July 15, 2011
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Belmont Abbey monk makes ‘no small sacrifice,’
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Hand to Hand gets the slap State funding slashed for Triad teen pregnancy program,
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Beloved ‘priest of priests’ and Catholic convert 3 Calendar 4 Diocese 3-9
FAITH 2
mix 14
Father Conrad Kimbrough passes away,
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nation & World 16-17 Viewpoints 18-19
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catholicnewsherald.com | July 15, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of the Virgin Mary Feast day: July 26 Benjamin Mann Catholic News Agency
On July 26 the Church commemorates the parents of the Virgin Mary, Sts. Joachim and Anne. The couple’s faith and perseverance brought them through the sorrow of childlessness, to the joy of conceiving and raising the immaculate and sinless woman who would give birth to Christ. The New Testament contains no specific information about the lives of the Virgin Mary’s parents, but other documents outside of the Biblical canon do provide some details. Although these writings are not considered authoritative in the same manner as the Bible, they outline some of the Church’s traditional beliefs about Joachim, Anne and their daughter. The “Protoevangelium of James,” which was probably put into its final written form in the early second century, describes Mary’s father Joachim as a wealthy member of one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Joachim was deeply grieved, along with his wife Anne, by their childlessness. “He called to mind Abraham,” the early Christian writing says, “that in the last day God gave him a son Isaac.” Joachim and Anne began to devote themselves to rigorous prayer and fasting, in isolation from one another and from society. They regarded their inability to conceive a child as a surpassing misfortune and a sign of shame among the tribes of Israel. As it turned out, however, the couple was to be blessed even more abundantly than Abraham and Sarah had. An angel revealed this to Anne when he appeared to her and prophesied that all generations would honor their future child: “The Lord has heard your prayer, and you shall conceive, and shall bring forth; and your seed shall be spoken of in all the world.” After Mary’s birth, according to the “Protoevangelium of James,” Anne “made a
sanctuary” in the infant girl’s room, and “allowed nothing common or unclean” on account of the special holiness of the child. The same writing records that when Mary was 1 year old, her father “made a great feast, and invited the priests, and the scribes, and the elders, and all the people of Israel.” “And Joachim brought the child to the priests,” the account continues, “and they blessed her, saying: ‘O God of our fathers, bless this child, and give her an everlasting name to be named in all generations’ … And he brought her to the chief priests; and they blessed her, saying: ‘O God most high, look upon this child, and bless her with the utmost blessing, which shall be forever.’” This apocryphal account goes on to describe how Mary’s parents, along with the temple priests, subsequently decided that she would be offered to God as a consecrated virgin for the rest of her life, and enter a chaste marriage with the Detail from “The Virgin Triptych” by Macrino d’Alba, 1495, depicting Sts. Joachim carpenter Joseph. and Anne embracing at the Golden Gate in Jerusalem after they learned that the Sts. Joachim and Anne have elderly Anne would give birth to Mary. been a part of the Church’s of each Divine Liturgy. The Eastern churches, liturgical calendar for many centuries. Devotion however, celebrate the feast of Sts. Joachim and to their memory is particularly strong in Anne on a different date, Sept. 9. the Eastern Catholic churches, where their intercession is invoked by the priest at the end
A saintly life
Your daily Scripture readings SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 17 - JULY 23
Sunday, Wisdom 12:13, 16-19, Romans 8:26-27, Matthew 13:24-43; Monday (St. Camillus de Lellis), Exodus 14:5-18, Matthew 12:38-42; Tuesday, Exodus 14:21-15:1, Exodus 15:8-10, 12, 17, Matthew 12:46-50; Wednesday (St. Apollinaris), Exodus 16:1-5, 9-15, Matthew 13:1-9; Thursday (St. Lawrence of Brindisi), Exodus 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20, Daniel 3:52-56, Matthew 13:10-17; Friday (St. Mary Magdalene), Exodus 20:1-17, John 20:1-2, 11-18; Saturday (St. Bridget of Sweden), Exodus 24:3-9, Matthew 13:24-30
SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 24 - JULY 30
Sunday, 1 Kings 3:5-7, 7-12, Romans 8:28-30, Matthew 13:44-52; Monday (St. James), 2 Corinthians 4:7-15, Matthew 20:20-28; Tuesday (Sts. Joachim and Anne), Exodus 33:7-11, 34:5-9, 28, Matthew 13:36-43; Wednesday, Exodus 34:29-35, Matthew 13:44-46; Thursday, Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38, Matthew 13:47-53; Friday (St. Martha), Leviticus 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34-39, John 11:19-27; Saturday (St. Peter Chrysologus), Leviticus 25:1, 8-17, Matthew 14:1-12
SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 31 - AUG. 6
Sunday, Isaiah 55:1-3, Romans 8:35, 37-39, Matthew 14:13-21; Monday (St. Alphonsus Liguori), Numbers 11:4-15, Matthew 14:22-36; Tuesday (St. Eusebius of Vercelli and St. Peter Julian Eymard), Numbers 12:1-13, Matthew 14:22-36; Wednesday, Numbers 13:12, 25-14:1, 26-29, 34-35, Matthew 15:21-28; Thursday (St. John Mary Vianney), Numbers 20:1-13, Matthew 16:13-23; Friday, Deuteronomy 4:32-40, Matthew 16:24-28; Saturday (The Transfiguration of the Lord), Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14, 2 Peter 1:16-19, Matthew 17:1-9
Faith fact The beauty of the Immaculate Conception In 1854, Pope Pius IX declared to the Church throughout the world that Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was conceived without any stain of original sin upon her soul, by a unique privilege granted especially to her by God. Since our Lord chose the Virgin Mary from the foundations of time to be the true Mother of His beloved Son, it follows logically that her chaste body would also be free from all personal sins so as to offer a clean, bodily temple for the Author of life itself. Sacred Scripture also affirms just how special and uniquely holy Mary really was, as granted her by the Almighty Father and declared through the angel Gabriel at the Annunciation: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28). The Blessed Mother indeed was full of grace as no other human person on earth, enriched and strengthened by her complete trust and confidence in her one Lord and Savior. Now in Heaven, she constantly urges those who petition her in prayer to find everything they need in Her Son, who fashions each and every human person in their mother’s womb from the first moment of conception. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Mary also “...remained free of every personal sin her whole life long.” (CCC 493) Besides her own Divine motherhood, the Holy Virgin is also our own Mother in faith, as a result of the special graces and favors which God bestowed upon her. The perfect love and honor that she lavished her Son Jesus and husband Joseph with is extended forth to us as well. To grow closer to Mary is to grow closer to Christ, whom she always reveals to those who are trying their best to love. The Blessed Virgin Mary’s Immaculate Conception serves to enrich the lives of all who invoke her intercession in prayer, drawing all mankind in true love and respect for each other as well as for our Heavenly Father. — Joseph Bruck
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Brother Andrew Spivey recites his vows July 11, the feast of St. Benedict, as he makes his final profession as a Benedictine monk at Belmont Abbey.
In Brief Don’t miss ‘Praise Him!’ July 16-17 CHARLOTTE — “Praise Him!,” a Caribbean-style praise and Christian worship concert presented by the Missionaries of the Poor, will be performed at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 16, and at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 17, at the McGlohon Theatre at Spirit Square, 345 N. College St. in uptown Charlotte. (Free parking will be available at the 7th St. Station parking deck.) The concert, written by MOP founder Father Richard Ho Lung, will feature exciting and fun-filled songs and dance that you will not want to miss! Tax-deductible donations of $20 per adult and $10 per child are suggested, with proceeds going to benefit the MOP’s new Holy Innocents Women Crisis Center in Kingston, Jamaica, and the Tree of Life Mission in Kenya. To order tickets online or make a donation, go to www.missionariesofthepoor.org. For details, call 704-999-6354 or 704-635-8831. There will also be a Mass of Thanksgiving for the concert performers and sponsors at St. Peter Church in Charlotte at 6 p.m. July 15. All are welcome.
Totus Tuus camp held at St. Mark HUNTERSVILLE — More than 200 youths gathered June 27-July 1 at St. Mark Church in Huntersville for the annual Totus Tuus (“Totally Yours”) summer catechetical camp, promoting the Catholic faith through evangelization, catechesis, Christian witness and Eucharistic worship. On the final day of camp, students enjoyed a water extravaganza with an opportunity for making “human Sundays.” Pictured is the Totus Tuus team leader, Teresa Ptak, being drenched in chocolate sauce. Two Totus Tuus teams are holding camps at 16 parishes around the diocese this summer. — Donna F. Smith
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Funding cut for Winston-Salem teen pregnancy program Mollie Gordon Correspondent
SueAnn Howell | Catholic News Herald
Monk makes ‘no small sacrifice’ by professing vows Christopher Lux Correspondent
BELMONT — Brother Andrew Spivey made his solemn profession of monastic vows July 11 on the feast of St. Benedict, leaving behind his former life and committing to stability, obedience and adhering to a monastic manner of life. Brother Andrew now joins 15 other fully professed monks at the Benedictine monastery, founded in 1876, where he will live for the rest of his life. Principal celebrant of the morning Mass was Abbot Placid Solari. Bishop Peter Jugis and Bishop Emeritus William Curlin attended the Mass in choir. They were joined by concelebrants who included diocesan Vicar General and Chancellor Monsignor Mauricio West and eight visiting priests. During the Mass, Brother Andrew also received the traditional clothing of a monk: the cowl, a hooded cloak. “You will come to accept the loss of things that once were yours, for you did indeed leave much. It was no small sacrifice to come to this monastery: your career, your own home, the circle of friends,” Abbot Placid told Brother Andrew. Before he became a monk, Brother Andrew lived a social life in New York, enjoying music and poetry. He earned his master’s degree in library science and worked at the New York Academy of Medicine and then at the New York University School of Medicine, where he was in charge of curriculum development for the library. Yet even before he came to the monastery, Brother Andrew was firmly planted in prayer and his relationship with God. After inquiring with several other monasteries, he came to Belmont Abbey in
2005. He made his first vows in 2008, then spent the next several years moving more fully into the life and work of the monastic community. He now finds comfort in the prayerful life of a religious, saying, “The Divine Office is the escape from the trap.” While he recognizes his “daily struggles,” it is in the routine prayer of the monastery that he constantly grows closer to God. Not that he has some drastic spiritual experience every time. “I’m not levitating during prayer or anything like that,” he says, laughing. But, he says, he does feel differently at Vespers (evening prayer) than he did in the morning at Lauds (morning prayer). There is a degree of change, in which he recognizes he is somehow closer to God. By participating in this repetitive life of routine prayer (“check ups,” he calls it), Brother Andrew takes comfort in knowing he is “cultivating constant availability” to God. Brother Andrew now serves as a master of ceremonies and sacristan for the monastery. He is also a gardener and librarian. Though he works only part-time in the Belmont Abbey College library, he says, “at some point I’ll go to full-time at the college. However, the abbot and I are still talking about what the future looks like.”
