now they are in danger of
losing their apartment because they can’t
pay the rent.
“We are seeing a lot of layoffs,” Ponce
said. Many refugees fortunate enough to
find jobs have since been laid off.
“They haven’t worked long enough
to qualify for unemployment benefits,
so it affects their ability to pay bills
and support their families,” she added.
“During a good economy it used to take
three to six months to find a job. Now it
is taking eight to 12 months.”
CSS employment specialist Linda
Campbell has seen the impact the
economic downturn has had on the
refugees and hopes more employers will
realize that “hiring refugees makes a
difference in a company.
“When refugees come to work at
a company, it stabilizes that company.
They have an excellent work ethic.
They come on time and show up,
willing to work. They are loyal and
hard working. It’s an opportunity for
the refugees to do something they
have dreamed of for maybe 20 to 24
years, to provide for and support their
children, without persecution and
discrimination, and in peace.”
Until the U.S. job market improves,
the CSS refugee resettlement program
depends on assistance from the local
community to continue to meet the
needs of the families it serves. Its
budget has been depleted, so cash
donations, gift cards to local grocery
stores, furniture, blankets, clothing and
food are just some of the things now
desperately needed.
More employers willing
to hire refugees full-time are also
in great demand.
Share in the mission
“We have a mission field right
here,” Campbell said. “People forget
that the people they see on TV needing
help in refugee camps may be here in
Charlotte one day.
“You can be a missionary right here,
you don’t have to travel to a faraway
land. You are needed here. We must show
God’s love to the displaced, the lonely,
and the friendless. We can all make a
difference, but we have to put action to
the concern. We must truly care.”
Campbell is another one of the
first faces refugees see when they get
off the plane.
“When they arrive, their hearts must
be pounding. They come off the plane
looking scared and serious. This is the
place that will be their home forever.
This is the land of their dreams. This is
the last chance. The one thing they have
to hold on to:
“The hope for a better life.”
The Pradhans are a Bhutanese
refugee family who arrived in
Charlotte in April 2009. Pictured
from left are Susanna, Naina,
Hasta and Ujwal.
photos by sueann howell
The Shar family arrived from
Burma last May. Unable to afford
heat in their apar tment, they
wear coats to stay warm. The
head of the family, Alee, is in
desperate need of a job to
support their needs.
Gin Suan Kap, his son and wife are
Burmese refugees who came to
Charlotte from the Kusla Lumpur
refugee camp in Malaysia in
June 2009. Kap was laid off last
fall but is hoping to find gainful
employment soon.
courtesy photo
Mu Pee, Mu Ta and their adopted sister Ther Meh, refugees from a camp in northern Thailand, are shown in this 2004 photo taken at the camp.
February 12, 2010
Culture Watch
A roundup of Scripture,
readings, films and more
Providing for others
in the Olympic shadow
Oblate Father Forster has history of helping
people in need wherever he has served in ministry
ERICK ROMMEL
cns columnist
cns photo by
Mathieu Belanger
France’s Pierre Vaultier, right, and Canada’s Mike Robertson compete during the men’s SnowboardCross FIS World Cup in Stoneham, Quebec, last month. In a message released before the start of the
Winter Olympic Games, Pope Benedict XVI offered his best wishes for the games and said that sports can
contribute to “peaceful understanding between peoples and to establishing the new civilization of love.”
Pope Benedict hopes
Winter Olympics will
produce more than medals
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope
Benedict XVI said he hopes the Winter
Olympic Games in Vancouver, British
Columbia, will bring more than gold to
everyone involved in the event.
Sports can contribute to “peaceful
understanding between peoples and to
establishing the new civilization of love,”
the pope said in a message to Archbishop
J. Michael Miller of Vancouver.
“In this light, may sport always be
a valued building block of peace and
friendship between peoples and nations,”
he said in the message released Feb. 4 at
the Vatican.
The pope offered his best wishes
to Archbishop Miller, Bishop David
Monroe of the neighboring Diocese of
Kamloops, which is hosting some of
the Olympic events, and to the athletes,
organizers and community volunteers
involved in the celebration of the games
Feb. 12-28.
Pope Benedict also expressed his
hopes for the success of the Vancouver
edition of the ecumenical initiative
“More Than Gold,” which brings local
churches together during major sporting
events to mobilize Christians for service
and witness.
The Vancouver initiative, which
is supported by the Catholic Church,
plans to provide spiritual and material
assistance to Olympic participants,
visitors and volunteers.
“I pray that all who avail themselves
of this service will be confirmed in
their love of God and neighbor,” Pope
Benedict said.
For two weeks every two years, the
eyes of the world collectively turn and
watch one event: the Olympics. It’s a
chance to see the world’s best athletes in
friendly competition with each other on
a global stage.
What we see on television tells only
part of the story. Behind the scenes, and
only casually mentioned, if at all, are
the costs involved in making Olympic
dreams come true.
In the years leading up to each
Olympic event, the host country spends
hundreds of millions of dollars to
prepare. Many improvements make
life better for the community. After
all, who wouldn’t want improved
roads and sanitation?
But it’s also argued that other
additions have less value to society:
Could money used to build new arenas
and athletic complexes be better spent
elsewhere?
There are also issues of human
dignity. Living in the shadows of this
athletic excess are often the host city’s
poorest and most needy. They struggle
for food and shelter while, a short walk
away, both are available in plenty.
We need to focus our efforts where a
difference can be made.
Oblate Father Ken Forster is doing
just that. He is pastor of Sacred Heart
Parish in Vancouver, British Columbia.
His church is at the epicenter of these
Winter Olympics.
Father Forster has a history helping
those in need. He served nine years in
Kenya, serving among one of the poorest
communities in Africa.
Now he’s doing the same for
those in Vancouver who also need
help. And instead of speaking out
against Olympic excesses, he’s using
them to his advantage.
Knowing it’s expensive to attend
the Olympics, Father Forster offers
what he calls “quiet and accessible
accommodation” to those who
visit his city.
Hotels charge the highest rate
possible during the Olympics. But Father
Forster charges close to market rates.
Money earned supports his parish and
its ministry.
Father Forster knows how to make
the most of every dollar. With the money
he receives for his parish’s ministry,
he’ll work to do the same things he did
in Kenya: improve education, enhance
the community’s faith, help its spiritual
growth and provide outreach to welcome
new members and care for the sick and
those in need.
It’s a lesson we should all learn,
regardless of our age: to make the most
of any situation to better the lives of
those around us.
Many of those who can afford life’s
luxuries are traveling to Vancouver
to watch the Olympics. Some will
encounter Father Forster. A few will
realize they’re improving the world by
creating an Olympic memory with him.
That will make a difference that will
last
in Vancouver long after guests return
LordoftheDance_CathHer1.8bw_0212:Layout
home and the Olympic torch dims.
PHOTO BY: KEN HOWARD
“ELECTRIFYING!”
“POWERFUL!”
- Philadelphia Enquirer
- New York Daily News
FEB. 22 • 7:30PM
BELK THEATER
704.372.1000
BlumenthalCenter.org
Group Sales: 704.379.1380
1
February 12, 2010
catholics urged to respond
N.C. bishops oppose
public school textbook
wording on Roe v. Wade
DAVID HAINS
Director of Communication
Bishop Peter J. Jugis of the Diocese
of Charlotte and Bishop Michael F.
Burbidge of the Diocese of Raleigh issued
a joint alert Thursday Feb. 11, through
the Web site www.CatholicVoiceNC.org.
The bishops are alarmed about some
proposed wording for a public school
textbook on civic and economics.
The N.C. Department of Public
Instruction is reviewing draft text that
asserts that Roe v. Wade, the 1973
decision by the U.S. Supreme Court
that legalized abortion and struck down
state and federal laws that regulated and
limited access to abortion, is an example
of how the Supreme Court has upheld
rights against oppressive government.
The implication of the proposed
text is that opposition to Roe v. Wade
is wrong.
The bishop’s letter reads in part,
“As a voice united on behalf of the
unborn who have a right to life, a
fundamental human right, we oppose
this draft statement and ask you to join
us in making the Department of Public
Instruction aware of our opposition
and requesting that any reference to
Roe v. Wade be removed from this
proposed text.”
The bishops are urging
Catholics to write an e-mail to the
Department of Public Instruction by
visiting www.CatholicVoiceNC.org.
2010 North Carolina
Healing and Marian Conference
April 23-24
Friday evening 5:30 pm and Saturday 7:30 am
Tambien en Espanol: April 22, Thursday evening 5:30 pm
St. Joseph Catholic Church
108 St. Joseph Street, Kannapolis 28083
Father Bill Halbing, dynamic international Spirit-filled speaker
Saturday highlight - Procession of Marian Images at 1 pm
followed by Healing Mass
Reduced rate with pre-registration by March 31 Scholarships Available
Registration: 704/658-1179 or 704/662-8123; (en Espanol -704/450-0470) Providing help. Creating hope. Changing lives.
Catholic Social Services — The Diocese of Charlotte
Executive Director: Elizabeth Thurbee (704) 370-3227
Associate Director: Gerard Carter (704) 370-3250
Refugee Office: Cira Ponce (704) 370-3262
Family Life: Gerard Carter (704) 370-3228
Justice and Peace: Joe Purello (704) 370-3225
OEO/CSS Murphy Satellite Office (828) 835-3535
Charlotte Region: 1123 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203
Area Director: Geri King (704) 370-3262
Western Region: 50 Orange Street, Asheville, NC 28801
Area Director: Jacqueline Crombie (828) 255-0146
Piedmont-Triad: 621 W. Second St., Winston-Salem, NC 27108
Area Director: Diane Bullard (336) 727-0705
Greensboro Satellite Office (336) 274-5577
Latino Family Center (336) 884-5858
For information on specific programs, please call your local office.
1123 South Church Street, Charlotte NC 28203
www.cssnc.org
Abstinence programs get nod from
study, but still set to lose funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNS) — A
new study about the effectiveness of
abstinence education is good news for
those who teach the topic, but it also
could be too little, too late.
Abstinence educators welcomed
the study published Feb. 1 in the
Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent
Medicine, a monthly journal. The study
showed that young teens who were
given an abstinence-only message were
significantly more likely to delay having
sex than those who received a more
comprehensive sex education.
The research has been getting
attention because it is said to be
the first rigorously conducted study
demonstrating the effectiveness of
an abstinence-only program. It was
released just a week after the Guttmacher
Institute published a study showing that
America’s teen pregnancy rate rose 3
percent in 2006 after a 10-year decline.