Celebrating his 65th anniversary July 11 was also a special day for Father Kenneth Geyer, who celebrated the 65th anniversary of first profession of vows. Father Geyer made his profession of vows at Belmont Abbey on July 11, 1946. Abbot Placid thanked Father Geyer for his “fidelity and service to our monastery and college community.” And he told Brother Andrew, “I trust that Father Kenneth’s example of fidelity is an encouragement to you.”
WINSTON-SALEM — A Triad area program aimed at helping pregnant teenagers stay in school and care for their babies has seen its state funding slashed because of its abstinenceonly stance. North Carolina has cut $60,000 from the Hand to Hand program run by the Catholic Social Services office in Winston-Salem, in large part because of its abstinence-only sex education message, say program leaders. That represents 22 percent of the program’s total annual operating budget. The program also lost the opportunity for a local grant of $30,000 for the same reason, they say. “It is wrongly accepted that the best way to help parenting teens is to encourage the use of contraceptives,” said Dr. Gerry Carter, acting executive director of Catholic Social Services. Governmental and private funding frequently requires the inclusion of comprehensive sex education, something which the program is unwilling to do because it contradicts Church teaching. The 23-year-old Hand to Hand program assists pregnant teens with basic health and nutrition education, home visits and peer support, as well as help to stay in school and finish their education. “Teen parents want to succeed, but there are so many obstacles that it’s hard to hold onto that dream,” said program director Becky DuBois. “These teens have an incentive to be successful because we talk about what life could be. We teach them the joy of having their child, not simply the responsibility of it,” added Diane Bullard, director of Catholic Social Services for the Piedmont Triad area. “These young parents made the right decision by choosing life for their children. The Hand to Hand program works to support these precious children once they arrive and face life’s challenges.” Hand to Hand provides the encouragement and direction these teens need to pursue success in life, through long-term planning and PROGRAM, SEE page 13
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catholicnewsherald.com | July 15, 2011 OUR PARISHES
Diocesan calendar of events ASHEVILLE
CLEMMONS
St. Eugene Church, 72 Culvern St.
Bishop Peter J. Jugis Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following event over the next two weeks: July 19 – 5 p.m. CSS board meeting Pastoral Center, Charlotte
— The Newman singers with Joe Mattingly: a liturgical and concert group from the Newman Catholic Student Center in Iowa City, Iowa, that has toured the country for the past 15 years, building a reputation for leadership in contemporary liturgical and inspirational music. 5:30 p.m. Liturgy July 23, 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Liturgy July 24, and 7 p.m. concert July 24. Visit www.newmansingers. com.
BELMONT QUEEN OF THE APOSTLES CHURCH, 503 N. MAIN st. — "The Church: The Story of Love, Law and Spirit," MAK Family Life Center, 1:30-3:30 p.m. July 19. RSVP to 704825-9600.
This week’s spotlight: world’s largest traveling display of catholic relics at St. Ann Church, 3635 Park Road, 5:30 p.m. July 16 and at St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Road E., 10 a.m. July 17. Father Carlos Martins of the Companions of the Cross will have a display of approximately 150 relics, including those of St. Maria Goretti, St. Thérèse of Lisieux (the “Little Flower”), St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Faustina Kowalska. The highlight is one of the largest certified relics of the True Cross in the world and a piece of the veil of Our Lady. Visit/visite www.treasuresofthechurch.com.
CHARLOTTE charlotte convention center, 501 s. college st. — Seventh Eucharistic Congress, Sept. 23 and 24. The theme is “Do This in Memory of Me.” The Congress will include a procession of the Eucharist through the streets of uptown Charlotte. The keynote speaker on Friday will be Cardinal Francis Arinze. Visit www. goeucharist.com. ST. ANN CHURCH, 3635 park road — Solemn High Mass in honor of the Feast Day of St. Ann, 7 p.m. July 26 ST. BASIL UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC MISSION — Beginning July 10, services/Liturgies are being held at 2 p.m. on Sundays in Charlotte Catholic High School’s chapel. For more information, go to www.stbasil.weebly. com. ST. GABRIEL CHURCH, 3016 PROVIDENCE ROAD — Shining Stars Support Group, 10 a.m.-noon last Mondays. Visit www.stgabrielchurch.org. ST. john neumann CHURCH, 8451 idlewild road — “To Tell the Truth... No Confession Required,” Family Game Night, Parish Hall, 6 p.m. July 30 — Alzheimer’s Support Group, library, 9:45 a.m. third Tuesdays St. Luke Church, 13700 Lawyers Road, — The Newman singers with Joe Mattingly: a liturgical and concert group from the Newman Catholic Student Center in Iowa City, Iowa, that has toured the country for the past 15 years, building a reputation for leadership in
July 15, 2011 Volume 20 • Number 27
1123 S. Church St. Charlotte, N.C. 28203-4003 catholicnews@charlottediocese.org
704-370-3333 PUBLISHER: The Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of Charlotte
EDITOR: Patricia L. Guilfoyle 704-370-3334, plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT/CIRCULATION: Denise Onativia 704-370-3333, catholicnews@charlottediocese.org ADVERTISING MANAGER: Kevin Eagan 704-370-3332, keeagan@charlottediocese.org STAFF WRITER: SueAnn Howell 704-370-3354, sahowell@charlottediocese.org HISPANIC COMMUNICATIONS: Carlos Castañeda 704-370-3375, cmcastaneda@charlottediocese.org GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Tim Faragher 704-370-3331, tpfaragher@charlottediocese.org
No se pierda la Exhibición de Reliquias Católicas más grande del mundo, en Charlotte. El Padre Carlos Martins de la Comunidad de Acompañantes de la Cruz trae esta exhibición de aproximadamente 150 reliquias Católicas, incluyendo algunas de Santa María Goretti, Santa Teresa de Lisieux, San Francisco de Asis, San Antonio de Padua, Santo Tomás de Aquino y Santa Faustina Kowaliska. Una de los atractivos más grandes es la exhibición de algunos trozos certificados como un pedazo de lo que, de acuerdo a la tradición, es parte del velo de Maria, Nuestra Madre.
contemporary liturgical and inspirational music. 7 p.m. concert July 25. Visit www.newmansingers.com. ST. MATTHEW CHURCH, 8015 BALLANTYNE COMMONS PKWY. — “The Lord be with you ... And with your spirit,” A Preview of the Revised Roman Missal, NLC, with Mercy Sister Mary Hugh Mauldin, 7-8:30 p.m. July 18 and 25, and Aug. 1 and 8
HOLY family CHURCH, 4820 kinnamon road — Charismatic Prayer Group, 7:15 p.m. Mondays — Catholic Trivia, Room 8, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through July. For details contact Gloria Musselwhite at 336-4166477 or Joe Muster at 336-978-1419.
GREENSBORO OUR LADY OF GRACE CHURCH, 2205 W. MARKET ST. — “Catholic, meet the Bible. Bible, meet this Catholic,” School Library, 7-9 p.m. July 19 and 26. Register with Jim at jmccullough@olgchurch.org or 336-274-6520, ext. 335.
HIGHLANDS OUR LADY OF THE MOUNTAINS MISSION, 315 N. FIFTH ST. — Our Lady of the Visitation, Mother of God Prayer Group, following 9 a.m. Mass Thursdays — Eucharistic Adoration, following 9 a.m. Mass first Fridays
HUNTERSVILLE st. mark church, 14740 stumptown road — Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novenas, following 6:30 p.m. Mass Wednesdays — Hora Santa en Español, 7:30-8:30 p.m. terceros jueves
LINVILLE st. bernadette church, 2085 hwy. 105 — Theology of the Body for Teens and Young Adults, July 18-22. Informational meeting following Mass July 17. Contact Batrice Adcock, MSN, RN, at 704-370-3230 or cssnfp@charlottediocese.org.
MOUNT AIRY HOLY ANGELS CHURCH, 1208 N Main st. — Mass in Extraordinary Form, noon Sundays. Contact holyangelsmountairy@charlottediocese.org or 336-7868147.
— St. Peregrine Healing Prayer Service, 7:30 p.m. July 28 — Centering Prayer Meeting, NLC, 7-8:30 p.m. second and fourth Wednesdays. Contact Bruce Hassett at 704-6419041 or Janie Normile at 803-396-8016. ST. Thomas aquinas church, 1400 SUTHER ROAD
Is your PARISH OR SCHOOL hosting a free event open to the public? Deadline for all submissions for the Diocesan Calendar is 10 days prior to desired publication date. Submit in writing to catholicnews@charlottediocese.org or fax to 704-370-3282.
— Revised Roman Missal Workshop, 7 p.m. and Aug. 4
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facebook.com/ catholic news HERALD Diocese of Charlotte
July 15, 2011 | catholicnewsherald.com
New accounting software goes live at all parishes
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Beloved ‘priest of priests, ’ Fr. Conrad Kimbrough passes away
SueAnn Howell Staff writer
CHARLOTTE — Every parish in the diocese is now using a common accounting system to streamline financial reporting and make it easier for parish staffs to work together and with the diocesan Finance Office. All 91 parishes and parish schools went live with ParishSOFT software July 1 following nine months of collaboration, planning and training. The new system is web-based – making it accessible across the diocese for pastors, business managers, finance council members and parish administrative staff – and creates a common financial reporting process to save everyone time and money. The common program also means that parish staffs can reach out to help each other when needed. Cheryl Eckert, business manager at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte, has been using the ParishSOFT software for the past few months. The benefits as she sees them? The information is more secure, it is easy to access, and it sets up continuity of reporting amongst all parishes. “We can all help each other out,” Eckert said. “I called a member of our finance council who can get on the program to see exactly how I have set things up. I have called the diocese, business managers at other parishes, and people have called me. We are all on the same page.” Each parish will pay a monthly fee based on its number of registered households. That fee covers an unlimited number of users, all technical support, database hosting, backups and software updates. The diocese will pay an annual subscription fee of $3,360 for the ParishSOFT software. Representatives from 20 parishes and schools, along with diocesan staff, formed a task force to examine ways to further improve their accounting procedures and, ultimately, provide greater transparency to finance councils and parishioners. Leading the task force was Bill Weldon, chief financial officer for the Diocese of Charlotte, who was quick to credit the group’s collaborative effort and objectivity. “We came together without any preconceived ideas about accounting software providers,” Weldon said. “Instead, our parish and school staff considered which systems are the most user-friendly while providing the best internal controls, and which would help us realign our reporting to mirror the activities of the Church in ways that secular accounting systems cannot.” As with any major overhaul in software, Eckert said, change can be challenging. “We are still experiencing some of the pains of learning from mistakes, but I can see that all of the work will pay off.”
OUR PARISHESI
SueAnn Howell Staff writer
photo provided by Father Shawn O’Neal
Father James P. Cahill marked the 50th anniversary of his priestly ordination June 17.