How the Guttmacher data is interpreted seems to depend on one’s position.
Some blame the uptick in the number
of teen pregnancies on the use of abstinence-only programs, but advocates of
abstinence education say there are a variety of social and cultural factors in play.
Valerie Huber, executive director
of the National Abstinence Education
Association, called it a “simplistic
charge” to “naively lay wholesale blame
on abstinence education as the cause for
higher teen birth rates.”
A week later, when the abstinence
study was released, Huber seemed more
upbeat, saying the study “verifies what
we’ve known intuitively all along, which
is that abstinence-only education is a
very important strategy to help young
people delay having sex.”
The abstinence study used random
trials involving a group of 662 AfricanAmerican sixth- and seventh-graders.
Only about a third of the group who
completed an abstinence-education
program started having sex within
the next two years, researchers
found. Nearly half of the students
who attended other classes, including
ones that combined information about
abstinence and contraception, became
sexually active.
John Jemmott, the lead author of
the abstinence study and a professor at
the University of Pennsylvania School
of Medicine, said he doesn’t want either
side of the issue to read too much into
the research.
“This is one study,” he said,
adding that he hopes it will spur other
researchers to design similar studies with
different populations in order to have “a
body of evidence.”
Judith Vogtli, director of ProjecTruth,
an abstinence-education program run
under the auspices of Catholic Charities
of Buffalo, N.Y., is all for more studies,
saying she liked the fact that this study
directly compared the effectiveness of
different sex education approaches.
“We’re not afraid” of more research,
she told Catholic News Service, noting
that those in the field know anecdotally
that their programs work and that they
welcome more proof.
She also hopes studies such as this
one will not just provide a boost for the
abstinence-only movement but possibly
enable them to regain federal funding
such programs receive that is set to
end this September under the Obama
Administration’s 2010 budget.
The administration announced
last year that it was cutting more
than $170 million in annual federal
funding for abstinence programs and
instead was launching a $144 million
pregnancy prevention initiative that
would fund only programs that have
been shown scientifically to work.
There is currently a measure in the
U.S. Senate to restore about $50
million to abstinence education, but
its passage is uncertain.
According to the National Abstinence
Education Association, more than 130
programs around the country — serving
roughly 1.5 million youths — could be
affected by the cut in federal funding.
Vogtli, whose program has been
offered at Catholic and public schools
since 2001, said it has “been in (financial)
jeopardy” since it started and will not be
able to continue without federal funds.
She is not about to give up, though,
urging those who visit the program’s
Web site — www.ccwny.org/projectruth
— to write to congressional leaders
and push them to reinstate funding for
abstinence education.
“There needs to be public outrage
about this — as there was with health
care,” she said, noting that the youths
who could benefit from the programs
should not be “political pawns.”
Government funding for abstinence
education began in 1982 and expanded
in 1996 as part of welfare reform. In
recent years funds have come from the
Adolescent Family Life Act, Title V of
the Social Security Act and CommunityBased Abstinence Education Program.
Vogtli noted that when it comes to
sex education, abstinence programs are
“preferred in many communities,” and
said parents should be given a choice in
what is offered.
Without federal funding, many of
these programs will simply shut down,
she said, although some have elaborate
fundraising plans or hopes to get grants.
February 12, 2010
IN THE NEWS
Haitian relief
courtesy photo
Students at Our Lady of Mercy School in Winston-Salem have come up with
cns photo by
Bob Roller
Redemptorist Father Abellard Thomas stands outside the destroyed St. Gerard Church in Port-au-Prince,
Haiti, Feb. 2. The church is one of thousands of buildings in the Haitian capital that collapsed during
the 45-second earthquake Jan. 12.
Despite collapsed
buildings, Haitian parish
aids earthquake victims
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (CNS) —
Not much remains of St. Gerard
Church, located on a steep hill in Portau-Prince, but Redemptorist Father
Abellard Thomas says it’s his parish,
and he wants to keep it functioning as
much as possible.
The church is little more than a pile
of bricks and metal, one of thousands
of buildings in the Haitian capital
that collapsed during the 45-second
earthquake Jan. 12. The parish’s school
crumpled as well: It still entombs
the bodies of dozens of students
and teachers.
Father Thomas said 200 people died
in the school, which bears scorch marks
from fires that recovery workers set to
mask the smell of the decaying bodies.
Each day, family and friends of those
who died stop by to visit the collapsed
school, paying their respects and praying
for those who lost their lives.
Their anguish is his anguish, Father
Thomas said.
The priest is also mourning the loss
of two of the six sisters who lived in the
parish convent. The two members of the
Companions of Jesus died while teaching
at St. Rose School in Leogane, about 15
miles west of the capital and closer to the
quake’s epicenter. The other four sisters
are fine, but their residence is unusable.
Despite the sadness he feels, Father
Thomas has turned the parish grounds
into a registration site for people seeking
assistance from the World Food Program.
Aid workers from the Paris-based
Agency for Technical Cooperation and
Development work out of the parish
compound, giving food-entitlement
cards to as many as 1,700 people a day.
“People come here for comfort,”
Father Thomas told Catholic News
Service Feb. 2. “They come here for
prayer, for help, for support.
“In a difficult situation, people feel
they can get help from God,” he added.
Before the earthquake, the parish
had 10,000 members. The three
Redemptorists assigned to the parish
celebrated five Masses every Sunday. At
Mass Jan. 31 in the parish courtyard, a
little more than 300 people worshipped.
Father Thomas, 36, is in his first
assignment as a pastor; he came to St.
Gerard six months ago. He can only
guess how many parishioners died in
the quake, but he knows thousands lost
their homes. Some are among the 700
people who have set up a rickety camp in
a nearby park. He celebrated Mass at the
a variety of ways to raise money for the Haitian people. Pictured Jan. 29
are two members from the Helping Hands of Mercy student leadership team
along with the first-grader who won a beautiful basket themed “Family Fun
Night” in a student raffle that raised $574. The basket contained games,
cards, puzzles, snacks and more. Other students raised $56 selling lemonade,
and the whole school is getting involved by collecting change all this month.
Haitian relief efforts: an update
• As of Monday, Feb. 8, parishes and schools in the Diocese of Charlotte have contributed almost
$134,000 to CRS relief and recovery work in Haiti.
• St. Gabriel School in Charlotte found a creative way to raise nearly $9,000 for CRS. Students ditched
their school uniforms during “Dress Down” Day in exchange for a donation.
• Catholic Relief Services overall has collected over $36.5 million for relief efforts. As of Feb. 3, CRS
reported they are providing food to 166,704 people, toiletry items to 21,736 people, and medical care to
21,736 people. In addition, shelter kits for 180,000 people will be distributed this month, and construction
on latrines and wash stations continues.
You can still help
• Give checks payable to your parish, clearly marked “Haiti Disaster Relief,” or send a donation to:
Diocese of Charlotte, Attn: Haiti Disaster Relief, 1123 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203-4003.
All contributions will be forwarded to Catholic Relief Services.
Source: Office of Justice and Peace, Catholic Social Services, Diocese of Charlotte
park for the first time Jan. 31.
The priest said he expects that St.
Gerard will be rebuilt some day. Right
now, though, his emphasis is on being
present for people in need. If the best
the parish can do is help coordinate the
distribution of cards and food under the
auspices of the United Nations, Father
Thomas is willing to help.
The food is a godsend, he said,
because people are hungry and unable
to buy much to feed themselves and
their families.
In the neighborhood below the
church, a vocational school for older
students was in full session when the
earth quaked. The six-story building
collapsed in a matter of seconds, trapping
dozens of people. The exact death count
is uncertain.
What remains of the school looks
like a stack of slightly lopsided pancakes.
Floors above crunched onto the floors
below, leaving a 30-foot heap of rubble.
On the top floor, exposed to the hot midday sun, toppled chairs are aligned in
still-discernable rows.
Father Thomas knows the pain runs
deep in his neighborhood. He is not sure
how Port-au-Prince will ever recover, but
he is hopeful that the world will partner
with Haiti to rebuild the country.
“When there’s trouble, the world, the
United States, are good friends,” he said.
February 12, 2010
PJ Day at St. Leo
in our schools
International Day
at St. Leo
courtesy photo
Students at St. Leo school in Winston-Salem celebrated Catholic Schools Week,
and the recent snowfall, with very casual clothing Feb. 3. It was their first day
back after all the snow and they celebrated kids and families as part of the weeklong event.
Director of Development: Family Honor, Inc.
Family Honor, Inc., a Catholic organization whose mission is family-centered chastity education,
has a unique opportunity for a development professional. Candidate must have a bachelor’s
degree and minimum 3-5 years experience, plus: successful track record in obtaining major gifts;
ability to manage cash gifts, stock donations, bequests; knowledge of database evaluation and
management; experience with budget development.
Send resume with salary requirements by February 26 to:
Family Honor, 2927 Devine St, Suite 130, Columbia, SC 29205.
Questions? Send e-mail to:
[email protected] or call 803.929.0858.
DIRECTOR – INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Diocese of Charlotte
The Diocese of Charlotte is accepting applications for a Director of Information Technology. This
position is responsible for designing, implementing and maintaining the diocesan technology plan; for
all aspects of the computer networks at the Diocesan Pastoral Center and at all Mecklenburg Area
Catholic Schools; for the diocesan-wide email system; IT budgeting and procurement; software
evaluation and installation; IT continuity planning and supervision of IT support staff.
Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field
and a minimum of five years’ related experience, with a minimum of two years in
a supervisory capacity. EOE. Send resume and salary history by February 22,
2010 to: CFO, Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, 1123 South Church Street,
Charlotte, NC 28203.
courtesy photo
Students at St. Leo school also celebrated Catholic Schools Week with other fun events. They performed a
dragon dance under the direction of their Chinese teacher, Hongmei Zhou, for International Day. Two of the
school’s “Caring Friends,” Bill Pearson and Emil Bockhold, were also special guests at the school. St. Leo
is sponsoring them to go on the “Flight of Honor” to Washington, D.C., to see the World War II Memorial.
Caring Friends are people the students write to on a regular basis, usually the elderly or homebound.
PRINCIPAL POSITION AVAILABLE
Our Lady of Peace is a K3 to 8 Catholic school drawing students from the Central Savannah
River Area, four counties in South Carolina and Georgia. The school is currently seeking a
principal for next school year.