Father Cahill marks 50 years of caring and serving Paul Viau Correspondent
SYLVA — June 17 was a good day for retired priest Father James P. Cahill. He quietly celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination, concelebrating Mass with his good friend and colleague, Father Shawn O’Neal, at St. Mary Church in Sylva. Following Mass, the two were joined at dinner by Father George Kloster, pastor of St. William Church in Murphy, and head of the Smoky Mountain Vicariate. Father Cahill was also looking forward to the next day when he would get together with good friends Bill and Pauline Watson to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of their mutual friends, the Collars. The following day, according to plan, the Watsons picked up Father Cahill and along the way, they told Father Cahill that they would meet the Collars at St. Mary Church. “There was a Spanish Mass in progress, but, hopefully, there would be space left in the church parking lot,” Bill Watson told him. When the Watsons and Father Cahill arrived, they didn’t see the Collars’ car. Instead of waiting, they decided to look at the newly renovated parish hall. The three quietly made their way through the parking lot, and – as you may have guessed – opened the door to the hall for Father Cahill’s well-deserved “Surprise!” There was no Spanish Mass after all. Rather, Father O’Neal, who had arranged the surprise party, had been inside the hall quieting the crowd of more than 100 close friends and parishioners. “It was an absolute surprise,” Father Cahill
said. “I hadn’t the slightest inkling that this was going to take place. It was just beautiful.” And what a beautiful career Father Cahill has had. He was ordained in 1961 at the age of 32, after 14 years of study in a Jesuit seminary. Cardinal Richard Cushing celebrated the ordination Mass. Father Cahill spent the next 21 years teaching in both Jesuit and public schools in the Philadelphia and the Washington, D.C., areas, before his life dramatically “changed.” He came to North Carolina in 1986 and spent the next 25 years here “experiencing the blessing of parish life.” Father Cahill served as pastor of St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte for five years and was pastor of St. Mary Church in Sylva for 11 years. At 73 he retired but, as we all know, priests never fully retire. For the past nine years, Father Cahill has been able to help out throughout the 13 parishes in the Smoky Mountain Vicariate. He is, he admits, “slowing up, more and more.” Reflecting back on his life, Father Cahill remembers “a remarkable change” in his life when he moved to North Carolina. “It was a realization about what life was all about … what Christian life is all about.” Father Cahill discovered that “God is good, and God loves me.” And now he is truly at peace with his life. His favorite prayer is the St. Francis Prayer (“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace …”) He has observed over the past 50 years that our true calling as Christians is “…to be there for one another – caring for and serving one another.” “I don’t know how much time I have left, but that’s what I want in my life.”
HIGH POINT — The Diocese of Charlotte lost a beloved priest and mentor to clergy throughout the diocese July 5, as Father Conrad Kimbrough passed away at Pennybyrn at Maryfield nursing home in High Point. Father Kimbrough was born in Salisbury on May 10, 1927, the son of the late Conrad Lewis Kimbrough and the late Zola Vesta Ussery Kimbrough, both of Salisbury. He graduated from Boyden High School in Salisbury and after attending two years at Brevard College, Father Conrad graduated Kimbrough from Berea College in Kentucky in 1948. He began his studies for the Episcopal priesthood at Nashotah House in Nashotah, Wis., in 1948, where he earned his bachelor’s and Master of Divinity degrees and was ordained in 1952. Over the next 15 years, he served in a number of posts in the Episcopal diocese of Fond du Lac, Wis. Becoming increasingly dissatisfied with his life as an Episcopalian, Father Kimbrough became a Catholic in 1977 and soon after returned to North Carolina, where he applied to Bishop Michael J. Begley, the first bishop of Charlotte, for ordination as a Catholic priest. After a few months of study at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wis., Bishop Begley ordained him on Feb. 11, 1978, at St. Ann Church in Charlotte. He served in the Diocese of Charlotte as a diocesan consultor, a member of the diocesan Presbyteral Council Kimbrough, SEE page 13
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catholicnewsherald.com | July 15, 2011 OUR PARISHES
CSS sets up regional volunteer coordinators SueAnn Howell Staff writer
CHARLOTTE — Catholic Social Services, the local Catholic Charities agency, is hiring coordinators to lead its flourishing volunteer efforts in three regions of the diocese: Charlotte, Asheville and WinstonSalem. “Our decision to focus on connecting volunteers, especially from the parishes, with the outreach of Catholic Social Services was driven first from the writings on charity by Pope Benedict XVI and, second, by the tremendous increase in need we are experiencing each week at our three regional offices,” said Dr. Gerry Carter, acting executive director of Catholic Social Services. “‘Deus Caritas Est’ (‘God is Love’) provides strong guidance in connecting our life as a Catholic social service agency with the administration of the sacraments and the proclamation of the Good News. As the Holy Father wrote: ‘The Church cannot neglect the service of charity any more than she can neglect the Sacraments and the Word.’ “It is also clearly evident to us that the increase of those in need is quickly reaching critical capacity and that there are no signs of abatement. Just last week, Catholic Social Services provided 569 people with 6,857 pounds of food at the three regional offices. It takes a lot of volunteers to make this happen.” Catholic Social Services offices in Charlotte, Asheville and WinstonSalem are planning to hire one coordinator each to help manage this volunteer work. The Charlotte position will be a full-time position, and the Asheville and Winston-Salem jobs will be part-time. “We expect the volunteer coordinators to be present at parishes on a very regular basis and to be actively engaged with encouraging volunteering opportunities with youth and adult groups,” Carter said. “Our goal is for these regional volunteer coordinators to provide yet another way for parishioners to put their faith into action by engaging in the charitable work of the Church beyond what they already do at the parish. We see this as an ideal cooperative connection between our local parishes and Catholic Social Services.” Carter said he hopes to have the three positions filled by August.
Seminarian education funding gets boost Suzanne Konopka Correspondent
ASHEVILLE — Stewardship is about giving of our time, talent and treasure. There is an exciting treasure chest in the Diocese of Charlotte and an exemplary steward who is filling it in a unique way. The chest is the Friend to Seminarians program and the steward is George Pfaff of St. Eugene Church in Asheville. “The Friend to Seminarians program is a way for generous supporters of the diocese to help fund the training and education of our seminarians,” explains Armen Boyajian, director of leadership giving for the diocese’s Office of Development. Begun in 1998, the Friend to Seminarians program has garnered $2.5 million to provide for the needs of the 41 seminarians ordained since then. The diocese currently supports 17 seminarians, whose education can cost more than $25,000 per year. One is invited to become a Friend to Seminarians through a gift of $5,000 or more. Two dinners are held each year in Charlotte and in the Triad area, where potential donors hear from some of the diocese’s seminarians. George Pfaff is one parishioner who recently responded to that invitation. An Asheville resident for seven years, Pfaff initially offered a bequest to the diocese. He then also offered a gift to the Friend to Seminarians program specifically, in the form of a challenge grant: if others will match it with new gifts each year, he will donate $75,000 per year for four years. “What George has done is wonderful,” Boyajian says. “In response to his first $75,000, we have exceeded his challenge by
raising another $86,000. And we have three more years to go!” Pfaff has already given his time, talent and treasure in countless donations and activities, including many board memberships. After an early interest in chemical engineering at the University of Notre Dame, Pfaff entered the world of business. He worked his way through manufacturing, marketing, management consulting and finally banking – reaping the rewards of hard work and shrewd investing. Suzanne Konopka | Catholic News Herald Pfaff said he and his A Friend to Seminarians, George Pfaff stands next to his patron, St. Anthony, wife Jane had many in his Asheville backyard. With his four-year, $75,000 per year challenge grant, discussions about how Pfaff has acted on St. Anthony’s challenge to ask where our hearts are: fixed on to invest their savings the things of heaven or of this world? before she passed away, and they agreed that the Church. He is a member of the Order “the most important thing we could do is of Malta, an extraordinary minister of holy fund the education of priests.” Communion, and a volunteer in a Christian They have donated generously to priestprogram for women in the North Carolina related organizations, including the Catholic prison system. Extension in Chicago, a seminary in Florida, “I think that the good Lord blesses us with and now the Friend to Seminarians program. so much, and I’ve always felt that I would Father Christopher Gober, diocesan like to be an inspiration to other people. It’s a director of vocations, notes, “The challenge labor of love,” he says. grant demonstrates Mr. Pfaff’s commitment For anyone interested in becoming a to the priesthood and offers an opportunity Friend to Seminarians, contact Jim Kelley, for others to join him.” director of development, at jkkelley@ Now about to turn 85, Pfaff remains charlottediocese.org or 704-370-3301. active and enthusiastic in his support of
St. Lawrence Basilica parishioners promote fair trade Joseph Purello Office of Justice and Peace, Catholic Social Services
ASHEVILLE — Laurentine Hall, under the beautiful Basilica of St. Lawrence in Asheville, became a hub of “fair trade” activities June 18-19 as the site for a Catholic Relief Services’ “Work of Human Hands” sale. While enjoying coffee from Kenya and Mexico, shoppers from St. Lawrence and other parishes perused the festively decorated displays of handcrafts made by artisans from around the world. The efforts of the social justice ministry of St. Lawrence Basilica to promote fair trade, led by parishioner Ken Hillberry, offered a variety of venues to promote fair trade in the weeks leading up to the sale. Hillberry, who has been trained by CRS as a fair trade ambassador, sees these events as “opportunities to promote the message and mission of CRS and the concept of fair trade, and to support the principles of Catholic social teaching, especially solidarity with the world’s poor.” St. Lawrence hosted three “Spirit-trade
Joseph Purello | Catholic News Herald
Ken Hillberry talks about fair trade coffee with fellow St. Lawrence parishioner Ron Ricardo during a “Work of Human Hands” sale June 18. Cafés” in May, providing samples of fair trade coffees, teas and chocolates. Attendees also learned about CRS and its fair trade program through viewing a short video. The CRS Fair Trade Program provides hard-working people around the world access to services and marketing channels so they can retain a greater share of the value of the
goods they produce. Providing technical and financial assistance to artisans and farmers, CRS helps connect producers to consumers (such as shoppers at CRS “Work of Human Hands” sales). Though fair trade goods such as coffee and chocolate cost more than similar products sold in supermarkets, many people want to pay the higher prices because they know their purchases of certified CRS fair trade products means more money goes to the farm owners and workers. Besides supporting the producers and artisans participating in CRS fair trade channels, each fair trade item purchased results in a percentage of the sale price going into a Fair Trade Fund that CRS uses to support grants to small-scale producers and expand the fair trade distribution network. “I am sharing my gifts as a member of the Body of Christ, communicating global awareness and promoting action with a conscience,” Hillberry said. He encourages other parishes to host a similar fair trade sale. “CRS provides excellent advice and direction, they are a wonderful experience for all, and you have fun doing it!”
July 15, 2011 | catholicnewsherald.com
photo provided by Paul Bond
From left are Sisters of Mercy jubilarians: Sister Bernadette McNamara, 60 years; Sister Grace Anisio Joseph, 25 years; Sister Paula Diann Marlin, 50 years; Sister Mary Timothy Warren, 60 years; Sister Ann Marie Wilson, 50 years; Sister Marianne Angert, 70 years; and Sister Mary Charles Cameron, 60 years.