The successful candidate must be a practicing Catholic, hold at least a master’s degree in
educational administration or the equivalent, and have a minimum of five years’ teaching
experience. A knowledge of Spanish would be helpful.
Submit resume by March 15, 2010 to:
Search Committee
Our Lady of Peace
P.O. Box 6605
North Augusta, SC 29861
PASTORAL ASSOCIATE and
COORDINATOR OF LITURGY AND ADULT FORMATION
St. Andrew’s Parish, an active Catholic faith community of 1700 households in
Roanoke, Virginia, is seeking two full-time ministers to join our collaborative staff:
- a pastoral associate who would strive to engage all parishioners in the wide range
of parish ministries, requiring skills in pastoral presence, recruitment, organization and
communications;
- a coordinator of liturgy and adult formation who would resource the parish liturgical
ministers and oversee opportunities for adult catechesis and evangelization, requiring
knowledge and skill in both areas.
Full job descriptions are available by sending a resume’ to Kathy McDaniel at St.
Andrew’s, 631 N Jefferson St., Roanoke, VA 24016 or email:
[email protected].
February 12, 2010
Perspectives
A collection of columns,
editorials and viewpoints
How do we grow in prayer?
In his book “The Tradition of
Catholic Prayer” (Liturgical Press,
2007), Father Mark O’Keefe says
growing in prayer requires more than
simply “praying more often or more
consistently.” One characteristic of a
deepening life of prayer is the way it
“allows us to cut through the barriers that
separate us from one another.”
What might be a major barrier Father
O’Keefe is speaking about?
Resentment, to be sure, is one of
them. The word comes from Latin, and
means to feel or war against. When we
are resentful, we are against the way
The Human
Side
FATHER
EUGENE
HEMRICK
guest columnist
we have been treated — by those who
govern us and a seemingly hostile world.
We tell ourselves, “I deserve better
than this,” and we rebel within ourselves,
wondering, “Who do they think
they are? How dare they try this
on me?”
How do we counter this
resentment? Father O’Keefe
ABSTINENCE
would tell us that it requires a
conversion, a change of heart.
No meat can be taken
by those 14 and older
In many ways, changing one’s
on Ash Wednesday and
heart requires the same rules an
all Fridays.
alcoholic must embrace to keep
alcoholism in check. First and
FASTING
foremost, we need to admit our
heart is hardened. After we admit
A limit of one full
this, a one-time conversion
meatless meal by those
18-59 on Ash Wednesday
won’t change it forever. Only
and Good Friday.
daily prayer and recommitment
will keep us from reverting back
SELF-DENIAL
to resentment.
Fighting resentment is a
Voluntary acts of selfdaily battle; so easily it can
denial are recommended
on weekdays during Lent.
resurface and become even
more deep-seated.
As we approach Lent, we
PRAYER AND CHARITY
might start by asking, “What
is separating me from others
Can include daily Mass,
most? What do I need to admit,
Scripture study, Stations
of the Cross, almsgiving
forgive and forget in order to
and showing mercy and
begin life anew?”
kindness to others.
This column was originally
©2010 CNS
published Feb. 11, 2008.
Lenten Sacrifice
Note from the Editor
Hi! I’m Patricia Guilfoyle, the new
editor of the Catholic News & Herald.
Please let me introduce myself.
I was born in Indianapolis but grew
up in seven towns in five states, mostly in
the South, so I enjoy meeting new people
and traveling around a lot. My husband
Steve — who’s also a newspaper editor
— and I live just across the state line in
the great little town of Fort Mill, S.C.,
with our 3-year-old son Stephen. We
love attending St. Patrick Cathedral in
Charlotte, where we’ve been members
for more than six years, and I’ve recently
joined the Altar Guild there to enrich my
faith and serve the church.
I have more than 20 years of
experience in journalism as a reporter,
editor and publisher, and I can’t imagine
doing anything else. I’m excited — and
humbled — to have this opportunity
to combine my career and my faith in
service to this wonderful diocese.
Patricia Guilfoyle
I look forward to covering your
parish, school and ministry, and
to providing the most current and
comprehensive news about what’s going
on across our diocese. All of us here at
The Catholic News & Herald want to
make each print edition and the Web site
www.charlottediocese.org a compelling,
spirit-filled resource for you and
your family.
Please contact me anytime with story
ideas and feedback on our coverage via
email at plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.
org or 704-370-3334.
WORD TO LIFE
Sunday Scripture Readings: FEB. 21, 2010
First Sunday
of Lent
Cycle C Readings:
1) Deuteronomy 26:4-10
Psalm 91:1-2, 10-15
2) Romans 10:8-13
3) Gospel: Luke 4:1-13
Thank God this
Lenten season
JEAN DENTON
cns columnist
The first time I saw an offertory
procession during Mass in Haiti, I
was a little amused. I guess it was the
sight of a live chicken bobbing its head
up and down among the amply filled
baskets of squash, bananas, coconuts
and other produce placed before
the altar. I thought it was a special
liturgical show -- a symbol of the
agrarian community’s gifts.
Upon subsequent visits to the
impoverished Caribbean nation, I
came to realize such offerings aren’t
symbolic gifts. They are real. Haiti
is a country that fits the description
in Deuteronomy of the children of
Israel, oppressed for generations,
who cried out to the Lord and realized
that God heard their prayers and saw
their toil and affliction. Moses told
the people to bring baskets of the
“firstfruits” of their labors and set
them before God.