MERRIAM-WEBSTER DEFINES
7 Sisters of Mercy celebrate jubilees Paul Bond Special to the Catholic News Herald
CHARLOTTE — Merriam-Webster defines service as a contribution to the welfare of others. And for a combined 375 years, seven Sisters of Mercy celebrated their service during their jubilee May 28 at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte. Bishop Emeritus William G. Curlin celebrated Mass followed by a reception. The Jubilarians were Sister Marianne Angert, 70 years; Sister Mary Charles Cameron, Sister Bernadette McNamara and Sister Mary Timothy Warren, 60 years; Sister Paula Diann Marlin and Sister Ann Marie Wilson, 50 years; and Sister Grace Anisio Joseph, 25 years. In 1941 Sister Marianne received her father’s consent to travel from Pittsburgh to Belmont to enter the Sisters of Mercy and begin a life of prayer and service. For most of her ministry she has done this in health care. After receiving training as a medical and X-ray tech from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minn., she served as supervisor of the X-ray and lab departments at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Asheville for seven years. She went on to teach microbiology to nursing students at Mercy Hospital in Charlotte and Sacred Heart College in Belmont, where she later served as the college’s dean of women. She also taught science at Belmont Abbey College and the University of West Virginia. Sister Mary Charles, a native of County Mayo, Ireland, entered the Sisters of Mercy when her aunt, who was a Sister of Mercy, was so helpful to her parents while she was growing up. She taught at many schools including St. Patrick and Assumption in Charlotte, and for 40 years she was a teacher, principal or school president in Guam. Sister Bernadette, also a native of County Mayo, began her relationship with the Sisters
of Mercy in preschool. Her call to religious life emerged when sisters from various communities visited her school and spoke about their missions in China, Africa and India. After learning about the needs of the Church in Raleigh from her aunt, she decided to come to America in 1951. She began her ministry as an elementary school teacher and later served as a principal and parochial administrator. Since 2007 she has served as a pastoral associate at Queen of Apostles Church in Belmont. Among her duties are working with the homebound, Hospice, RCIA and baptismal preparation classes. Sister Mary Timothy, an Asheville native, entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1951. Like many sisters she began her ministry in education. She taught at St. Benedict School in Belmont and in Charlotte at St. Patrick and St. Garbriel schools. She was also principal at St. Joan of Arc School in Asheville. She has also ministered at Mercy Hospital in Charlotte as a cytology technologist, a histology technologist and as the director of continuing education. She’s served as a pastoral associate at St. Gabriel Church and in pastoral ministry at Mercy Hospital. She was the vicar for women religious for the Diocese of Charlotte until July 2010 and began her current position as an archivist assistant in Belmont last August. Sister Paula Diann of Mobile, Ala., felt a call to religious life when she was in sixth grade. She spent 31 years teaching in Maryland, Alabama and Florida. She is now the South Central Community archivist. Sister Ann Marie, a native of New York, began a career in business yet felt a call to religious life. In 1961, she became a Sister of Mercy and spent most of her ministry in education as a teacher or principal in North Carolina at Sacred Heart Grade School in Belmont, St. Michael School in Gastonia and St. Gabriel School in Charlotte. She served as the hospital chaplain at Carolinas Medical
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Cerca Importancia del registro en las parroquias Alexandra Vilchez CorresponSAL
CHARLOTTE — Hace cinco años, la hispana Ramona Paulino se registró en la parroquia San Gabriel cuando se mudó a la ciudad y desde entonces asiste al servicio dominical en español, además de participar de las actividades de la congregación. “Es la manera de contribuir oficialmente con mi donación semanal utilizando los sobres que recibo en la casa; además, es más fácil cuando alguien de la familia necesita algún sacramento porque ya están inscritos,” contó Paulino, de origen dominicano. Sin embargo, otra parroquiana, Viviana Morel, expresa que aunque algunos feligreses hispanos participan los domingos de la misa e inclusive son voluntarios, no han llenado la planilla de registro que está disponible en español. “Algunos no tienen costumbre, otros tienen miedo a comprometerse, o simplemente no han cumplido con el requisito. También hay mucha desinformación,” acotó Morel. María Emilia DeMayo, coordinadora de la liturgia de los niños en San Gabriel hace 5 años, atribuye en parte este fenómeno a que la comunidad hispana se muda constantemente de lugar por razones de trabajo. “Lo notamos porque siempre tenemos diferentes niños en la catequesis del domingo,” enfatizó DeMayo, originaria de Colombia.
Organización de la Iglesia Católica Según el Padre Fidel Melo, director del Ministerio Hispano de la Diócesis de Charlotte, no es tradición de los latinos registrarse en las parroquias de sus países y por ello muchos no lo hacen cuando emigran a Estados Unidos. “No sienten la necesidad”, explicó el Padre Melo al Catholic News Herald en Español. Sin embargo, el sacerdote, de origen mexicano, enfatizó que es de “suma importancia” que los hispanos lo hagan porque “es la manera como está organizada la Iglesia Católica en este país.” “El Vicariato Pastoral Hispano está haciendo un esfuerzo grande para transmitir el mensaje del registro entre los feligreses hispanos,” apuntó. Los latinos son la comunidad de mayor crecimiento en la Diócesis de Charlotte, con más de 100.000 feligreses, que forman parte integral de sus 93 parroquias.
¿Cómo registrarse en una parroquia? El proceso es muy sencillo, según explicó Guido Pozo, diácono hispano de la parroquia San Gabriel en Charlotte. La familia recibe un paquete de bienvenida con comunicaciones en su idioma de las diferentes actividades, directorio del personal de la parroquia, clases de formación religiosa, entre otros. “Notamos que la gente se preocupa porque deben dar sus datos personales, por eso resaltamos que la Iglesia no
comparte con nadie la información y que ésta se mantiene confidencial,” apuntó Pozo, de origen ecuatoriano. La cabeza de familia, que puede ser el padre o la madre, debe llenar una planilla de registro que incluye datos como dirección de la vivienda, nombre, edad, estado civil, nombre de los hijos, escuela a la que asisten, grupo étnico, idioma que hablan en casa, ocupación, lugar de trabajo, correo electrónico y tipo de sangre. También contiene referencias de las oportunidades para formar parte de los grupos juveniles, de las clases de formación de fe, colaborar en la organización de eventos, actividades especiales, y colectas de comida.
Beneficios del registro Además de cumplir con un requisito de la diócesis, el registro en la parroquia ofrece una serie de beneficios a la feligresía que por convicción ha decidido seguir practicando la fe católica en su nuevo hogar. Algunos de estos beneficios son: n Recibir por correo los sobres con el nombre de la familia que pueden utilizar para entregar semanalmente la ofrenda dominical en efectivo o cheque. n Recibir las comunicaciones que emite la parroquia, la diócesis, algunos boletines mensuales, información de las escuelas católicas, eventos, y celebraciones. Carlos Castañeda | Catholic News Herald n Si usted lo solicita, recibirá por Registrarse en una Parroquia no forma parte de las costumbres de la cultura hispana de nuestros correo cada dos semanas un ejemplar paises de origen; sin embargo, hay muchos beneficios en hacerlo y formar parte de la comunidad en del periódico Catholic News Herald, la que participamos. que ahora contiene una sección en español. n Con la información de los parroquianos, la congregación procesa más rápido los sacramentos como Bautismo, Confirmación, Primera Comunión o Matrimonios. n Cuando un miembro necesita una carta de “La entrega del sobre el domingo es una evidencia para recomendación, la congregación puede emitirla en base a la las parroquias que un feligrés es un miembro activo,” acotó asistencia a los servicios religiosos y participación activa que el Padre Melo. El registro también ahorra dinero a las se comprueba por los sobres entregados cada domingo. parroquias, ya que evita el envío por correo de información n Al final del año, la parroquia envía una carta recibo con a las familias que no están asistiendo regularmente a sus la cantidad contribuida por la familia a utilizarse a la hora actividades. “Cada cierto tiempo, se actualiza los registros de declarar los impuestos. para determinar el estado de asistencia de sus miembros y clasificarlos como activos o no activos,” expresó el director del Ministerio Hispano.
Ahorros a las parroquias
July 15, 2011 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI
Mi
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La Virgen del Carmen Cada 16 de julio celebramos y recordamos uno de los cultos Marianos más extendidos y populares en el mundo Católico: la veneración y culto a la Virgen del Carmen, una de las advocaciones con las que conocemos a la madre de Jesús. Su origen se remonta al Monte Carmelo, en Palestina, donde se cuenta que apareció la Virgen sobre una pequeña nube. Desde aquel entonces y a través de diferentes manifestaciones de protección y ayuda, la espiritualidad Carmelita se ha extendido por la mayoría de países de habla hispana. Bajo su advocación, protección y patronazgo, muchos pueblos y comunidades han extendido y crecido en su fe, acercando más su amor por Cristo. En España, por ejemplo, más de cuarenta pueblos y ciudades la tienen como su patrona, Es además Patrona del Mar y de la Armada Española. También es considerada Patrona del Ejército de los Andes, el mismo que fue liderado por el General José de San Martín y gestó la independencia de Argentina, Chile y Perú. Es considerada Reina y Patrona de Chile, de sus Fuerzas Armadas y del Cuerpo de Carabineros; es además Patrona de los Choferes y Conductores en Colombia; en el Perú es conocida como la “Patrona del Criollismo,” el movimiento que envuelve y agrupa la cultura peruana y especialmente limeña post-hispánica; en Bolivia es la Patrona de la Nación y de sus Fuerzas Armadas; y en Venezuela es la Patrona del Ejército. Existen muchas casas y conventos Carmelitas por el mundo y su fiesta es celebrada de múltiples formas, donde quiera que se le venere. En el Perú, por ejemplo, su fiesta se celebra con multitudinarias procesiones en el puerto del Callao (Virgen del Carmen de la Legua), así como con serenatas de música criolla. En algunas partes de España se le conduce en paseo en el mar en lancha, pidiendo su protección para los hombres de mar. La Virgen del Carmen es una de las tradiciones y cultos que nos acercan más a Dios. Gracias al amor de María como la Virgen del Carmen, muchas familias refuerzan y apoyan su amor por Cristo.
Aqui
nuestra
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Vigilia en St. Peter El pasado 9 de julio se realizó la vigilia por Erick Velazquillo, en la Parroquia San Pedro, en Charlotte. Al acto concurrieron ciudadanos, miembros de organizaciones comunitarias y civiles, así como iglesias de diversas denominaciones y profesores del CPCC y de la Universidad Johnson C. Smith. Unas 70 personas se solidarizaron contra la orden de deportación que enfrenta Velazquillo por ser indocumentado. Fue un acto no sólo de solidaridad, sino un paso hacia la toma de conciencia que todos somos hijos y creaturas de Dios, parte de una misma familia. Vea las fotos de la vigilia, en: www.catholicnewsherald.com, sección Español.
Exhibición de Reliquias Católicas Este 16 y 17 de julio no se pierda la Exhibición de Reliquias Católicas más grande del mundo, en Charlotte. El Padre Carlos Martins de la Comunidad de Acompañantes de la Cruz trae esta exhibición de aproximadamente 150 reliquias Católicas, incluyendo algunas de Santa María Goretti, Santa Teresa de Lisieux, San Francisco de Asis, San Antonio de Padua, Santo Tomás de Aquino y Santa Faustina Kowaliska. Una de los atractivos más grandes es la exhibición de algunos trozos certificados como un pedazo de lo que, de acuerdo a la tradición, es parte del velo de Maria, Nuestra Madre. Será el 16 de julio, 5:30 p.m. en la parroquia Santa Ana, 3635 Park Road, y el 17 de julio, 10 a.m. en la Catedral de San Patricio, 1621 Dilworth Road E.
Taller de Pre-Canaá El 25 de junio se realizó con mucho éxito el segundo taller de preparación matrimonial “Pre-Canaá 2011” en la Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de la Gracia, en Greensboro. Al taller asistieron 16 parejas que en el futuro no muy lejano recibirán el Sacramento del Matrimonio. Pedimos por todos ellos, para que Dios los ayude en su caminar por la vida. El equipo de formación Jerman y Nuria Durán, Jesús y Marina Gallardo, José y Graciela Flores, Rev. Diácono Enedino Aquino y apoyados con la participación del P. Fidel Melo extendemos una invitación para el próximo taller quye se realizará el 5 de noviembre, en el mismo lugar. Informes al: 336-273-2343.
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Envíenos sus noticias o anuncios y forme parte de esta sección Este espacio y sección es para promover y conectar a nuestra comunidad. Todos los comentarios y sugerencias son bienvenidas. Si desea escribirnos, dejar sus comentarios, sugerencias u opiniones, así como para enviar alguna noticia o promover algún evento de su parroquia o grupo, por favor contáctenos: Carlos Castañeda
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cmcastaneda@charlottediocese.org, 704-370-3375. Si desea participar escribiendo o formando parte del ministerio de comunicaciones, no dude en unirse! Contáctenos por email o visite: www.catholicnewsherald. com (Sección Español) e ingrese su información. Nosotros le contactaremos tan pronto como sea posible.
Padre Julio Domínguez
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Séptimo Congreso Eucarístico
ueridos hermanos en Cristo, es maravilloso pensar que hace algunos años el Espíritu Santo inspiró a nuestro Señor Obispo a iniciar el Congreso Eucarístico.Parece mentira percibir que ya estamos ‘ad portas’ de la séptima versión del Congreso que celebra a Cristo Eucaristía.Y es que cuando pensamos en el Congreso Eucarístico, inmediatamente vienen a nuestras mentes las maravillas que pasan en éste: n Antes que nada la invitación de parte de nuestro Señor Obispo a toda la diócesis a trabajar juntos. Como parte del comité de preparación, yo me quedo admirado de toda la preparación y reuniones que tenemos que hacer para que el evento sea un éxito, pero eso es parte del plan de Dios: que nos juntemos para trabajar en equipo y el objetivo es que todos los que participen en el evento puedan glorificar a Dios. n El día del Congreso muchas personas de diferentes razas, lenguas, colores y nacionalidades nos reunimos con un mismo objetivo: Adorar y glorificar al Señor....!Qué maravilloso momento, tan sólo de pensarlo! n La procesión con el Santísimo tiene muchos efectos, primeramente en los que participamos en ésta, nos viene a la mente la gran promesa del Señor: “Yo estaré con ustedes todos los días, hasta el final de los siglos” y además damos testimonio de nuestra fe ante tantas personas que necesitan saber de Cristo. n Los conferencistas generalmente hacen un trabajo estupendo transmitiéndonos lo que Dios quiere decirnos y renovando nuestra fe. n Finalmente y sobre todo, la celebración de la Santa Misa es un momento impactante en la vida de todos nosotros, en el cual nos vemos y nos sentimos como Iglesia, unidos en Cristo. Este año, la versión hispana del Congreso Eucarístico contará con la participación de dos personalidades que trabajan fuertemente por y para la Eucaristía. La primera es Sandy Calderas, joven invidente de nacimiento, originaria de Jerez, Zacatecas, México. Dios brindó a Sandy la oportunidad de realizar una carrera universitaria, además de una fecunda carrera musical, desde los nueve años de edad. Actualmente trabaja como psicóloga clínica familiar, ejerciendo como terapeuta profesional, así también como conductora del programa OASIS DE AMOR trasmitido por la estación de radio Católica Guadalupe Radio de Los Angeles, California; es ademas lider de Sandy Caldera Band. La segunda personalidad es Msgr. Eduardo Chávez Sánchez, quien posee un doctorado en Historia de la Iglesia y sirvió como uno de los postuladores de la causa de canonización de San Juan Diego. Es co-Fundador y Rector del Instituto de Estudios Guadalupanos y Canónigo de la Basílica de Guadalupe. El 17 de mayo del 2001, el Cardenal Norberto Rivera Carrera, Arzobispo de México, lo nombró como el postulador de la causa de Juan Diego. San Juan Diego fue luego canonizado el 31 de julio del 2002. Msgr. Chávez fue además el Secretario General de la visita del Papa Juan Pablo II a México. A través de su trabajo como postulador y otros, Msgr. Chávez ha contribuido notablemente al estudio del evento Guadalupano, dictando conferencias en renombradas instituciones a nivel mundial y publicando más de 28 libros y artículos. Hermanos, dénse la oportunidad de participar en este gran evento, les aseguro que es una experiencia muy enriquecedora en el orden de la fe. El Padre Julio Domínguez es Párroco de la Iglesia San Franciso, en Lenoir, y miembro del Comité Organizador del Congreso Eucarístico Diocesano.
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Dorice Narins | Catholic News Herald
Sacred Heart parishioner Cecile Voso takes out donations from the collection box for CFCA. The box remains in the gathering aArea of the church for people to deposit contributions toward the support of six children and one elderly gentleman overseas.
Sacred Heart parishioners support CFCA BREVARD — Sacred Heart Church in Brevard sponsors six children and one elderly adult through Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA). Grounded in the Gospel call to serve the poor, CFCA serves about 300,000 children, youth and elderly in 22 countries. By their contributions, Sacred Heart parishioners provide life-changing opportunities through education, improved nutrition, clothing, medical care, dental care and immunizations. Contributors at Sacred Heart include a child who puts a quarter a week into the collection, living what Blessed Teresa of Calcutta once said, “In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love.” A member of the parish’s Community Life Commission writes to the children. From these letters the children learn English, about the Church and about the U.S. From the children, parishioners learn about life in the other countries. At times the children draw pictures on the letters. Parishioners are allowed to send only small gifts. Sponsored individuals come from stressed family situations, so CFCA sponsorship helps to alleviate the stress by providing opportunities for their children and by providing supplementary food to the family – all at a cost of just $30 per month. This small amount brings hope, life, faith and unconditional love to children and the aged around the world. It is heartwarming and touching to read their letters, their appreciation of the small things being done for them, their hopes for a brighter future and their successes. — Dorice Narins
An 8,000-mile journey of love 75-year-old walks across 12 countries to remind those living in poverty that they are not forgotten Christian Foundation for Children and Aging
For more than 17 months, Bob Hentzen’s day began around 2:30 a.m., when he woke up in an old Toyota camper. He took a moment to pray, enjoyed a nice cup of coffee, and kissed his wife before hitting the road. Hentzen, 75, walked an average of 20 to 25 miles daily as he made his way through vast terrains – from beautiful farmland and mountains, to treacherous highways and deserts. If you ask Hentzen why he decided to walk for more than a year and a half, he’ll tell you, “It’s about love.” As president and co-founder of Christian Foundation for Children and Aging, a lay Catholic sponsorship organization serving families living in poverty in 22 developing countries, Hentzen has devoted most of his life to serving those in need. Although he is no stranger to life on the road, his latest trip and means of transportation represented a whole new set of challenges, but also rewards. In December 2009, Hentzen embarked on a nearly 8,000-mile walk from Guatemala to Chile. Known as Walk2gether, the trip was intended to shed light on the struggles of families trying to survive in extreme poverty – often on less than $2 per day. Walk2gether, which crossed 12 countries, was Hentzen’s unique way of putting Catholic social teaching into action by walking in solidarity with the poor to show that we are one human family, despite our national, racial, economic and religious differences. “If the Lord gave me good health and long legs, it was for a reason,” Hentzen said. “By walking with people living in poverty we are saying, ‘You are not alone; we are listening to you and learning from you.’” Hentzen hopes that his efforts will inspire people in the U.S. to act on the Church’s teachings, which ask us to prioritize the needs of the poor and vulnerable. This is why Hentzen is asking people to join him, not by walking, but by sponsoring at least one child through CFCA for each of the 8,000 miles he walked during Walk2gether – 8,000 miles for 8,000 kids.
“Sponsorship says, ‘We are equal in the eyes of God and we need other,” Hentzen said. “We are interdependent.’” Despite the constant mental and physical demands required to complete the nearly 8,000-mile walk, Hentzen found the time and en to mingle with some of the 182 families CFCA serves in the countries he walked through. Bob’s wife Cristina traveled him and often walked with him to encourage him and others w joined the walk. “I’m grateful to people living in poverty for all that they hav taught me about life, faith and unconditional love, even unde the toughest of circumstances Hentzen said. “I enjoy the time get to spend together because give me the energy to keep goi On any given day, dozens to hundreds of men, women and children made their way to Hentzen to support and encou him in the same way that he di for them. This is no simple tas considering that many of them lived miles away from the walk route and had very limited time and resources. Leaving her mountaintop home at midnight in the rain to be a pa Walk2gether was no harder than any other day for Cumanda, a sing mother from Ecuador, who normally begins her day around 5:30 a.m work as a day laborer. “Due to my lack of education, I work long days hoping to be able t
HE COVER
July 15, 2011 | catholicnewsherald.comiii
What is CFCA? Christian Foundation for Children and Aging is an international lay Catholic organization, based in Kansas City, that has served people of all faiths in 22 developing countries since 1981. CFCA’s Hope for a Family program connects individual sponsors with a child, youth or elderly person in need of encouragement and support. Hope for a Family sponsorship goes beyond the basics of providing food, education, health care and livelihood programs. It gives families hope that they can create a path out of poverty for their children.
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Bob Hentzen, one of the founders of Christian Foundation for Children and Aging, a lay Catholic sponsorship organization serving families living in poverty in 22 developing countries, recently trekked 8,000 miles from Guatemala to Chile to highlight the plight of poor families and children. At top left, Hentzen crosses the Chilean desert. At bottom left, Hentzen walks through a town in Guatemala, joined by families who are supported by CFCA or who support its efforts. earn what I need to provide for my girls,” Cumanda said. “I want for them the opportunities I did not have growing up.’ Always looking for ways to give back to CFCA, which helps provide her daughters with food and school supplies, Cumanda was eager to meet Hentzen and join him on his walk through communities where CFCA works. And though her worn shoes offered minimal comfort, she was grateful for the opportunity to show her love and admiration for the man who has devoted his life to families like hers. “We feel supported, cared for and loved,” she said. More than 3,000 sponsored children, youth and elderly people gathered in Valparaiso, Chile, on June 6 to watch Bob take the final steps of his nearly 8,000-mile journey. CFCA’s Hope for a Family sponsorship program connects individual sponsors with a child, youth or elderly person in need to provide basic resources and support needed to create a path out of poverty. More than 94 percent of CFCA’s expenses go toward program support.