I returned from my most recent
trip to Haiti only three days before the
earthquake. (Incredibly, in its aftermath,
the Haitians I know continued to
believe God hears them.) On that visit
to Haiti’s interior central plateau, four
other parishioners, our pastor and I
spent a week with our longtime twin
Haitian parish.
One day we trekked several miles
through the rural valley that our twin
church serves. Small, roughly-made
houses dotted our route. Families
worked in their gardens. Many had
chickens, some had goats. Some passed
us on the trail carrying baskets of
produce on their heads.
Our Haitian friends paddled us
across a large lake in a dugout canoe.
Along the shore I spotted a middleaged woman swinging a large hoe,
tilling a steeply tiered garden. “That’s
what you call backbreaking work,”
one of our party remarked. The woman
stopped to wave a greeting.
A few hours later we celebrated
Mass with our friends. At the offertory
eight women danced slowly up the
aisle, balancing baskets of their land’s
produce on their heads. They laid it
before the altar. I thought of the woman
tilling on the shore.
These people acknowledged what
they know well and what many of
us must be reminded of: All that we
have is by the providence of a loving
God who sees our days, our exertions,
our struggle.
The first thing we must do is thank
Him and return the very best of what
He has given us.
QUESTIONS:
What are the firstfruits of God’s
providence that you can offer back to
Him? How will you do that this Lent?
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE
SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 14 – FEBRUARY 20
Sunday (Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time), Jeremiah 17:5-8, 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20, Luke
6:17, 20-26; Monday, James 1:1-11, Mark 8:11-13; Tuesday, James 1:12-18, Mark 8:14-21;
Wednesday (Ash Wednesday), Joel 2:12-18, 2 Corinthians 5:20—6:2, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18;
Thursday, Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Luke 9:22-25; Friday, Isaiah 58:1-9, Matthew 9:14-15;
Saturday, Isaiah 58:9-14, Luke 5:27-32.
SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 21 – 27
Sunday (First Sunday of Lent), Deuteronomy 26:4-10, Roman 10:8-13, Luke 4:1-13; Monday
(The Chair of St. Peter), 1 Peter 5:1-4, Matthew 16:13-19; Tuesday (St. Polycarp), Isaiah
55:10-11, Matthew 6:7-15; Wednesday, Jonah 3:1-10, Luke 11:29-32; Thursday, Esther C:12,
14-16, 23-25 or 4:17 (Esther’s prayer), Matthew 7:7-12; Friday, Ezekiel 18:21-28, Matthew
5:20-26; Saturday, Deuteronomy 26:16-19, Matthew 5:43-48.
February 12, 2010
Lent is all about
becoming saints
N o n - C a t h o l i c s d o n ’t a l w a y s
understand Catholic faith practices.
One Catholic tradition that sometimes
perplexes non-Catholics is our L
enten sacrifices.
Many years ago, I worked in a
restaurant. The owner and all the
waitresses were Catholic. My sister and
I were the only non-Catholic employees
– and we were both the daughters of
a Protestant minister. For us, Lent
was a time of watching Catholics…
and wondering.
We served a fair amount of fish
during Lent, rather than our usual
orders of sandwiches and fried chicken.
And our boss and the other waitresses
ate the perch, pike and shellfish on
Fridays just like the patrons.
The topic of Lenten sacrifice came
up every shift I worked. The other
waitresses would poll one another:
“What did you give up for Lent?”
Answers varied. Some said candy, or
Pauline’s homemade pies, or soda.
I have to say, I didn’t get it back
then. I thought Catholics did those
things so that they would feel holy. I
used to think it was a waste of time and
effort. I knew there was little gained
from feeling holy. One had to be holy.
I didn’t realize that faithful
Catholics have a simple reason for
everything that they do. They know
they want to grow in holiness. Their
number one desire is to be a saint.
And that’s what Lent is all about.
We r e m e m b e r o u r b a p t i s m a l
promises and we hope to rise with
Jesus Christ when Lent comes to an
end. Every prayer, sacrifice, Mass,
devotion and offering we make is
to embrace the journey of faith that
leads to holiness.
These things that we do as Catholics
change us – or more accurately stated,
the things that we do become a venue
for God to change us. And I realize now
that it does work, sometimes so slowly
that others can’t detect the changes
in the few short weeks of Lent. But it
does work, in time. And so, Catholics
keep at it.
There is a reason why Catholic
schools and hospitals have crucifixes in
every room. They help young students
to learn to follow Christ in his living;
they help the sick and dying to become
like Christ in his dying.
There is a reason why the Catholic
calendar takes us from Advent and then
into Christmas, from Lent and then into
Salem College students
serve during ‘Taking Action
Tuesdays’ in January
Like most people, I get excited about
free time: I could go out, watch a movie,
read, have a game night with friends, or
sleep (one of my favorite options). Or, I
could volunteer.
Because of Salem College’s
shortened January term, I found myself
with a lot of free time. So instead of
sleeping in, I and members of the
Catholic Student Association, along
with the help of our campus minister
Julie McElmurry, created “Taking
Action Tuesdays.”
Each Tuesday we left the campus to
spend the day volunteering at a clothes
closet co-sponsored by Our Lady of
Mercy Church, Second Harvest Food
Bank, or the Pastor’s Pantry Food Bank
in Lexington. All day we sorted, folded
and bagged clothes, we shelved food,
and we bagged rice and food. It was fun
— and rewarding.