“I know that not everyone can walk 8,000 miles to show their support for people living in poverty worldwide,” Hentzen said. “But I want to ask those who are willing to help to make a difference by becoming sponsors, and helping to provide children with the basic resources, education and moral support they deserve.”
How can you get involved? Learn more about CFCA and its work by going to www.hopeforafamily.org or calling 800-875-6564. They are also on Facebook at “SponsorAChild.”
Children: 283,226; Aging: 22,824; Vocation candidates: 417; Total: 306,467
How many people are CFCA sponsors? There are 267,920 primarily U.S.-based sponsors.
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catholicnewsherald.com | July 15, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
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In Brief Override sought for Woman’s Right to Know veto
Father Matthew Buettner
The Creed: Stating our beliefs F
ollowing the Liturgy of the Word and the homily or sermon are the Profession of Faith and the General Intercessions, completing the Liturgy of the Word. The Profession of Faith is otherwise known as the Symbol of Faith or simply the Creed (from the first word in Latin, “Credo,” or “I believe”). The Creed is an ancient summary of Christian beliefs, and a compendium of the truths of Sacred Scripture. It is historical fact that the Profession of Faith was not originally formulated for use in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Rather, the Profession of Faith was framed in the early Church for two purposes: 1) As a list of affirmations recited by the believer before his or her baptism, and 2) as an antidote to the confusion and doubt caused by heresy (false teachings) about Christ and the articles of faith. The Apostles’ Creed was one of the earliest and most concise set of beliefs. However, due to rampant heresy and theological confusion, the elements of each symbol of faith were elaborated and given further explanation. Thus, the Church used the Apostles’ Creed as a basis for the list of truths at the Council of Nicaea in 325, added to it at the Council of Constantinople in 381, and crafted the final composition at the Council of Chalcedon in 451. It was this more explicit symbol of faith that first entered the Mass at the Council of Toledo in Spain in 589: “Let the Creed resound, so that the true faith may be declared in song, and that the souls of believers, in accepting that faith, may be ready to partake, in Communion, of the Body and Blood of Christ.” From Spain, the entrance of the Creed in the Mass spread to Western Europe, where it was eventually placed after the Gospel. Like the Gloria, the Profession of Faith can be divided into three parts: 1) A confession of faith in God the Father, as creator of heaven and earth; 2) A confession of faith in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God; and 3) A confession of faith in the means of salvation, supplied by the Holy Spirit through the Church. These three parts of the Creed unite to form a body of truths that establish the foundation of orthodox (true) Christian faith and, ultimately, give witness to the marvelous history of God’s redemptive love. Below is the revised translation of the Creed (wording changes are bolded), which can be sung or recited: I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through Him all things were made. For us men and for all salvation He came down from heaven, (all bow during these words up to and including “and became man”) and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
Learn more This is part 22 of a year-long series featuring the revised translation of the Third Missal. The most recent installment of Missal Moments by Father Brandon Jones also discussed why the word “I” will be substituted for the word “we” in the Apostles’ Creed. Go online to www.missalmoment.com to learn more. For more resources, check out the U.S. bishops’ link at www.usccb.org/ romanmissal.
and became man. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate, He suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and His kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen. Following the Creed, the faithful speak on behalf of the Church in interceding for the needs of the Church and the world. It is important to note that the General Intercessions are by definition “general,” that is, they refer to the broad needs of the universal Church and the world. By definition, they are also petitions, rather than prayers of thanksgiving or praise. The Church orders the sequence of intercessions: For the needs of the Church, for public authorities and the salvation of the world, for those oppressed by any need, and for the local community, including the faithful departed. The General Intercessions or “Bidding Prayers” close the Liturgy of the Word and complete our verbal response to the Word of God. But the Mass is not ended. The Word must again become “flesh and dwell among us.” The one, true sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the High Priest, must again be presented, in the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Father Matthew Buettner is the pastor of St. Dorothy Church in Lincolnton. This is excerpted from “Understanding the Mystery of the Mass – Revisited,” available for purchase online at www. tedeumfoundation.org. Proceeds will go toward the purchase of land for a future seminary in the Diocese of Charlotte. Previous columns are archived online at www.catholicnewsherald.com.
RALEIGH — The N.C. General Assembly reconvened July 13. The legislature is expected to attempt to override Gov. Beverly Perdue’s veto of the Woman’s Right to Know Act. The act would require a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion. Both of North Carolina’s bishops, through Catholic Voice NC, issued an alert in support of the override and have asked the faithful to contact their representatives. Legislators have already heard from almost 800 participants of Catholic Voice NC. CatholicVoiceNC.org — David Hains
Learn more about the priestly vocation CHARLOTTE — Young men of the diocese are invited to attend Vocation Awareness Day Aug. 3 at St. Ann Church in Charlotte, starting at 10 a.m. Bishop Peter Jugis, Father Christopher Gober, vocations director, and other priests and seminarians will be on hand to talk about vocations and answer questions. There will also be lunch, fun games, prayer and fellowship. Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Jugis at 10:30 a.m. Dress is comfortable, clean and casual. For more details and to reserve your place, call 704-370-3327.
Military Mass celebrated July 3 CHARLOTTE — Active and retired members of the U.S. armed forces gathered at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte July 3 for a Mass honoring the country’s service personnel, celebrated by Bishop Peter J. Jugis. The annual Mass is celebrated every year in July. — Carlos Castañeda
July 15, 2011 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI
Kimbrough FROM PAGE 5
and the diocesan Vocations Committee, in addition to serving as pastor of a number of parishes including St. Francis of Assisi in Lenoir, St. Dorothy in Lincolnton, Immaculate Conception in Hendersonville, St. Benedict in Greensboro and Holy Spirit in Denver. He served for a brief time as administrator at St. William Church in Murphy. He was a fervent promoter of priestly and religious vocations. During his time as pastor at St. Benedict Church in Greensboro, he saw nine men go into the seminary and two women enter into religious life. Father Kimbrough was the first priest whom Father Brandon Jones, pastor of Holy Reedemer Church in Andrews, ever met. Father Jones is also a convert to the Catholic faith and recalls their first meeting: “I remember I was 13 years old at the time (when Father Kimbrough was pastor at St. Benedict Church) and he asked me, ‘Do you believe in the Bible?’ When I said yes, he said, ‘Well, my Church wrote it.’” “That was a formative event in my conversion to the faith,” Father Jones said. After retiring as pastor of Holy Spirit Church in Denver, Father Kimbrough returned to his home in Salisbury, where he continued to offer parish assistance to both Sacred Heart in Salisbury and other parishes in the dioceses of Charlotte and Charleston, S.C. His final years were spent living at Pennybyrn at Maryfield in High Point, a retirement and nursing facility operated by the Poor Sisters of the Mother of God, where he continued to remain active until his health prevented him from doing so.
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In Brief
A champion for the protection of the unborn, Father Kimbrough was active in the pro-life movement and was instrumental in establishing Room at the Inn, a residential home for mothers in Charlotte. “To my mind, the Kingdom is richer,” said Father Benjamin Roberts, parochial vicar at Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury, as he reflected on his mentor’s passing. “We are richer as individuals and parishes and as a diocese because he lived the Priesthood of Jesus Christ, entrusted to him, among us. I will always remember Father Kimbrough as one who encouraged vocations, in general and in particular. “He worked diligently with couples who were preparing for marriage. He was a gentle, but firm, counselor to seminarians. He was a loving father to many of us and truly rejoiced when we became his brothers. Whenever I would go to see him, even in the last month, I would ask for his blessing. And then he would fold his hands and ask for mine. The Kingdom is richer, and I am so much richer for having been blessed by Father Kimbrough.” He was also an avid genealogist, and he donated his genealogy papers to the Rowan County Public Library. He is survived by one sister, Betty Jane “Betsy” Harrielle of Concord; two brothers: Frank Kimbrough of Roxboro and Norman Kimbrough of Wilmington; and seven nieces and nephews. Solemn Evening Prayer was celebrated July 7, 2011, at Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by Bishop Peter J. Jugis on July 8, 2011, at Sacred Heart Church. Burial was at the parish cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Father Kimbrough Scholarship Fund of the Te Deum Foundation, 2767 London Lane; Winston-Salem, N.C. 27103.
dialogue led by Jesuit Father Joseph Koterski (pictured standing and holding a copy of the play). The program was offered by Catholic Social Services in partnership with St. John Neumann Church in Charlotte. In his discussion, Father Koterski said the play, written by then Bishop Karol Wojtyła in 1960, is designed draw out what the future pope saw as key Catholic principles on courtship, commitment and marriage. The play does not provide answers to the questions about making and keeping lifelong commitments. Rather, he said, it helps us “ask the right questions” and see in the play’s characters a “growth in self-knowledge as they reflect on these questions.” — Joseph Purello
Bilingual NFP teachers wanted
JPII play discussed at St. John Neumann CHARLOTTE — Thirty people recently attended a two-evening reading of Blessed John Paul II’s play “The Jeweler’s Shop” and facilitated
CHARLOTTE — The diocesan Natural Family Planning program is offering a bilingual instructor course as part of a growing effort to reach out to Hispanic families who need information and education. This bilingual course will be a free oneday class, running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (dates and location to be determined). NFP instructors will train the bilingual instructors in the two most popular NFP methods. This is an excellent resource for parish leaders involved in marriage preparation. Contact Batrice Adcock at 704-3703230 or bnadcock@charlottediocese.org. — Carlos Castañeda
Program FROM PAGE 3
goal setting – and others see proof of the results of the program. “The graduation rate of teen parents who participate in (Hand to Hand), as well as getting some help from me, is higher than the graduation rate of teen parents who get help from me only,” said Faith Lockwood, school social worker for teen parents and their families at WinstonSalem/Forsyth County Schools. The program’s leaders refuse to lose hope, they said. Rather than think about
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closing down the program, they instead are looking for additional funding from new sources. “This is an opportunity to take a fresh look at the program and to see how we can do an even better job of serving the teen mother, father and their child,” Bullard said. “Through funding from the United Way of Forsyth County, the Diocesan Support Appeal and private donations, we can continue to provide many basic services without interruption. However, the loss of funding has caused us to reduce critical staff that serve these parents and now the funding to provide much-needed specialized help for these parents has dwindled significantly,” DuBois said.