I’ve volunteered many times before,
but it’s easy to forget how much I
genuinely enjoy it. Folding clothes
and putting food in a bag when it’s for
someone else in need is better than just
getting my clean clothes off my chair.
I usually don’t have much money to
donate to charities, but with volunteering
I’m donating my time and energy —
something I was rich with this January.
And meeting the people we served
was a powerful experience.
Living on a college campus it’s
easy to forget there are people living
nearby in poverty. It’s easy to go about
studying, attending class, hanging out
with friends, and going to meetings
without ever thinking about the poor who
are practically my neighbors. It’s even
easy to attend Mass, read the Bible, and
pray and only sometimes remember the
poor and the Catholic social teachings.
Volunteering and seeing the faces of
those who I served has made these fellow
brothers and sisters unforgettable to me.
By volunteering, we were given the
opportunity to help not just the poor, but
also other volunteers. Some Tuesdays
at the clothes closet they were short
some of their regular volunteers, so
our help made their jobs easier. Also,
we were by far the youngest volunteers
and the regular volunteers told it was
rejuvenating seeing young people come
to help, and they were excited to have
us there.
Erin Neal, one of the participants in
Taking Action Tuesdays, said, “I loved
volunteering in the different ways we did
every Tuesday. We saw so many different
aspects of the service community as well
as getting to know some of the lower
Guest
Column
DENISE BOSSERT
Guest columnist
Easter. The faithful want to journey
with Christ, to rise with Him when it is
all said and done.
Your non-Catholic family and
friends may ask you what you gave
up this year. It is possible, even likely,
they are really asking a far different
question: Why do you do all this stuff?
Make sure they know that you do
it because you are not yet a saint, but if
you walk in the footsteps of Our Lord
long enough, He will change you. In
time, they will see the change in you
and begin to understand.
May you find that you are walking
in step with Him as you journey to the
cross. And may the bystanders see you
at the side of Christ and begin to put
it together. We are opening every part
of our lives to the One who can make
us holy.
Blessed Lent!
Denise Bossert, who converted to
Catholicism in 2005, is a member of
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in
New Melle, Mo.
Guest
Column
MARY DONOVAN
Guest columnist
income residents of Winston-Salem.”
Neal also said volunteering was
“a growing opportunity in a multitude
of ways: we grew within ourselves
spiritually, graciously and humbly.”
Another participant in Taking Action
Tuesdays, Catherine Nuzum, said,
“Volunteering was a great opportunity to
change an otherwise uneventful month
into one of meaning. We were able to
help make a difference in the lives of
those less fortunate than we are, and they
showed us that nothing should be taken
for granted. The people we helped in
return helped us just as much.”
One of the benefits of volunteering
for me was that it helped me in my
discernment for doing a year of volunteer
service after I finish college this summer.
I looked forward to each Tuesday,
and I felt my call to a year of service
was affirmed.
I’ve been told that serving those in
need in turn brings rewards to the person
who served, and I found out this January
how true that really is.
Mary Donovan is a senior at Salem
College and a member of the Catholic
Student Association.
The Pope
Speaks
POPE
BENEDICT XVI
Let Lent be a time to
celebrate divine justice
Each year on the occasion of Lent,
the Church invites us to a sincere review
of our life in light of the Gospel. This
year, I offer some reflections on the
great theme of justice, beginning from
the Pauline affirmation: “The justice of
God has been manifested through faith in
Jesus Christ” (Rm 3, 21-22).
What man needs most cannot be
guaranteed to him by law. To live life
to the full, something more intimate is
necessary that can be granted only as a
gift: we could say that man lives by that
love which only God can communicate
since He created the human person in
His image. Material goods are certainly
useful and required – Jesus Himself
was concerned to heal the sick, feed the
crowds that followed Him and surely
condemns the indifference that forces
hundreds of millions into death through
lack of food, water and medicine – yet
“distributive” justice does not render all
of a person’s “due.” Just as man needs
bread, so does man have even more need
of God.
At the heart of the wisdom of
Israel, we find a profound link between
faith in God who “lifts the needy from
the ash heap” (Ps 113, 7) and justice
towards one’s neighbor. The Hebrew
word for justice, “sedaqah,” signifies full
acceptance of the will of God and equity
in relation to one’s neighbor (Ex 20, 1217), especially the poor, the stranger, the
orphan and the widow (Dt 10, 18-19).
The two meanings are linked because
giving to the poor is none other than
restoring what is owed to God, who had
pity on His people.
What is the justice of Christ? It is
the justice that comes from grace, where
it is not man who makes amends, heals
himself and others. It is the loving act
of God who opens Himself, bearing in
Himself the “curse” due to man so as to
give in return the “blessing” due to God
(Gal 3, 13-14).
Conversion to Christ, believing in
the Gospel, ultimately means this: to exit
the illusion of self-sufficiency to accept
one’s own need – the need of others
and God, the need of His forgiveness
and His friendship.
Thanks to Christ, we may enter into
the “greatest” justice, the justice that
recognizes itself in every case more a
debtor than a creditor, because it has
received more than could ever have
been expected. And strengthened by this,
the Christian is moved to contribute to
creating just societies.
Dear brothers and sisters, Lent
culminates in the Paschal Triduum, in
which we shall celebrate divine justice
– the fullness of charity, gift, salvation.
May this penitential season be a time
of conversion and knowledge of Christ,
who came to fulfill every justice.
February 12, 2010
in the news
Religious
Catholics at Catholic colleges less
likely Identity
to stray from Church
Students often ‘remain connected to faith’
WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNS) — A
new study finds Catholic students at
Catholic colleges are less likely than
Catholics attending public colleges to
move away from the Church’s teachings
on a variety of issues.
However, on the issue of same-sex
marriage in particular, newly released
research from the Center for Applied
Research in the Apostolate found that
many Catholic students at Catholic
and public colleges disagree with
church teaching.
CARA, which is based at Georgetown
University, presented the results of its
“Catholicism on Campus” study Jan.
31, during the annual meeting of the
Association of Catholic Colleges and
Universities, held in Washington.
The CARA report relied on national
surveys of the attitudes of 14,527 students
at 148 U.S. colleges and universities,
conducted by the Higher Education
Research Institute at the University of
California at Los Angeles.
The data was collected from students
when they were freshmen in 2004 and
again when they were juniors in 2007.
“We measure whether students,
regardless of their incoming attitudes
and behavior, move closer, stay the same,
or move further away from the Church
while in college,” the study said.
CARA classified its research into
two groups. The first covered beliefs
and attitudes about social and political
issues, including abortion, same-sex
marriage, the death penalty and reducing
suffering around the world. The second
focused on religious behavior, such as
frequency of attendance at religious
services, prayer, reading of religious
texts and publications.
On pro-life issues, the results
indicated a “mixed pattern,” it said.
A majority of Catholic students leave
college disagreeing that abortion should
be legal but they number fewer than
those who entered with that opinion,
it said. Overall 56 percent said they
disagreed “strongly” or “somewhat” that
“abortion should be legal.”
Regarding same-sex marriage, the
study said there is no other issue on
which Catholic students — regardless
of where they attended school — moved
further away from the Church. Only one
in three Catholics on Catholic campuses
disagreed “somewhat or “strongly”
that same-sex couples should be
allowed to marry.
“This issue more than any other may
be strongly affected by the millennial
generation’s post-materialist view
regarding marriage and sexuality,” said
the study’s authors, Mark Gray and
Melissa Cidade.
They said their analysis showed
that while Catholic students at Catholic
colleges may move away from the
Church on some issues, they move closer
to the Church on others.
On the death penalty, 49 percent of
Catholic students on Catholic campuses
agreed “strongly” or “somewhat” with
the Church’s opposition to the death
penalty and were more likely than
Catholic students at public colleges
to agree with the church’s social
justice teaching on the need to reduce
suffering in the world and “improve the
human condition.”
The study found that as Catholic
students at Catholic colleges advance
in their education, they often “remain
profoundly connected to their faith.”
In their junior year, 87 percent of
them said following religious teachings in
everyday life was “somewhat important”
to them, and 86 percent said their
“religiousness” did not become “weaker”
in college.
But the study also found that Mass
attendance declined during the college
years among almost a third of Catholics
at Catholic colleges, but at non-Catholic
colleges, the percentage of attendance
decline jumped to nearly 50 percent.
Eight percent of freshmen attending U.S. Catholic colleges
identified their faith as Catholic but then left the faith by
their junior year, while 4 percent joined the church.
non-catholic
throughout
college
left catholic faith
31%
57%
8%
4%
catholic
throughout
college
converted to
catholicism
Source: Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate
©2010 CNS
The religious behaviors of U.S. college students in Catholic and public colleges change between freshman
and junior years.
“You feel Pennybyrn’s unique
right away.”
spirit
~ From left, Pennybyrn residents Bill Horney and Ben Leach in the community’s Irish Pub, with Wait Captain Ahmed Ennissay. ~
Ben Leach tirelessly researched retirement communities before deciding upon Pennybyrn. “It’s new,
so easy to make friends, great dining, wonderful pool and fitness center, and then there’s the unique
spirit. Sister Lucy genuinely strives to make everyone feel comfortable, and it prevails throughout
the community.” And of course, Ben enjoys an occasional snack in the Irish Pub. “I’ve met so many
people with interesting life stories; it’s easy to enjoy yourself. Pennybyrn is an exceptional choice.”
You too can choose the best.
Call (336) 821-4050 or toll-free (866) 627-9343.
www.PennybyrnAtMaryfield.com
109 Penny Road, High Point, NC 27260
Located less than a mile from downtown Jamestown
and only 10 minutes from Greensboro.
PB 322 pub_7.625x9_CNH.indd 1
11/10/09 1:01:12 PM

`Hope for a better life`

Transcription

Similar documents

Presenter: Frank Mercadante Executive Director of Cultivation

! Johnette!Benkovic`s!popular!Catholic!women`s!program,!FULL!OF

December 27, 2015 - St. Joseph Catholic Church Latin Mass Parish

MOVIE DAY

September 14, 2014 2947 Thinnes Street, Cross Plains

12th Sunday Ordinary

25 January 2015 - St. Patrick Church Shieldsville

Volume 19 No. 24 - May 15, 2015

02-22-15 - St. Mark RC Church

brewbaker`s