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charlottediocese.org/catholicnews | July 15, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
On TV
Placido Domingo
narrative slack and the suspenseful conclusion is handled with the director’s usual flair. CNS: A-II (adults and adolescents) n Friday, July 15, 9:30 p.m.midnight (PBS) “Rigoletto from Mantua.” Placido Domingo stars in Andrea Andermann’s production of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Rigoletto,” filmed on locations in and around the Renaissance splendor of Mantua, Italy. Part of the series “Great Performances.”
n Monday, July 18, 2:30 p.m. (EWTN) “EWTN’s Vatican Report.” Stay informed with important news stories from the Vatican and interviews with Church leaders. Encores Thursday, July 21, 3 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Saturday, July 23, 6:30 p.m. n Tuesday, July 19, 2-3:45 p.m. (TCM) “I Confess” (1953). Murky thriller set in Quebec City where a murderer confesses his crime to a priest who, bound by the seal of the confessional, refuses to answer certain questions of a police inspector and winds up on trial for the murder. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock from a play by Paul Anthelme, the situation is further muddled by a troubled woman from the priest’s youth but the stark location photography picks up some of the
n Tuesday, July 19, 10-11 p.m. (PBS) “Biblioburro: The Donkey Library.” Filmmaker Carlos Rendon Zipagauta’s documentary profiles Luis Soriano, who spends his weekends bringing precious books, via two hard-working donkeys, to the children of a poor and violence-ridden province in Colombia. As Soriano braves armed bands and drug traffickers, snakes and heat, his library-on-hooves carries an inspirational message about education and a better future for his country. n Friday, July 22, 6-7 p.m. (EWTN) “Exile of Mary Magdalene.” This special examines how history and tradition give a reasonable account of St. Mary Magdalene’s exile in France, including a look at what is generally accepted as her hermit cave in the cliff of Sainte Baume and how it reveals the spirituality of a woman who truly loved Christ. n Friday, July 22, 10-11:30 p.m. (EWTN) “Felix Varela.” Documentary exploring the life of the saintly Cuban priest, and now servant of God, Father Felix Varela. Born in Havana in 1787, he died in the United States at age 66. In 1985, the Holy See authorized the opening of his canonization process.
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her lazy, porn-obsessed spouse. Brief nongraphic but adulterous sexual activity, acceptability of divorce, pornography theme with fleeting suggestive images, a bit of sexual humor. CNS: A-III (adults), MPAA: PG-13
In theaters ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’ The mechanical mayhem continues in director Michael Bay’s 3-D third installment of a franchise based on a line of Hasbro toys. Now an underemployed college graduate, the same ordinary human who saved the world on two previous occasions struggles once again to secure victory for a race of good shape-shifting alien robots in their renewed battle with an evil army of their own kind. Though pitched at youthful viewers, elements like the central pair’s all-too modern romance and some gritty vocabulary make this exclusively suitable, if not especially satisfying, for those who are, chronologically at least, well past adolescence. Pervasive stylized violence, cohabitation, brief partial nudity. CNS: A-III (adults), MPAA: PG-13
‘Larry Crowne’ Suddenly fired from his longtime job as a clerk at a chain store, a middle-aged suburbanite enrolls in his local community college, joins a student scooter-riding club and falls for one of his professors. Tom Hanks, who also directed and cowrote the script, creates a generally genial, lowkey romantic comedy with a hopeful starting-over theme. But the second chances on offer include problematic marital mulligans since Hanks’ character has recently been divorced, while his instructor is still in the process of splitting from
‘Monte Carlo’ In this flimsy but inoffensive teen-girl romantic fantasy, director and co-writer Thomas Bezucha sets Selena Gomez, Katie Cassidy and Leighton Meester loose in Paris, and in the principality of the title, as a trio of small-town Texas tourists who embark on a series of comic misadventures after Gomez’s character is mistaken for a British socialite. Some mild sensuality. CNS: A-II (adults and adolescents), MPAA: PG
July 15, 2011 | charlottediocese.org/catholicnews
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Our nation
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catholicnewsherald.com | July 15, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
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In Brief Agreement on baptism clears last hurdle WASHINGTON, D.C. — With a July 4 vote by the General Synod of the United Church of Christ, a common agreement on baptism by the U.S. Catholic Church and four Protestant church communities cleared its final hurdle. The “Common Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Baptism,” approved by the U.S. Catholic bishops last November, was ratified by the governing bodies of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in June 2009 and the Reformed Church in America and Christian Reformed Church in North America this June. With the agreement, drawn up by Catholic and Reformed scholars during the seventh round of the Catholic-Reformed Dialogue in the USA, baptisms performed in any of the five churches will be recognized by the others, as
long as flowing water and the proper formula of “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” is used and documented.
Diocese eyes Crystal Cathedral ORANGE, Calif. — Bishop Tod D. Brown of Orange asked a group of diocesan advisers July 6 to “explore possibilities” regarding the Crystal Cathedral, once the home church of the Rev. Robert Schuller, a noted TV preacher, that was put up for auction as part of bankruptcy proceedings. Opening in 1970, the 3,000-seat Crystal Cathedral was one of the nation’s first megachurches. The Orange Diocese does not currently have a cathedral to serve its 1.2 million Catholics.
Two new bishops named EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Bishop Charles C. Thompson was installed as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Evansville June 29. The new bishop, 50, succeeds Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger, 75. WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pope Benedict XVI has named Bishop Alvaro Corrada del Rio of Tyler, Texas, to head the Diocese of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. — Catholic News Service
Illinois judge blocks state’s attempt to end Catholic Charities foster care CNA/EWTN News
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — An Illinois judge’s July 12 order will allow Catholic Charities to continue its foster care work in three dioceses, despite an attempt by state officials and the governor to end the partnership. “This is a great win for the 2,000 children under the care of Catholic Charities, protecting these kids from the grave disruption that the state’s reckless decision to terminate would have caused,” said Peter Breen, executive director and legal counsel at the Illinois-based Thomas More Society. Breen said that Catholic Charities, with the legal assistance of his organization, “will continue this fight” to maintain “the high-quality foster and adoption care that the Catholic Church has provided for over a century to Illinois children.” Bishop Daniel R. Jenky of Peoria, one of the dioceses which sought the injunction, said he was “encouraged by the judge’s recognition today of the grave harm that would result” from forcing Catholic Charities out of foster care. “We continue to believe we can adhere to our religious principles and operate within Illinois law,” Bishop Jenky said. “Our focus has always been on living the Gospel mission
by serving and protecting vulnerable children throughout our communities, and we will continue our faithful mission building a future filled with hope.” Illinois’ Department of Children and Family Services had stated in a July 8 letter that it was ending its relationship with Catholic Charities in three dioceses, over the Church ministries’ alleged refusal to comply with the recently-passed Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act. The three branches of Catholic Charities have maintained they are following the law, even as they continue their practice of placing foster children only with married couples and non-cohabiting single persons. Breen said July 11 that the state was dropping Catholic Charities on illegitimate grounds, and attempting an “end-run” around Catholic Charities’ lawsuit against the state over the same issue. At Tuesday’s hearing, Judge John Schmidt expressed a similar sentiment, saying the Department of Children and Family Services’ termination letter had the “appearance of gamesmanship.” Schmidt also rejected Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s attempt to have Catholic Charities’ complaint dismissed on the grounds of “mootness,” and will decide the merits of the case in a hearing Aug. 17.
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Our world
July 15, 2011 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI
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In Brief Vatican reports 2010 budget surplus VATICAN CITY — The Vatican reported a budget surplus for the first time in four years in 2010, but said contributions from Catholics and dioceses around the world had gone down. The budget of the Holy See, which includes offices of the Roman Curia and related agencies, ended 2010 with a surplus of about $13.1 million. The separate budget of Vatican City State, which includes the Vatican Museums, ended 2010 with a surplus of about $28 million. Worldwide giving to the pope decreased in 2010, the Vatican also said. Peter’s Pence collected $67.7 million, down from $82.5 million in 2009. In addition, the contributions of dioceses amounted to about $27.4 million, compared to $31.5 million last year. Contributions from other institutions, including the Vatican bank, added about $73 million to the pope’s funds, which are used to support works of charity and mission around the world.
Vatican condemns illegitimate ordination in China VATICAN CITY — The Vatican has condemned the latest ordination of a Chinese bishop without papal approval, saying the prelate has no right to govern the diocese. The statement also warned that the penalty of excommunication may apply not only to the ordained bishop but also to the consecrating bishops who were involved. Father Paul Lei Shiyin was ordained without a papal mandate June 29 as bishop of Leshan. Bishop Johan Fang Xingyao of Linyi, president of the government-sanctioned Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, was the main celebrant. — Catholic News Service
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Catholic officials: People of South Sudan will need patience Bronwen Dachs Catholic News Service
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Catholic officials cited the need for patience and a focus on what the people of South Sudan have achieved as the Church prepares to walk alongside the world’s newest country on its path to peace and development. In “achieving their right to selfdetermination,” marked with a July 9 independence ceremony in the capital, Juba, the people of South Sudan have “what the better-educated and better-fed people of Libya, Yemen and many other countries are looking for,” said Dan Griffin, adviser on Sudan to the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Relief Services. “Their potential and hope give them a tremendous advantage,” he said. He noted that the 8 million citizens of South Sudan “may not have phones, banks or roads but they do have rights and dignity and a government of their consent.” A 2005 peace deal that ended Africa’s longest-running conflict led to a January independence vote in which nearly 99 percent of the residents of the South voted to secede from Sudan. At least 2 million people were killed in Sudan’s last civil war, fought from 1983 to 2005. The people of South Sudan “have a very sincere appreciation of what has been achieved” and “while they are mindful of the challenges ahead, they know they are on the right path,” Griffin said. Bishop John H. Ricard, retired bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Fla., said it is crucial that the Church “continues to play a strong role” in South Sudan after its independence. “The Church in South Sudan needs to support and challenge the government to ensure a just and equitable society,” he said. Bishop Ricard, who traveled to Juba to represent the U.S. bishops’ Committee
on International Justice and Peace at the independence celebrations, said South Sudan’s independence made official the divide that has always existed. When it gained independence from Britain in 1956, Sudan was two distinct regions and peoples – a dry, Arab-dominated North, and a more lush, ethnically African South – joined into one. “The people of South Sudan have the vision and will to establish a state and to move forward,” Bishop Ricard said, noting that “they will need outside help to achieve this, which we need to provide.”
CNS | Goran Tomasevic, Reuters
Sudanese women carry crosses as they rehearse for an Independence Day ceremony in Juba July 7. South Sudan split from the north July 9, creating Africa’s newest nation.
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catholicnewsherald.com | July 15, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Beyond the headlines N.Y. state senator gets heat for ‘taking the Catholic out’ of his marriage vote
Peggy Bowes
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The heavenly handbag
recently entered a local store and was enthusiastically greeted by a teenaged employee who admired the bag I was carrying. We chatted for a few minutes, our 25year age difference overcome by our common interest in a woman’s most important accessory – not surprising, really, as the search for the perfect bag begins early in life. Even a toddler realizes that a purse reflects who she is as she debates which Disney princess should be featured on her starter bag. After all, the right bag says “I’ve arrived! I’m stylish! I’m somebody!” No wonder so many women splurge on designer handbags that cost more than their mortgage payment. If a handbag reflects who a woman is, then its contents are tools for her success: matching wallet, lipstick in the latest color, smartphone, business cards, designer sunglasses, and keys to a luxury car. Handbags are even the subject of celebrity interviews. My favorite fashion magazine asks the cover model, “What’s in your bag?” as if its contents will somehow reveal the secret to her fame and fortune. Gullible readers rush out to purchase the same products, hoping for similar results. One event in a woman’s life that will forever alter her choice of handbags is motherhood. Suddenly, the designer label is not as important as the bag’s function. It must be easy to clean, have lots of pockets and compartments, and not fall apart when chewed by teething babies. The contents also reveal a shift away from self. I’ve seen women pull Band-Aids, bibs, juice boxes, miniature cars, sunscreen and even portable DVD players out of their suitably enormous purses. Like all earthly treasures, the allure of the perfect handbag fades over time. It gets soiled, the stitches come undone, or it is simply no longer in vogue. It must be cast aside and replaced. Likewise, as a woman matures, she realizes that her words, actions and accomplishments better reflect who she is than her handbag. Its contents, or tools for her success, change as well. They are more practical: a coupon organizer, a pack of tissues, hand sanitizer and keys to a minivan. My handbag is merely an earthly treasure, but it can carry tools to help me store up treasures in heaven. In the pocket next to my lipstick is a small container of holy water. A zippered compartment holds a prayer book, an assortment of holy cards and a booklet to examine my conscience before going to confession. My rose-scented rosary is neatly contained in a case with a picture of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. A Sunday bulletin is stuffed in a side compartment. Even my keychain proclaims my faith with the Sacred Heart Auto League logo and a request to call a priest in the event of an accident. With these tools at my disposal, I can use those idle moments during my day to direct my focus toward heaven, where I hope someday to shout with joy, “I’ve arrived!”
Peggy Bowes is a member of Holy Angels Church in Mount Airy and the author of “The Rosary Workout” (www.rosaryworkout.com).
NEW YORK — N.Y. state Sen. Mark Grisanti ran as a Catholic Republican opponent of same-sex “marriage” in 2010. But last month he became a key vote ensuring its passage, telling a local newspaper: “If I take the Catholic out of me, which is hard to do, then absolutely they should have these rights.” Richard E. Barnes, executive director of the New York Catholic Conference, said Grisanti showed a lack of integrity as a Catholic by “ignoring” the “teachings he knows full well” on the subject of family life. “I don’t think that a public official should ever ‘take the Catholic out’ of himself or herself, because Catholic positions are meshed perfectly with public policy positions,” said Barnes, who directs public policy advocacy efforts for the New York bishops. “No person should say that they are a public official and need not live according to the tenets of their faith.” When Sen. Grisanti cast his vote to legalize gay “marriage,” he said he could not “deny anyone in my district and across New York the same rights I have with my wife.”
Check out the video of Sen. Grisanti trying to justify his flip-flop at: www.nysenate.gov/video/2011/jun/26/sen-grisantivoting-yes-marriage-equality. The New York bishops said after the vote: “As so many of you have let us know, this is not just a ‘Catholic issue.’ Yet for us Catholics, there is particular disappointment with those elected officials who publicly profess fidelity to our Catholic religion but whose public stance is at odds with a fundamental teaching of that faith. The definition of marriage resides in the plan of God for humankind. “The proponents of so-called ‘same-sex marriage’ portrayed their cause as a matter of ‘civil rights.’ Redefining marriage has nothing to do with civil rights. ... Today’s debate focuses on a small group of persons, whose human rights must always be respected and defended by us all, but who claim a civil right to redefine marriage for all of society based on a private and personal preference.” Read their full statement online at www.nyscatholic.org.
— Catholic News Agency
Reader poll It’s summer, and it’s H-O-T. That means we sometimes see people wearing flipflops, short skirts and tank tops at Mass on Sunday. This month we’re asking readers: What does your chosen attire at Mass say about you? So far voters at www.catholicnewsherald. com have responded:
Go online to www.catholicnewsherald.com to cast your vote, too. — Patricia Guilfoyle
Most-read stories on the web The top five headlines this week online at www.catholicnewsherald.com are:
n Priest assignments announced by the Diocese of Charlotte ..............................................................................................................................................................1,562 n ‘Alleluia! Sing to Jesus!’: Father Voitus ordained in Charlotte ........................................................................................................................................................1,003 n St. Luke’s garden: ‘Alive with many kinds of creatures’ ........................................................................................................................................................................ 868 n Quran reading in diocesan church cancelled; interfaith event planned ........................................................................................................................................... 852 n Father John Eckert: One year later, the priesthood is better than I ever imagined ................................................................................................................ 638
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July 15, 2011 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI
The Poor Clares
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Souls should be adorned with virtue
eauty appeals to the deepest part of man and exalts him to higher realms than those that are simply natural and tangible. Anyone who has seen an exquisite piece of artwork, gazed at a breathtaking sunset, or listened to a magnificent symphonic concert has experienced the enticement of beauty that draws one out of self towards the transcendent. Far more glorious and captivating, though, is the human soul in the state of grace and adorned with virtues. Such a soul captivates the heart of God, understands the redemptive value of suffering, lives in deep joyful confidence, and affects people and situations around him or her. In the Book of Judith, we find the incredible story of a woman whose beauty and wisdom confounded her enemies and saved God’s people from a deadly plight. An intriguing account of heroism, it narrates the defeat of the Assyrians through the valor and ingenuity of this woman. Delving deeper into the story’s spiritual meaning, we find that the heroine Judith embodies the virtuous soul. First of all, take note of the key disposition which Judith possessed: purity of intention. Uzziah, the religious leader, said to her, “From the beginning of your life all the people have recognized your understanding, for your heart’s disposition is right” (8:29). Jesus taught, “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.” Judith was capable of an acute sense of discernment because of purity of intention – that is, she sought the kingdom of God above all else. Those who are pure of heart also have a keen awareness of God’s hand in the midst of trials. Their spiritual vision pierces through the veil of pain and suffering to recognize Providence at work. They know that suffering produces endurance and endurance, character. Judith exhorted her people, “In spite of everything let us give thanks to the Lord our God, who is putting us to the test as He did with Abraham, and how He tested Isaac, and what happened to Jacob ... the Lord scourges those who draw near to Him, in order to admonish them” (8:25-27). Such forbearance in suffering gradually chisels away at the heart’s tough spots and makes it pliable. It is in the crucible of the Cross that one truly discovers who she is as a creature of God. She recognizes her finiteness just as Judith did, but such self-knowledge does not lead her into despair. Rather, she humbly, but confidently, finds her strength in God. Judith addressed her prayer, “For
thy power depends not upon numbers, nor thy might upon men of strength; for thou art God of the lowly, helper of the oppressed, upholder of the weak, protector of the forlorn, savior of those without hope” (9:11). Suffering apart from God brings hopelessness and misery, but humble submission to suffering in loving abandonment to God’s plan transforms the soul and fills her with unspeakable joy. The closer a soul is to God, the more joyful and the more humble she will become. These gems of truth are also hidden within Judith, for on preparation for her mission, the virtuous woman packed a bottle of wine and a flask of oil, symbols of joy and humility. Interestingly, Judith’s virtues can be grouped into two types: those which she made the effort to embrace, and those which God bestowed upon her as a share of His own goodness. Notice how she anointed herself with ointment and dressed in her finest apparel. This points to the endeavors each person must make to acquire virtuous habits. The Vulgate adds, “The Lord gave her more beauty: because all this dressing-up did not proceed from sensuality, but from virtue: and therefore the Lord increased her beauty, so that she appeared to all men’s eyes incomparably lovely” (10:4). The mystical masters, like St. John of the Cross, teach that in the spiritual life, there will be activity on our part, as well as passive times. He described these passive states as those in which “God Himself is preparing and disposing the soul for divine union.” Finally, Judith’s virtue affected the people and situations around her. Her enemies “marveled at her beauty” (10:23), and the Israelites rejoiced at the victory over the Assyrians. When we encounter holy and virtuous people, we desire to remain in their presence, and we often find that they have influence over those around them. For those seeking to live deeply spiritual lives, may Judith be an inspiring example of purity of heart, trust in Divine Providence, forbearance in suffering, and joy and cooperation with grace. Sister Mary Raphael of the Divine Physician is professed with the Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration St. Joseph Monastery in Charlotte. This is part of a monthly commentary by the Poor Clares to focus on topics of faith and to address questions about religious life. Learn more about the community and subscribe to their newsletter by going online to www.stjosephmonastery.com.
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Deacon James H. Toner
Finding the right college H
aving had a long and checkered career as a college teacher, I am convinced that one of the most important decisions students can make is where they will go to college. In fact, I will admit to strong feelings about this subject, for I have seen many students succeed – or fail – largely because of the atmosphere of the institution in which they enrolled. The choice of a major seems to me to be much less important than the place where one studies. There are more than 4,000 public and private two- and fouryear colleges in the U.S. Among most colleges today, it is a “buyer’s market,” where there are few academic standards students must satisfy to gain acceptance. The number of truly academic competitive institutions is, frankly, surprisingly small. In North Carolina, Wake Forest University, Davidson College and Duke University are examples of highly competitive and prestigious institutions. Such academic powerhouses can be good choices for some students. (Because my son teaches at one of them, I had better choose my words carefully!) Even if some students could be accepted by such fine colleges, they may not always be the right places. Even though some public universities, such as Texas A&M, have excellent Newman Clubs (Catholic student associations), they may not always be the right choices, either. If we think of college as a place to learn to be better Christians as well as a place for academic, social and “career” growth, then I recommend careful consideration of Catholic colleges and universities. While many fine non-Catholic institutions offer opportunities for spiritual development and even, occasionally, specifically Catholic formation, the primary mission of Catholic colleges is supposed to be
‘The closer a soul is to God, the more joyful and the more humble she will become.’
students’ growth in the faith which comes to us from the Apostles. What I am suggesting is this: If you have a choice among several colleges and one of them is Catholic, let that college be your “default.” The good Catholic college provides not only academic excellence but a campus atmosphere in which love of the faith is evident in classes, in clubs, at social and sporting events, and, of course, in broad opportunities for Mass, the sacraments and learning about Catholicism. Summer is often the time parents and students explore colleges by traveling to different campuses. I will “name some names.” These suggestions come directly from my experience on these campuses or, indirectly, from knowing faculty or students at them. For all majors (including engineering), I recommend the Catholic University of America (Washington, D.C.). Other excellent institutions include Providence College (R.I.), the Thomas More College of Liberal Arts (N.H.), Franciscan University (Ohio), Christendom College (Va.), the University of St. Thomas (one in Minnesota and the other in Texas), the University of Dallas (Texas), Thomas Aquinas College (Calif.), and our own Belmont Abbey College. I have omitted some colleges which would be on other such lists because I have no knowledge of them or have never been there. it is important to visit the campus before making your choice. A colleague of mine at a college where we were then teaching in Connecticut visited a Catholic college in New York that his high schoolaged daughter was considering. Surprised that there was no crucifix in the college’s chapel, my colleague asked the college chaplain (a priest) about the absence of the crucifix. “We don’t want to offend anyone” was the stunning reply of the Catholic priest, in the Catholic chapel, at this supposedly Catholic college. In visiting a campus, try to meet as many faculty members as possible (especially in the major you may choose), and be sure to obtain specific information of some of the courses in your major. You might enlist the aid of high school teachers and counselors, as well. A good Catholic college will nourish your mind – and, even more importantly, your soul. For as Proverbs says, “Your education is your life – guard it well.” Deacon James H. Toner, Ph.D., serves at Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro.
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catholicnewsherald.com | July 15, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD