May 2, 2008

May 2, 2008

The Catholic News & Herald 1

www.charlottediocese.org

Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte

Perspectives Becoming Christ-like, especially in old age; ironic Supreme Court action during pope’s visit

Established Jan. 12, 1972

by Pope Paul VI may 2, 2008

To strengthen and be strengthened

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

Several churches offering Mass in extraordinary form in Dicoese of Charlotte by

CHARLOTTE — In December 2007, 14 priests from the Diocese of Charlotte participated in a five-day training session on the 1962 Roman Missal, providing them with the background needed to offer the Mass in the extraordinary form.

Now, four months later, having completed the diocesan training, some of those priests have begun celebrating at their parishes the Latin-language liturgy that predates the 2nd Vatican Council.

The first was Father Eric Kowalski, pastor of Holy Angels Church in Mount Airy, who began celebrating the low form of the Latin-language

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI said his April 1520 visit to the United Nations and the United States was an opportunity to give — and to receive — a witness to the power of hope and faith.

Reflecting on his trip during his April 30 weekly general audience, the pope said the hope that flows from faith in Christ can vanquish even the darkness cast by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Christian hope, “stronger

See POPE, page 7

by CINDY WOODEN catholic news service

VATICAN CITY — In a survey conducted in nine countries in anticipation of the October world Synod of Bishops on the Bible, 75 percent of U.S. residents interviewed said they read a Bible passage in the previous 12 months.

In Western and Eastern See BIBLE, page 6

KATIE MOORE staff writer

by CINDY WOODEN catholic news service

75 percent of Americans surveyed read Bible passage in last year

no. 26

Back to the ‘old Mass’

Pope says trip to U.S. was opportunity to give, receive hope, faith

Glancing at the Good Book

vOLUME 17

Courtesy Photo by Darin Caudle

Father Eric Kowalski, pastor of Holy Angels Church in Mount Airy, celebrates the Mass in the extraordinary form. Father Kowalski has celebrated the Latin-language liturgy weekly since January.

See MASS, page 8

Honoring a faithful servant Capuchin Franciscan Father Jude Duffy celebrates 50 years as a priest by

KATIE MOORE staff writer

CHARLOTTE — Sunday, April 27, was a day of joyful celebration at Our Lady of Consolation Church and at the center of it all was a humble man in a brown habit.

This spring marked the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood for Capuchin Franciscan Father Jude Duffy.

The parish celebrated with

a reception in the parish hall following the 11 a.m. Mass.

“As I look back, it doesn’t seem like 50 years,” said Father Duffy, who has been the pastor at Our Lady of Consolation Church in Charlotte since 1999.

“I don’t remember the bad times in life,” he said, “I always See PRIEST, page 5

Photo by Katie Moore

Capuchin Franciscan Father Jude Duffy greets parishioners after the 11 a.m. Mass at Our Lady of Consolation Church in Charlotte April 27. Following the Mass, a reception was held in honor of Father Duffy’s 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.

Around the Diocese

Culture Watch

Bettering the world

Church breaks ground; Catholic Daughters celebrate

New Web site for Catholic schools; book on secrecy

Catholic Worker Movement celebrates 75 years

| Page 4

| Pages 10-11

| Page 16

May 2, 2008

2 The Catholic News & Herald

InBrief

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

WASHINGTON (CNS) — A bill passed April 24 by the U.S. Senate barring health insurers and employers from discriminating against individuals because of their own or their family’s genetic information has won praise from the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Deirdre McQuade, assistant director for policy and communications in the secretariat, said the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act will protect born and unborn children as well as children in the process of adoption.

“This bill helps protect and empower families to welcome and nurture some of the most vulnerable members of their family,” McQuade said.

“The bill protects vulnerable populations from discrimination, whether those groups are ethnic, racial or genderbased, or based on their vulnerable size and location, namely in utero or in the lab

SOLDIER SIBLINGS

CNS photo by Karen Callaway, Catholic New World

Members of the Sosa family, Elvira (mother), and siblings Robert, Rosemary and Oscar pose at their home in Chicago in 2007. The three siblings serve in the U.S. military. Robert and his brother are in the Army and Rosemary is in the National Guard.

Catholic brothers, sister serve their country as another waits in wings CHICAGO (CNS) — Elvira Sosa never saw herself as a military mother. No one in her family, or her husband Pedro’s family, had ever served in uniform.

So when her middle son, Robert Sosa, told her he had enlisted in the Army four years ago, she didn’t believe him at first. Then her older son, Oscar Sosa, decided to join his brother in the service.

Most recently, her daughter, Rosemary Sosa, enlisted in the National Guard.

Even the baby of the family, 7-yearold Adrian, has announced he wants to be a soldier like his brothers and sister.

Elvira said she copes with the threat of her children being in harm’s way by spending a lot of time in prayer. A parishioner at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Chicago, the mother of five said, “I am a nervous wreck, but I have my faith.”

Robert now is 23 and home after completing his active service. His unit spent a year stationed in Iraq, patrolling the streets of Sadr City in Baghdad.

“It had its ups and downs,” he said.

“It was an experience dealing with the people out there.”

He was just returning from his overseas deployment when Oscar finished basic training. Oscar, now 27, enlisted two and a half years ago, while his brother was stationed in Iraq.

He is now stationed at Fort Drum, N.Y., after completing a 15-month stint in a region south of Baghdad, where he was a radio-telephone operator.

“I was going to sign up after high

Senate passes bill that bars discriminagtion based on genetic testing

school,” Oscar said while home on leave.

“My parents convinced me not to, to try school. I signed up when I was 24.”

When he did, he went with his parents’ reluctant blessing.

“I never said, ‘Don’t do it,’” Elvira said. “It’s a bad time to do it, but you never know what’s going to happen.”

While her sons were in Iraq, Elvira refused to watch the news on TV. But she did communicate regularly with both young men via a webcam, a camera connected to their computers.

“I would just leave the computer on, and whenever they buzzed, I’d go running,” she said. “I’d always ask them if they remembered to bless themselves before they went out.”

She also sent along holy cards, medals and rosaries, gifts from the extended family.

They apparently had an effect, because Oscar said he was never scared.

“I knew if I died I was going to heaven,” he said.

Daughter Rosemary left for basic training in February. She’s doing well, according to her mother.

Oscar is due to be discharged Sept.

11 of this year, but both he and Robert will remain eligible to be called up as part of the Army Reserve.

Now out of the service for nearly a year, Robert has found it difficult to adjust to life as a civilian, with no one telling him when to get up, when to work out or what to do. He hopes to start taking college classes soon, and get a job.

somewhere,” she said.

Approved unanimously, 95-0, in the Senate April 24, the legislation would prevent insurers from using genetic data to set premiums or determine enrollment eligibility for anyone.

The bill also bans the use of genetic information by employers in hiring, firing or promotion decisions.

The House version of the bill passed April 25, 2007, in a 420-3 vote.

Minor differences in the two bills must be reconciled before the legislation is sent to President George W. Bush for signing. The House was expected to vote again on a revised measure the week of April 28.

Lawmakers promoted the bill as a major advance in civil rights. Sponsors said that although hundreds of genetic tests are available some people may not take advantage of the exams out of fear the information would be used against them.

Diocesan planner

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

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

CHARLOTTE VICARIATE

ALBEMARLE VICARIATE

CHARLOTTE — The semi-annual rosary rally will be held on Sunday, May 4 at 3 p.m. at St. Patrick Cathedral. The rally will include the rosary, a eucharistic procession and Benediction. Join us as we honor Our Lady. For more information, contact Tina at (704) 846-7361.

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

ASHEVILLE VICARIATE

HENDERSONVILLE — In honor of the 150th anniversary of Our Lady’s appearance in Lourdes, Bishop Emeritus William G. Curlin will give a talk at Immaculate Conception Church, 208 7th Ave. W., Sunday, June 8 at 3 p.m. Following the talk, P.G.A. Life member and Immaculate Conception parishioner Ron Garcia will testify to how his asthma and allergies were miraculously cured by water from Lourdes. A question and answer session will follow, along with a reception. All are welcome to attend, there is no charge. For more information, call Ron Garcia at (828) 696-8163.

BOONE VICARIATE

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

CHARLOTTE — A rosary is prayed every Wednesday at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 4207 Shamrock Dr., at 6:30 p.m., followed

by Mass at 7 p.m. All are welcome to participate in this sacred tradition. For more information, call Juanita Thompson at (704) 536-0784.

CHARLOTTE — “The Moral Alternative to Contraception, An Introduction to Natural Family Planning” (NFP) will be presented at St. Ann Church, 3635 Park Road, from 7-8:30 p.m., May 15 in classroom 1 & 2 of the Mgr. Allen Center.

Judy Townsend, a trained counselor and instructor of NFP, will present and share her expertise.

Couples are highly encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Danielle Mathis at tmathis3@carolina.rr.com.

CHARLOTTE — There will be an introduction to the Mass in the extraordinary form at St. Ann Church, 3635 Park Rd., Wednesday, May 21, 7-8:15 p.m. Anyone interested in learning more about the traditional liturgy is welcome to attend. The Mass in the extraordinary form will be celebrated at St. Ann Church on Saturdays at 8 a.m., beginning May 31. If you would like more information, contact James Blake at jrblake@carolina.rr.com or (704) 551-0686.

GASTONIA VICARIATE

DENVER — The Senior Group of Holy Spirit Church meets once a month for fun and fellowship.

May 2, 2008 Volume 17 • Number 26

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

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

May 2, 2008

The Catholic News & Herald 3

FROM THE VATICAN

Iranian Muslims, Vatican reps say faith is never against reason VATICAN CITY (CNS) — While faith sometimes calls for belief in something that goes beyond a person’s ability to understand, faith is never against reason, said participants in a VaticanIranian Catholic-Muslim dialogue.

Six representatives of Iran’s Islamic Culture and Relations Organization met with a six-member delegation of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue in Rome April 28-30 to discuss the relationship between faith and reason.

The topic was a key theme in Pope Benedict XVI’s September 2006 speech in Regensburg, Germany, in which he offended many Muslims by quoting a 14th-century Christian emperor’s criticism of Islam and raised questions about the relationship between faith and reason in Islam.

The Vatican-Iranian dialogue participants met briefly with Pope Benedict April 30 after his general audience.

“Faith and reason are both gifts of God

to mankind,” said a final statement issued by the participants in the April meeting.

“Faith and reason do not contradict each other, but faith might in some cases be above reason, but never against it.” The participants also said, “Faith and reason are intrinsically nonviolent.”

However, they acknowledged, both faith and reason sometimes have been manipulated to promote violence.

More generally, members of the dialogue pledged to continue working together to promote “genuine religiosity,” spirituality and morality and to ensure their followers respect the religious symbols of the other.

And, they said, “religious traditions cannot be judged on the basis of a single verse or a passage present in their respective holy books.”

The April meeting was the sixth encounter of the Vatican-Iranian dialogue group; the next meeting will be held in Tehran, Iran, in 2010.

All are invited to join. For more information on upcoming events, contact Irene Brunner at (704) 483-1210.

the awareness of the living presence of our Lord in the home where Jesus is the center of the family. Refreshments will follow each evening; For further information, visit w w w. s a i n t j o s e p h c a t h o l i c . o rg o r c a l l (704) 932-4607.

GREENSBORO VICARIATE

GREENSBORO — The Men’s Early Morning Bible Study Group at St. Paul the Apostle Church, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Rd., meets Tuesdays, 6:30-7:30 a.m. in the Parish Life Center. The group is currently studying the Gospel of Mark. For more information, contact Gus Magrinat at gmagrinat@ pol.net or John Malmfelt at jmalmsie@aol.com.

GREENSBORO — Come for Coffee Talk Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. in the youth room of the Kloster Center, St. Pius the Tenth Church, 2210 North Elm St. The topic for May 4 will be the “Seven Secrets of the Eucharist.”

For more information, call the church office at (336) 272-4681.

GREENSBORO — Bishop Peter J. Jugis will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving and celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Fatima. The Mass will take place Tuesday, May 13 at 6 p.m. at Our Lady of Grace Church, 2205 West Market St. Father James Ebright will be the homilist. For more information, contact the Te Deum Foundation at (336) 765-1815.

HICKORY VICARIATE

HICKORY — Father Robert Ferris leads a Lectionary Bible study at St. Aloysius Church, 921 Second St., Wednesdays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. in the Mary, Mother of God room. Anyone interested is welcome to attend. This study prepares participants for the following Sunday’s Mass by reading and studying the liturgical readings for the next week. For more information on this study, call Kathy Succop at (828) 327-2341 or e-mail stalscoordinator@charter.net.

SALISBURY VICARIATE

KANNAPOLIS — The Sacred Heart Enthronement Mission will take place at St. Joseph Church, 108 St. Joseph St., May 4-7, from 7-9 p.m.

The mission speaks about a way of life for individuals and for families. Themes will address

Episcopal

calendar

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

Vatican says Christians, Buddhists should work jointly on environemnt VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Christians and Buddhists should work together to promote respect for the earth and a safe, clean environment, said the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

In a message for the feast of Vesakh, a commemoration of the major events in the life of Buddha, the Vatican council urged Christians and Buddhists to work together to contribute to the public debate concerning climate change and sustainable development.

The Vatican released the message April 29 as many Buddhist communities were preparing to celebrate Vesakh May 12-18.

The message, signed by the council’s president, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, and secretary, Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata, said Christian and Buddhist traditions respect creation and “have a common concern to promote care for the environment which we all share.”

All people should be concerned with the future of the planet including “matters of grave concern” such as climate change, environmental preservation and sustainable development, it said.

Governments, industries, and grassroots groups have recognized that there are “ethical implications present in all economic and social development,”

and they are paying more attention to biodiversity, climate change and protecting the environment, it said.

While religious leaders have been adding their voices to the public debate, it said, Christians and Buddhists can work together to “be harbingers of hope for a clean, safe and harmonious world.”

“Christianity and Buddhism have always upheld a great respect for nature and taught that we should be grateful stewards of the earth,” said the message.

The only way to ensure efforts to protect the environment will never be sullied by human greed or hindered by special interests is to help people understand the relationship between “the divine Creator, creation and creatures.”

The message asked Christians and Buddhists to collaborate more on environmental projects and remind people of their individual responsibility to care for the earth through public education and “our good example” as caring stewards.

The message said initiatives focusing on “recycling, energy conservation, the prevention of indiscriminate destruction of plant and animal life, and the protection of waterways” are some things that would “foster good will and promote cordial relationships among peoples.”

The countdown commences

SMOKY MOUNTAIN VICARIATE

WAYNESVILLE — Adult education classes are held the first three Wednesday evenings of each month beginning at 6:15 p.m. in the St. John the Evangelist Church Social Hall, 234 Church St. For more information, call Charles Luce at (828) 648-7369 or e-mail luce54@aol.com.

WINSTON-SALEM VICARIATE

CLEMMONS — Holy Family Church, 4820 Kinnamon Rd., has Eucharistic adoration each Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m. For more details, call Donna at (336) 940-2558 or Carole at (336) 766-4530.

WINSTON-SALEM — Franciscan Sister Kathy Ganiel will present “Obedience of Love and Service” May 4, 3-5 p.m. as part of a series of free talks offering an exploration into some of the major contributions of Franciscan men and women of faith. The talk will take place at the Fatima Chapel, 211 W. Third St. For more information and registration, e-mail spiritofassisi@bellsouth.net or call (336) 723-1092.

Is your parish or school sponsoring a free event open to the general public? Deadline for all submissions for the Diocesan Planner is 10 days prior to desired publication date.

Submit in writing to kmmoore@charlottediocese.org or fax to (704) 370-3382.

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

May 5 (7 p.m.)

Sacrament of Confirmation Good Shepherd Church, King

May 9 (7 p.m.)

Sacrament of Confirmation Holy Family Church, Clemmons

May 7 (7 p.m.)

Sacrament of Confirmation St. Peter Church, Charlotte

May 10 (5 p.m.)

Sacrament of Confirmation Our Lady of the Rosary Church, Lexington

CNS photo by Reinha rd Krause, Reuters

Catholic nuns pray for a successful Olympics during a Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Beijing April 30. The Mass was one of a series of events marking the start of the 100-day countdown to the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Vatican dismisses newspaper’s report that pope is sick VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Vatican has dismissed a French newspaper report suggesting that Pope Benedict XVI is suffering from poor health.

“Certainly the pope is a man of 81 years, but he is well and is carrying out all his tasks, as everyone can see on live TV,” Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, said April 26.

Father Lombardi said the newspaper report was all the more surprising because it came immediately after the pope’s

successful six-day trip to the United States.

An article published April 25 in Le Figaro said the pope looked fatigued at times during his U.S. visit. It’s no secret, the newspaper said, that the pope has a “fragile heart.”

Father Lombardi said the pope already had resumed his regular schedule, and is scheduled to make several more trips inside and outside Italy this year.

In July he will travel to Australia for World Youth Day.

CORRECTION In the April 18 issue, the “Ascend the Mountain of the Lord” workshop was reported as being sponsored by the diocesan Office of Faith Formation. It actually was sponsored by the Western Region Office of Faith Formation. The Catholic News & Herald regrets the error.

4 The Catholic News & Herald

May 2, 2008

AROUND THE DIOCESE

Breaking ground at St. Mark Church

New church to be completed by June 2009 by

DAVID HAINS

special to the catholic news & herald

H U N T E R S V I L L E — Wi t h ceremonial shovels in hand, Bishop Peter J. Jugis and clergy and laity of St. Mark Church in Huntersville broke ground for a new church.

The brief groundbreaking ceremony April 25 included a Scripture reading and remarks by Msgr. Richard Bellow, pastor, and Bishop Jugis.

“Let us pray that God will bring this construction to a successful completion and that his protection will keep those

who work from injury,” said the bishop.

Parishioners have been raising funds for the new church since 2004. The new $8-million church building will seat 1,400-1,600 people for Mass.

Currently a Mass is celebrated in the gymnasium of the Msgr. Joseph Kerin Family Life Center.

The parish of St. Mark was founded in 1997 and currently has more than 3,000 registered families.

The new church is scheduled to be completed by June 2009.

David Hains is communications director for the Diocese of Charlotte.

Courtesy Photo

Ellen Kirk, regent of Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court 1759, presents 50-year anniversary pins to charter members (from left) Thelma Boulus, Charlotte Taylor, Bobbi Womack and Mary Frances Roueche during the court’s 50 anniversary celebration in Salisbury April 20.

Catholic Daughters Court 1759 celebrates 50th anniversary SALISBURY — Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court 1759 of Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury recently gathered to celebrate the court’s 50th anniversary.

The celebration was held at the home of Frances Edwards in Salisbury April 20. Representatives from courts in Greensboro, Statesville and Durham attended.

The court’s 25th anniversary also had been held in Edwards’ home, when her mother owned the house. Edwards said she has fond memories of seeing many women at her home working on Catholic Daughters projects.

During the 50th anniversary celebration, 50-year anniversary pins were presented to charter members Charlotte Taylor, Bobbi Womack, Thelma Boulus and Mary Frances Roueche.

Other 50-year members not in attendance were Charlotte Gardner, Ann Ramsey and Ruth Boone.

Mary Ann Grabasky, Catholic Daughters North Carolina state regent, presented the court with a set of crystal vases, along with a certificate commemorating the 50th year of the court.

Gerri Butler was also recognized as a long-time member, officer and past state regent of Catholic Daughters, who had traveled from Charlotte to represent Charlotte 1759 when it first was established.

Founded in 1903, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas is one of the largest national organizations of Catholic women in the world.

The Salisbury court reaches out to parishioners and the community, and

has been a key supporter of the church through serving bereavement meals, hosting receptions, making handmade quilts for shut-ins and providing financial support for a variety of other parish projects.

Photo by David Hains

Bishop Peter J. Jugis (center) takes part in a groundbreaking ceremony for the new St. Mark Church in Huntersville April 25. Clergy also pictured are (from left) Father Patrick Hoare, parochial vicar; Deacon Robert Murphy; Deacon Louis Pais; Father Christopher Roux, bishop’s priest secretary; and Msgr. Richard Bellow, pastor. Also participating are members of the parish building committee.

May 2, 2008

from the cover

The Catholic News & Herald 5

Father Jude celebrates 50 years as a priest PRIEST, from page 1

think of the good times.”

Born in Kingston, N.Y., Jan. 31, 1927, Father Duffy felt the call to the priesthood early in life.

He first entered the Capuchin Franciscan order in Staunton, Va. in 1952.

“One of the great joys has been becoming a Capuchin Franciscan,” said Father Duffy. “It is a loving fraternity that supports us in all the things that we do.”

He was ordained to the priesthood March 1, 1958 at Immaculate Conception Church in Bronx, N.Y. “Father Jude has been one of the most respected friars throughout our province,” said Capuchin Franciscan Father Remo DiSalvatore, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte.

“He broke a lot of barriers,” said Father DiSalvatore, who joked about how Father Duffy was one of the first non-Italian friars in the province.

But in all seriousness he added, “They placed a lot of responsibility on his shoulders.”

Father Duffy was elected as the first provincial minister of the newly formed Province of the Stigmata of St. Francis, at their first meeting in 1970.

“He is a great mentor because he

shows you how to live the Gospel day by day, by his own actions,” said Capuchin Brother Lombardo D’Auria, a postnovitiate friar in residence at the parish.

“He follows what St. Francis said, ‘preach the gospel, if necessary use words,’” said Brother D’Auria.

The reception honoring his 50 years of priesthood included a musical performance by the parish Perpetual Hope Choir, liturgical dance and a presentation of gifts from parish committees and organizations.

“Father Jude has been the epitome of selflessness and humility,” said Nanette Lide, youth minister and parishioner at Our Lady of Consolation Church.

“It is evidence of his calling and we at Our Lady of Consolation are truly grateful that he said ‘yes’ 50 years ago,” she said.

Father Duffy is equally appreciative of his years at the parish.

“Serving here has been the pleasure of my life,” he said. “The people are filled with faith.”

His parishioners are grateful for his dedicated service.

“I am very proud to call him our shepherd,” said Lide, “He has truly been a faithful servant.”

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

Photo by Katie Moore

Capuchin Franciscan Father Jude Duffy, pastor of Our Lady of Consolation Church in Charlotte, cuts the cake at a celebration honoring his 50th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood. The reception was held in the parish hall after the 11 a.m. Mass April 27.

“Serving here has been the pleasure of my life. The people are filled with faith.”

— Capuchin Franciscan Father Jude Duffy

Photo by Katie Moore

Members of the Perpetual Hope Choir at Our Lady of Consolation Church perform at a reception honoring their pastor, Father Jude Duffy, for the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood April 27.

6 The Catholic News & Herald

FROM THE COVER

May 2, 2008

75 percent of Americans surveyed read Bible passage in last year BIBLE, from page 1

Europe, the percentage of Bible readers ranged from a low of 20 percent in Spain to a high of 38 percent in Poland.

The study, commissioned by the Catholic Biblical Federation, began with 13,000 interviews in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Poland, Russia, Spain and Italy in November 2007.

The president of the federation, Italian Bishop Vincenzo Paglia of Terni, Narni and Amelia, presented the initial results of the survey April 28 during a Vatican press conference and said a second stage of the survey was being conducted in Argentina, South Africa, the Philippines and Australia.

The majority of people in the first nine countries — including 90 percent of Polish respondents — said the Bible is an important source of truth, but more than 50 percent of those interviewed in each country said the Bible was difficult to understand.

Bishop Paglia said, “Despite secularization and little openness to religious experience ... the sacred Scriptures are looked upon with great respect by everyone.”

But the fact that the majority defined the Bible as difficult to understand challenges the church to help people learn to read it and see how it applies to their lives, particularly through improved homilies, the bishop said.

Luca Diotallevi, the Rome sociologist who coordinated the survey’s working group, said that, while the study found the Bible to be important in the lives and cultures of those interviewed, there was a huge difference between Bible reading in the U.S. and in the other countries.

The most relevant factor in promoting

Bible reading, he said, was having a Bible in one’s home; 93 percent of the U.S. residents interviewed said they had one and 56 percent said they had given someone a Bible as a gift.

He said he was struck particularly by the elements that seemed to predict a higher level of individual reading of and praying with the Scriptures; reading, reading books with a religious theme — including fiction — participating in religious services and being involved in a church-related group were the most predictive factors.

Praying often, believing the Bible contains important truths and identifying oneself as Christian did not correlate as closely with reports of actually reading the Bible on one’s own, he said.

The differences, Diotallevi said, “indicated that reading the Bible is a habit one acquires through imitation,” rather than simply conviction.

In the nine countries, he said, “the sense that God is near is anything but extinct and religious practice is anything but marginal.”

“The Bible is seen by the vast majority of the population as a source of truth, as the source of a message that has something to do with one’s life,” he said.

The other interesting thing, he said, is that those who took a “fundamentalist” approach to the Bible, affirming that it is the “direct word of God” and must be taken literally, were not those who knew the Bible best.

And, Diotallevi said, the U.S. residents who reported reading the Bible most often did not have a significantly greater knowledge of its contents than those who did not read the Bible often.

Biblical knowledge was tested by asking these questions: Are the Gospels part of the Bible? Did Jesus write one of the books of the Bible? Was Paul or Moses a figure from the Old Testament?

Which of the following wrote a Gospel: Luke? John? Paul? Peter?

CNS photo by Nancy Wiechec

Pope Benedict XVI talks with Julie Malik at the former site of the World Trade Center in New York April 20. Malik, was among four survivors of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks who spoke with the pope during a prayer service at Ground Zero.

Meeting pope at Ground Zero brings tears to Sept. 11 survivor

by DENNIS SADOWSKI catholic news service

WASHINGTON — Looking into Pope Benedict XVI’s eyes as she genuflected in front of him during his visit to the former World Trade Center site, Julie Malik knew the pope understood what she had experienced on a disastrous September morning more than six years ago.

“I remember thinking, ‘You’re here.

You’re here to help us. You took your time to understand,’” Malik said of the April 20 meeting.

Malik, 57, was one of four survivors of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack in lower Manhattan who met the pontiff during his visit to Ground Zero. Four rescue workers and 16 people who lost family members in the disaster also met the pope at the site.

“There’s one word I can think of to describe (the meeting) and that is ‘amazing,’” Malik said. “His eyes are so penetrating. He just stares in your eyes.”

Meeting Pope Benedict came as a surprise to Malik, a member of the Church of the Incarnation in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood. Her pastor, Msgr. Gabriel La Paz, had written to the Archdiocese of New York telling them she had survived the disaster.

Even so, when the call came to her home from the archdiocese, Malik said she thought it was someone playing a joke.

“Then they told me I was going to meet the pope,” she said. “I said, ‘Uh huh. I’m going to meet the man? Get out of town.’”

After the pope left the site, Malik looked at two of the other survivors: a woman she knew from another New York parish and a man who worked in the Pentagon not far from where a jetliner

also crashed on the morning of Sept. 11.

“We turned and looked at each other.

I think it was the fact that we were all survivors, we all started hugging and crying. It’s a different feeling. We were there (when it happened),” she said.

Sept. 11, 2001, began like every other workday for Malik. She met a coworker outside the south tower and they made their way to the 91st floor offices of the engineering firm Washington Group International.

She was preparing for her day as the receptionist in the elevator lobby when other workers came running toward her saying something had happened at the north tower.

No one knew it at the time, but the first jet had crashed into the tower. She looked out a window herself.

“I remember thinking ‘This isn’t a mistake. This is scary,’” Malik said.

Although she doesn’t specifically recall what happened in the next few moments, Malik said co-workers later told her she was giving them instructions to get their personal items and get out of the building.

She was on the ground when the second plane hit with a thunderous roar just below her firm’s offices. Not all of her co-workers survived.

She left the area quickly, long before either building collapsed.

Malik said meeting the pope was important to her healing, especially because she was laid off from the engineering firm last fall after more than 20 years on the job. She now works for a company in New York’s garment district.

“People forget we were there,” she said. “Yes, families lost someone and I don’t mean to demean that, but we were there too. We lost friends too.”

May 2, 2008

from the cover

The Catholic News & Herald 7

Pope says trip to U.S. was opportunity to give, receive hope, faith POPE, from page 1

than sin and death, animated a moment filled with emotion, which I passed in silence in the abyss of Ground Zero, where I lighted a candle, praying for all the victims of that terrible tragedy,” the pope said.

The pope began his general audience by publicly thanking the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and President George W. Bush for inviting him, and all those who greeted him with affection and offered prayers for the success of his visit.

Particularly when celebrating his third anniversary as pope with an April 19 Mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, he said “it was a moving moment in which I experienced in a tangible way all of the support of the church for my ministry.”

Addressing the 20,000 people who had gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the audience, the pope said he set out on the trip “to confirm Catholics in the faith, to renew and increase brotherhood with all Christians and to proclaim to all the message of Christ our hope.”

Speaking in German without his prepared text, the pope said that everywhere he went in the United States “I was able to experience the fact that the faith is alive, that Christ is there today among the people, that he shows them the way and helps them to build the present as well as the future.”

The pope told the German speakers that God gave him an opportunity to try to strengthen the faith of others, “but at the same time, I was strengthened and came back strengthened.”

In his main audience talk, Pope Benedict said that the United States, from its founding, was built “on the foundation

of a felicitous joining of religious, ethical and political principles, which still today constitutes a valid example of healthy secularity.”

The United States, he said, is a place “where the religious dimension in all its variety is not only tolerated, but is valued as the spirit of the nation and as the fundamental guarantee of human rights and responsibilities.”

Modern life and global realities continue to challenge the country, he said, and the Catholic Church has an obligation to offer its voice in order to help citizens build a society worthy of the human person and one that uses its resources to help others.

The timing of the trip, he said, was chosen to help celebrate the bicentennials of four archdioceses in the United States: New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Louisville, Ky. They were erected from the Baltimore Diocese, the nation’s first diocese, which was elevated to an archdiocese in the same year, 1808.

“The original small flock has developed enormously, enriching itself with the faith and traditions of the successive influx of immigrants. To that church, which now faces the challenges of the present, I had the joy of proclaiming again Christ, our hope, yesterday, today and forever,” he said.

Praising the zeal of the bishops and priests who have led U.S. Catholics over the years and “the fervor and generosity of its faithful,” Pope Benedict said the Gospel and Christian values — particularly the value of human life and the centrality of the traditional family — must be strengthened in order to face new moral, ethical and political challenges.

As he did throughout his trip, the pope also spoke at his audience about the clergy sex abuse scandal that

CNS photo by Giampiero Sposito, Reuters

Pope Benedict XVI waves to the faithful as he arrives for his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican April 30. The pope said his April 15-20 visit to the United Nations and the United States was an opportunity to give and to receive a witness to the power of hope and faith. rocked the U.S. church.

“Thinking of the painful affair of the abuse of minors committed by ordained ministers, I wanted to express my closeness to the bishops, encouraging them in their commitment to bind up the wounds and to reinforce relations with their priests,” he said.

Pope Benedict said the “multicultural vocation” of the United States and the active presence of a wide variety of Christian communities and other religions gave him an opportunity to meet with religious leaders to promote closer cooperation among Christians and a dialogue to strengthen peace and religious values with other believers.

At the United Nations, he said, he wanted to help celebrate the 60th

anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and confirm its enduring value precisely because it is based on “the dignity of the human person, created by God in his image and likeness, in order to cooperate with him in his plan for life and for peace.”

Respect for human rights and peace can flourish only where there is justice, “an ethical order valid for all times and all peoples,” which can be summarized with Jesus’ phrase, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

WANT THE TEXT? For the Vatican text of the pope’s remarks in English, see page 15.

8 The Catholic News & Herald

May 2, 2008

Feature story

Several churc in extraordina MASS, from page 1

Courtesy Photo by Darin Caudle

Father Eric Kowalski, pastor of Holy Angels Church in Mount Airy, celebrates the Mass in the extraordinary form. Assisting is Doyle Caudle, a convert to Catholicism.

During the Latin-language liturgy, the altar is against the wall at the back of the sanctuary and the priest and people face the same direction in worship.

Mass at his parish Jan. 5.

“When the Holy Father released the ‘motu proprio,’ that’s when it really began,” said Father Kowalski.

In his July 2007 apostolic letter, “Summorum Pontificum,” Pope Benedict XVI eased restrictions on the use of the 1962 Roman Missal, which was standard before the new Order of the Mass was introduced in 1970.

The papal decree was issued “motu proprio,” a term that reflects the pope’s personal initiative in the matter.

The Mass from the Roman Missal in use since 1970 remains the ordinary form of the Mass.

After inserting copies of the “motu proprio” and the pope’s letter to the bishops in his parish bulletin, Father Kowalski opened the issue up to his parish and hosted a general meeting to talk about the Mass in the extraordinary form.

“The people were very open and very interested,” he said of the approximately 50 parishioners who came to the meeting.

Soon he began offering refresher seminars for those who wanted to work on Latin pronunciation and familiarize themselves with the prayers.

Now, Father Kowalski celebrates the Mass in extraordinary form every Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

“It fits very seamlessly into our liturgical life here,” he said.

May 2, 2008

feature story

The Catholic News & Herald 9

ches now offering Mass ary form in diocese By adding the Latin-language Mass to the weekend Mass schedule, it fulfills the Sunday obligation for the 40 to 60 parishioners who typically attend.

In terms of execution, the extraordinary form of the Mass requires a great deal of preparation on the part of the priest.

“It’s a bit intimidating at first because you want to do it with attention and devotion and you want to offer it properly,” said Father Kowalski, who typically spends about two hours a week preparing for the liturgy.

“It’s become a great joy for me,” he added. “It really has deepened my own spiritual growth and faith.”

Another church in the diocese where the Mass in the extraordinary form is now offered is St. Joseph Church in Asheboro.

For Father Christopher Davis, pastor of St. Joseph Church, the Latin-language Mass was particularly appealing.

“I had studied renaissance and medieval music,” said Father Davis. “It was right up my alley and part of my own personal spirituality.”

Father Davis celebrates the Mass at his parish every Wednesday at 7 p.m.

One of the things he enjoys most is the structure and silence of the extraordinary form.

“It allows time for contemplative prayer,” he said. “You really get that sense of reverential silence upon entering into the mystery of the Eucharist.”

He also mentioned the noticeable similarities between the two forms of the Mass.

“To me it’s been beautiful to see how much of the ‘new Mass’ is still retained from the ‘old Mass,’” he said.

“You can see the progression of what the church has now and what we can go back to,” said Father Davis.

In his letter, Pope Benedict stated, “There is no contradiction between the

“You really get that sense of reverential silence upon entering into the mystery of the Eucharist.”

— Father Christopher Davis, pastor of St. Joseph Church, Asheboro two editions of the Roman Missal.”

“In the history of the liturgy there is growth and progress, but no rupture,” he said. “What earlier generations held as sacred remains sacred and great for us, too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful.”

The pope noted, however, that the ordinary form of the Mass must not be neglected.

“Needless to say, in order to experience full communion, also the priests of the communities adhering to the former usage cannot, as a matter of principle, exclude celebrating according to the new books,” the pope said.

“The total exclusion of the new rite would not in fact be consistent with the recognition of its value and holiness,” he added.

Anyone who remembers the pre-Vatican II form may notice a few changes.

Now, the congregation is more involved in dialogue and responses and the readings are said in English.

“It’s just easier for everyone,” said Father Davis, who noted that all of the changes have been approved by Pope Benedict.

Courtesy Photo by Darin Caudle

Father Eric Kowalski, pastor of Holy Angels Church in Mount Airy, follows Doyle Caudle in the exit recessional during the extraordinary form of the Mass.

Later this month, Father Timothy Reid, pastor of St. Ann Church in Charlotte, will begin celebrating the Mass in extraordinary form at his parish.

Father Reid will offer an introduction to the extraordinary form at St. Ann Church on Wednesday, May 21 at 7 p.m.

He will begin celebrating the Mass in extraordinary form on Saturdays at 8 a.m., beginning May 31.

WANT MORE INFO? Catholics interested in attending a Mass in extraordinary form should contact the office of their vicar forane — a priest who coordinates pastoral activities among groups of churches — to find out Mass times and locations.

For a complete list of vicars forane v i s i t w w w. c h a r l o t t e d i o c e s e . o r g / agencydirectory_post.html and click on vicars forane.

Courtesy Photo by Darin Caudle

Father Eric Kowalski, pastor of Holy Angels Church in Mount Airy, reverences the paten before the fraction rite of the extraordinary form of the Mass.

May 2, 2008

10 The Catholic News & Herald

Culture Watch

Book argues that ‘unnecessary secrecy’ hurts everyone in church reviewed by DAVID GIBSON catholic news service

“Nothing to Hide” is a book about “unnecessary secrecy in the conduct of church affairs,” written by Russell Shaw, a longtime Catholic writer and church social-communications expert.

Shaw believes that, with the exception of the seal of the confessional, “the presumption in the church’s dayin, day-out life should favor openness and accountability.” In the church, “the burden of proof should rest with those who advocate secrecy in any particular case,” Shaw says.

Yet, what concerns him is not “legitimate secrecy of the kind required to protect confidential records and people’s reputations.” Rather, he is “concerned with the stifling, deadening misuse of secrecy that does immense injury to communion and community in the church.”

Shaw appears to write in two modes here: as a historian and as a commentator on church affairs. The second mode shouldn’t surprise anyone.

Shaw contributes frequent commentary and opinion to the religious press. But, for my money, this book is at its best when Shaw presents the recent history of church social communications; his historical analysis should engage any reader.

Let me point particularly to Chapters 2 and 3 where Shaw investigates secrecy’s ebb and flow in the handling of information by church leaders, especially from the time of the First Vatican Council (1869-70) up to our current decade, punctuated as it has been in the U.S. by the clergy sex abuse crisis.

Shaw became a top communications official for the U.S. bishops in 1969.

The Second Vatican Council in the mid1960s “generated enormous journalistic interest in the church,” he recalls.

Yet, in his new position he found that “the relationship between the bishops and the media appeared headed for an all-time low.” The reasons why make for compelling reading.

In “Nothing to Hide,” Shaw states that he writes as “a conservative Catholic” committed to his church’s welfare and convinced that “the abuse of secrecy is bad for it.”

Shaw informs readers, however, that many fellow conservatives appear not to share his concern about church secrecy.

His writing, he also notes, incorporates “many anecdotes,” which “add up to a disturbing picture.”

I felt, indeed, that many anecdotes he selected to illustrate his concerns for the church had a distinctly conservative flavor themselves.

“Nothing to Hide” addresses not only secrecy, but what Shaw calls its

WORD TO LIFE

A roundup of Scripture, readings, films and more

Sunday Scripture Readings: May 11, 2008

May 11, Pentecost Sunday Cycle A Readings: 1) Acts 2:1-11 Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-31, 34 2) 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13 Gospel: John 20:19-23

God’s spirit can reshape landscapes by

SHARON K. PERKINS catholic news service

“cousins.” They include “stonewalling, happy talk, deception, failure to consult, the de facto suppression of public opinion, the rejection of accountability, the repudiation of shared responsibility on clericalist grounds.”

Shaw is clearly concerned about clericalism. He thinks that “for the clericalist culture, secrecy was the only conceivable response” when the clergy sex abuse crisis erupted; but secrecy “allowed a serious problem to become a disaster for abuse victims, for innocent priests who found themselves tarred with the same brush as their guilty brothers, for confused, frightened bishops and eventually for the whole church.”

Special aspects of contemporary social communications arise quite naturally in the course of this book. I found something Shaw said about name-calling of interest, though briefly mentioned.

I’ve noticed in my own work as a church communicator that name-calling, in certain quarters on both left and right in the church, seems to have come into vogue as a means of dismissing points of view one doesn’t share.

Shaw mentions name-calling when discussing Internet blogs. He says, “Every blogger is free to say very nearly whatever he wants, which often means questioning the motives of ideological opponents and calling them names.” He suggests this isn’t healthy or helpful for the church.

Secrecy is of concern well beyond the church. It is hard nowadays not to notice how often reporters ferret out and reveal information that some institution or other hoped to keep private.

My question, then: To what extent does secrecy even remain an option?

That question receives a response when Shaw quotes a letter from an elderly bishop who, speaking of the church’s sex abuse crisis, told him that “when the dam of secrecy finally broke — as it always will — the whole church suffered for its lack of candor.”

The bishop said, “More scandals come from attempting to control access to truth than ever came from honesty and openness.”

Gibson was the founding editor of Origins, Catholic News Service’s documentary service. He retired in 2007 after holding that post for 36 years.

In April of 1994, a large and powerful tornado ripped through my hometown and the house where I had grown up, forcing my parents to take shelter in a stairway closet while the roof above them was lifted free of the structure and the nearby garage was torn from its concrete slab.

It also tore through the thick stand of mature pecan trees that for decades had divided our property from the neighbors’, marking a clear path, making visible what had been previously hidden from view and changing the landscape forever.

The Hebrew Scriptures often relied on the metaphor of wind to signify the appearance of God in this same way. It was with a driving wind that Yahweh parted the waters of the Red Sea and opened up the path to the Promised Land for Israel. And while no rooftops were blown away in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, the changes wrought by that tempest were profound. People of all

nations were able to hear of the mighty acts of God in their own language.

The previous barriers of religion, language and ethnicity proved to be no match for the “driving wind” of the Spirit, and centuries-old barriers between Jew and Gentile would become obsolete in the wake of its power.

For those first disciples of Jesus, the “landscape” of their world was changed forever as they, in turn, were empowered to carry the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all parts of the known world.

I n o u r w o r l d t o d a y, g l o b a l telecommunications and rapid travel have done away with geographic obstacles of distance that were previously insurmountable — and yet in an effort to protect our own “landscapes,” we allow barriers to remain among one another, even within our own parishes and neighborhoods.

Fear of change and anxieties about letting those who are “different” into our world occupy our energies and sap our resources, drowning out the declaration of the mighty works of God in our midst.

The psalmist declares that when God sends out his Spirit, the “face of the earth” will be renewed. It is an open invitation to allow our landscape to be changed, through the power of his Spirit.

Questions: What recent changes have threatened the comfort of your own personal “landscape”? In what way can you welcome these changes as evidence of the movement of God’s Spirit?

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE Scripture for the week of May 4-10 Sunday (Seventh Sunday of Easter), Acts 1:12-14, 1 Peter 4:13-16, John 17:1-11; Monday, Acts 19:1-8, John 16:29-33; Tuesday, Acts 20:17-27, John 17:1-11; Wednesday, Acts 20:28-38, John 17:11-19; Thursday, Acts 22:30; 23:6-11, John 17:20-26; Friday, Acts 25:13-21, John 21:15-19; Saturday (Bl. Damien de Veuster), Acts 28:16-20, 30-31, John 21:20-25.

Scripture for the week of May 11-17 Sunday (Pentecost), Acts 2:1-11, 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13, John 20:19-23; Monday (St. Nereus, St. Achilleus, St. Pancras), James 1:1-11, Mark 8:11-13; Tuesday (Our Lady of Fatima), James 1:12-18, Mark 8:14-21; Wednesday (St. Matthias), Acts 1:15-17, 20-26, John 15:9-17; Thursday (St. Isidore), James 2:1-9, Mark 8:27-33; Friday, James 2:14-24, 26, Mark 8:34-9:1; Saturday, James 3:1-10, Mark 9:2-13.

The Catholic News & Herald 11

May 2, 2008

Pope says music can bring hope to wounded world VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Music can bring hope to a wounded humanity, Pope Benedict XVI said.

At the end of an evening concert held in his honor April 24 to mark the third anniversary of the start of his pontificate, Pope Benedict said there is “a mysterious and deep kinship between music and hope, between song and eternal life.”

The musical arts, therefore, have enormous spiritual value and are called to “instill hope in the human spirit so scarred and at times wounded by earthly life,” he said.

Milan’s Giuseppe Verdi symphony orchestra and chorus performed works

by Johannes Brahms, Ludwig van Beethoven and Luciano Berio in the Vatican’s Paul VI hall to a large audience that included the pope’s elder brother, Msgr. Georg Ratzinger.

Italy’s President Giorgio Napolitano, who sat next to the pope during the performance, offered the concert to the pope as a gift.

Pope Benedict told the audience the joy music and song bring is “a constant invitation to the faithful and people of good will to dedicate themselves to offer humanity a future rich with hope.”

Any “authentic art” is just like prayer and never represents escapism from reality, he said.

Downloading the past

CNS photo by Tony Gentile, Reuters

Pope Benedict XVI and Italy’s President Giorgio Napolitano attend a concert marking the third anniversary of the pontiff’s election at the Vatican April 24.

Rather the arts, like prayer, prompt people to improve the world and cultivate it so that it can bear the fruits of peace and goodness, he said.

Pope Benedict praised Italy’s rich cultural and artistic heritage, urging the country to be an example to the rest of the world.

Young people need to learn about “authentic beauty” and have the opportunity to let art “refine their soul and guide them toward the building of a world that is open to spiritual ideals.”

CNS photo courtesy catholicschooldays.com

Pictured is a screen grab from catholicschooldays.com, a Web site documenting U.S. Catholic high schools from about 1900 to present day. The site contains memorabilia from schools that have closed, like yearbooks, newspaper articles and vintage photographs.

Web site chronicles Catholic high school days from long ago by

BENEDICTA CIPOLLA catholic news service

NEW YORK — If you’re a 1943 graduate of Immaculate Conception Academy in Davenport, Iowa, and you lost your class photo, you’re in luck.

Rita Piro has a copy.

In March, Piro launched catholicschooldays.com, a Web site documenting U.S. Catholic high schools from about 1900 to the present day.

The bulk of the site is devoted to memorabilia from schools that have closed, like yearbooks, newspaper articles and vintage photographs.

Piro came up with the idea in 2007 after writing a book on the history of her alma mater, the Mary Louis Academy in Jamaica Estates, N.Y., where she chairs the foreign languages department.

“What has struck me the most is that people have all had the same reaction: Their experience has been so different from what is portrayed,” she said.

“Catholic school was such an important thing, and they’ll say, ‘If it weren’t for them I wouldn’t be the person I am,’” said Piro.

She said she has listed every Catholic high school that existed in 1965, and about 90 percent of those before 1965.

Schools currently in operation have their own section, with links to Web sites and Wikipedia entries.

The “Vintage News and Photos” section includes artifacts from schools both open and closed.

“Nun Better” offers information on female congregations and their habits, and “The Catholic Alphabet” features Latin phrases and Catholic school prayers.

Piro pored through diocesan records, church archives and local newspapers for most of her content.

Examples of her sleuthing include a 1960 Associated Press story headlined “Catholic School Curbs Youths Who ‘Go Steady’” and a 1928 article on St. Benedict’s Prep School of Newark, N.J., winning the Catholic school football championship.

Piro does not accept advertising, preferring to pay for Web hosting and other expenses herself.

She trolls eBay daily for yearbooks, class rings and other artifacts, even hitting upon an 1898 school newspaper from Roman Catholic High in Philadelphia.

As the site has picked up traffic, with more than 34,000 visitors since its debut March 24, Catholic school alumni have sent in contributions, which Piro photographs or scans and then posts.

Some also send in historical information and personal reflections.

Piro said she has received the most material from Pennsylvania and Ohio, with Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, New York, California, Texas, West Virginia and Michigan also making a strong showing.

“They say nostalgia kicks in around 50, 55, so you have a lot of boomers surfing the net,” said Piro.

“I have people telling me, ‘I put in the name of my high school, and this site came up.’ They’re happy to know the name of their school is somewhere for the record,” she said.

Editor’s note: Those with material to contribute may e-mail Piro at oripter@aol.com.

12 The Catholic News & Herald

May 2, 2008

Around the diocese

Archival Anecdota For the month of May, here are some historical facts about Archbishop John Francis Donoghue, who was the second bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte.

Archive Photo

Bishop Michael J. Begley (left), the first bishop of Charlotte, welcomes then-Bishop-elect (now Archbishop) John F. Donoghue to the Diocese of Charlotte in this November 1984 photograph.

Biographical facts • Born Aug. 9, 1928 in Washington, D.C. • Ordained June 4, 1955 at St. Matthew Cathedral in Washington, D.C. • Consecrated bishop of Charlotte Dec. 18, 1984 • Installed as archbishop of Atlanta Aug. 19, 1993 • Retired Dec. 9, 2004

During his time as bishop of Charlotte • The number of Catholics in the diocese grew from 70,000 to 94,000, and 24 parishes and missions were added; • The first and only Charlotte Diocesan Synod was held September 1986–May 1987; • The Catholic schools in Mecklenburg County underwent regionalization, and MACS (Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools) was created; • The Catholic Conference Center in Hickory was constructed; • St. Lawrence Church in Asheville was elevated to rank of minor basilica.

Coat of arms as bishop of Charlotte Motto: “To Live in Christ Jesus” (adapted from Philippians 1:21) Shield: Celtic cross honoring the patron saint of Charlotte cathedral, St. Patrick; crown honoring Queen Charlotte; white cross with fleur-delis at each end honoring the bishop’s namesake, St. John Vianney, and Mary, the mother of Jesus; ermine on the shield honors Bishop Donoghue’s long association with Cardinal Patrick O’Boyle, former archbishop of Washington, D.C. Interesting facts Archbishop Donoghue promoted eucharistic adoration wherever he went and, under his watch, perpetual adoration began in the Diocese of Charlotte. It first started at St. Lawrence Church in Asheville, following at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte.

As archbishop of Atlanta, he practiced what he preached by participating in perpetual adoration at the cathedral every Thursday at 1 a.m.

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May 2, 2008

around the diocese

Honored for serving and protecting

The Catholic News & Herald 13

Battling over books

Courtesy Photo

Grand Knight Jim Martin (right) is pictured with award recipients during the Knights of Columbus Piedmont Council 939’s safety forces awards night at the Knight’s Club in Greensboro April 19. The annual event honors selected law enforcement and medical personnel in the Greensboro area. Pictured (from left) are paramedic Eric Lee Whitehead, police officer Ben Wingfield, firefighter Andy Jones and Martin. The winners were selected by their peers.

A cut above the rest

Courtesy Photo

Mary Sampson (left), member of the Ladies Guild of St. Joseph Church in Asheboro, and Dave Sampson (center), grand knight of Knights of Columbus Council 10891, are pictured with Bunny Schoolcraft, operations manager of Vocational Opportunities, and Keith Stanley, a “self-advocate,” at Vocational Opportunities in Asheboro.

In February, the Ladies Guild and Knights of Columbus both provided special paper cutters to be used in making custom-made note pads by self-advocates who work at Vocational Opportunities, a program of ARC of Stanly County, a nonprofit organization that assists people with mental retardation and other disabilities.

The note pads are made for baskets made for the program’s gift shop.

Council 10891 purchased the first paper cutter for the program in 1995.

Honored homecoming

Courtesy Photo

Above: Pictured is the team of middle school students from Our Lady of Grace School in Greensboro which is Region 9 winner of the Battle of the Books competition at St. Timothy School in Raleigh March 10. As winner, the team competed in the regional championships April 18. If successful, they again will compete in the state championship at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in May. The competition is sponsored by the N.C. School Library Media Association. Students at participating schools read books from a list established by the state Battle of the Books committee, and then compete in quiz-bowl-style tournaments to test their knowledge of these books.

Pictured above are (front row, from left) Katelyn Merendino, Michaela Dimoff, Kable Young, Jonah Carmichael, Tamlin Cermak-Serfass, Marie Petrangeli; (back row, from left) Stratton Barth, Mrs. Lisa Saintsing, Alexander Valitutto, Alex Bruno, Jorge Cortes, John Scott, Andrew Saintsing, Ms. Doris Melson and Mrs. Meg Scott.

Below: Pictured is the team of students from St. Pius X School in Greensboro who competed in Battle of the Books competition at St. Timothy School in Raleigh March 10. The team met weekly since September to discuss and quiz themselves on the 26 books selected by the competition committee. This was the second year St. Pius X School students competed in a Battle of the Books competition.

Pictured are (front row) Brian Clark, David Yang, Spencer Hodges, Sam Nemeth, Matthew Carnaghi; (back row) Joe Book, Allison Lizotte, Kathryn Payne, Erin Liebal, Caroline Caporossi. Not pictured: Hailey Diaz.

Courtesy Photo

Transitional Deacon Benjamin Roberts (center) is pictured with members of Knights of Columbus Counil 7152 during a meeting at St. Philip the Apostle Church in Statesville March 29. Deacon Roberts, a parishioner of St. Philip the Apostle Church who is currently studying at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Pennsylvania, was ordained to the transitional diaconate by Bishop Peter J. Jugis in Charlotte earlier that day.

Courtesy Photo

May 2, 2008

14 The Catholic News & Herald

Perspectives

A collection of columns, editorials and viewpoints

The pope’s transforming message of hope

Human rights, dignity must be respected

renewal of ecclesial life in America.”

Yes, yes, yes. Catholic elementary schools still remain the best hope for extending the teaching of the church as a way of life beyond the liturgy.

It is said that without a presence of religious sisters, our parochial schools cannot be sustained, but that overlooks resources both economic and human.

The U.S. Supreme Court has long eliminated any constitutional objection to school vouchers.

Where is the nationwide Catholic movement to demand that public resources be allocated to parents directly rather than devoted to the monopoly support of the secularizing public school?

And in terms of human resource, we are an aging population with many of us nearing retirement but still very much wanting to stay in service to our fellow man. How wonderful it would be if Catholic seniors were given multiple opportunities by their parishes to volunteer their time to teach in Catholic schools. As I see it, this would give us one of the finest faculties in the land and in the process strengthen the intergenerational family.

Thank you, Holy Father, for coming to America, reawakening us to the possibilities — no, the practical realities — of a faith-filled hope.

Standing before representatives of nearly every country on earth gathered in the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations, Pope Benedict XVI said, “The promotion of human rights remains the most effective strategy for eliminating the inequality among countries and social groups as well as helping increase safety.”

In commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the pope said that this declaration reflects the desire “to place the human person at the heart of institutions, laws and the workings of society.”

But in reality the human person is very often not at the heart of institutions, laws and the workings of society.

Legalized abortion, crushing poverty, painful hunger, filthy water, environmental degradation, heartless corporations, sweatshop labor and war all point to a national and global mindset that largely views the human person not as “the high point of God’s creative design,” as Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed in his U.N. address, but instead as a disposable means of corporate greed and governmental apathy.

For this to change, for societies to become truly civilized — where each person’s human rights are fully respected and guaranteed — it will take deeply committed action on the part of Catholic Christians and all people of good will.

Pope Benedict reminded the ambassadors that “human rights, then, must be respected as an expression of justice, and not merely because they are enforceable through the will of the legislators.”

So what exactly are these human rights?

A good summary of these God-given rights is found in Article 25 of the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and

medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.”

When human rights are ignored or denied, not only is the dignity of the human person violated, but additionally, the seeds of terrorism are planted.

The pope highlighted this fact to the ambassadors of the world’s governments when he said, “Victims of poverty and desperation and whose human dignity is violated with impunity are easy prey for the call to violence and can become the first people to violate the peace.”

Pope Benedict’s U.N. speech very much reflected his ongoing teaching that the violence of war must give way to respectful dialogue that leads to the promotion of human rights and global solidarity.

Papal visits are spiritual shots-inthe-arm! But unfortunately, their positive results largely tend to be short-lived.

After the euphoria wears off, much of the Catholic Church in the U.S. pretty much returns to a more sedate existence.

Let’s not let that happen this time!

On the final day of his U.S. visit, Pope Benedict prayed at the New York site of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He asked God to “comfort and console us, strengthen us in hope, and give us the wisdom and courage to work tirelessly for a world where true peace and love reign among nations and in the hearts of all.”

Amen!

Values for boys, girls

Letters to the Editor

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As chairwoman of Pure Fashion in Charlotte, I strongly agree with the April 25 letter to the editor (“Pure Fashion values needed for men, also”) that young girls are not the only ones who need to be taught the importance of living lives of dignity — this message is universal and applies to young and old, male and female.

While the Pure Fashion formation program is designed for and focused on young women, the recent fashion show was attended by a wide cross-section of interested individuals from the Charlotte community. Yet, Pure Fashion is not meant to be the answer to everything. It is only a catalyst to address the issue of immodesty in our culture.

Pure Fashion empowers young women and teaches them how to spread

the message of modesty, true beauty and dignity found in Jesus Christ. They embrace the vision that they are important and critical agents for change in our society. All those who participated in Pure Fashion Charlotte 2008 believe that by working together we can impact the world, sowing seeds of virtue and modesty “one outfit at a time.”

I encourage the writer to initiate a unique program for young men. From what I’ve learned over the past two years, there will be a groundswell of support. Hopefully, the dialogue that has begun with young women can continue throughout our families and community.

— Kathy Comer Charlotte

Holy Father reawakens us to realities of faith, God’s plan It has been noted that Pope Benedict XVI has profound respect for the American order. Here’s a country that is widely religious and yet respectful of the separation of church and state.

But he also sees a shortcoming: “Perhaps America’s brand of secularism poses a particular problem: It allows for professing belief in God and respects the public role of religion and the churches, but at the same time it can subtly reduce religious belief to a lowest common denominator. Faith becomes a passive acceptance that certain things ‘out there’ are true, but without practical relevance for everyday life.”

The antidote is not to have religion just be a generalized bromide but to be premised upon a full understanding of how nothing in life can be truly divorced from God the Creator and his saving plan.

In other words, faith is not an irrelevancy. It is life itself. What does that practically mean?

1. Being Catholic requires an interior conversion, a submission to Christ. To “think with the church” is neither to memorize dogma in a superficial way nor pick and choose among Catholic beliefs as if they were a political party platform.

Here, the church must be a more regular and engaging teacher proposing with charity a fuller understanding of the magisterium. More than a 15-minute homiletic reflection upon the Scripture reading is required.

Reading groups, a vibrant parish lecture series and parish-based social outreach could all help.

2. While it’s always important for a culture to try to have its civil law reflect natural law principles, Catholics for too long have directed their efforts toward changing the membership on the Supreme Court or amending this statute or another as its primary mission.

Overruling Roe v. Wade, while fully warranted under the law of the original Constitution, saves not a single life.

Lives are saved when the beauty of sexual intimacy within marriage is taught, when motherhood is affirmed, when parishes are prepared to openly and warmly support a woman facing the still real cultural stigma of giving birth without marriage, or when the economic needs of a single mother are addressed generously.

When the Gospel is really put into choosing life in a concrete and personal sense, the “dictatorship of relativism” — that argues that men have the power to redefine life — is proven false.

3. “Much remains to be done, particularly on the level of preaching and catechesis in parishes and schools, if the new evangelization is to bear fruit for the

Pope Benedict addresses the nations

Faith & Presedent DOUGLAS W. KMIEC cns columnist

Making a Difference TONY MAGLIANO cns columnist

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May 2, 2008

The Catholic News & Herald 15

Becoming Christ-like, especially in old age

Loving God means loving yourself and accepting his plan for you Many adults have an egocentric philosophy of life. They are loners who become self-contained, putting their own convenience above the wellbeing of others.

During Pope Benedict XVI’s visit in April, he said that freedom of conscience is a good thing, but only as long as we don’t allow ourselves to reach the point of going against God’s will because of it.

Some people take such good care of themselves that they never think of the Father’s will as an essential part of finding peace and happiness, or as an essential component of attaining salvation.

Unfortunately, a selfish life resembles a seed that never breaks open.

We are all self-centered at birth, but God calls us to be generous. Jesus came to lead us out of the stagnation of selfish living. He came to save us from ourselves.

The verb “to save” comes from the Greek and means “to keep safe and whole.” Jesus wants us to change our survival strategy into something new and different.

When he said, “In order to save your

life, you must lose it,” he was saying that a seed must die if it is to flower one day.

Jesus saw everything as coming from the Father, both the good things that happen and the bad. For instance, during his passion and crucifixion Jesus didn’t blame Judas or Pilate or the Romans or even the Jews who shouted for his crucifixion.

He did something entirely unexpected; he saw the whole catastrophe as coming from his Father’s will.

Jesus announced his purpose when he said, “I have come to do the will of him who sent me.” His spirit of obedience was key to his personality. He accepted the bad and the good as part of his mission in life.

Doesn’t it follow that if you want to become Christ-like you have to adopt a similar attitude by letting go of your fears and turning yourself over to the Lord?

Make obedience to the Father’s will your supreme goal in life. The next time you look in the mirror, ask yourself: Do I see the aging process with all its miseries as part of God’s will for me?

Yes, the self-preservation instinct is a good thing, and taking care of your body is very important, but don’t let it

Ironic Supreme Court action during pope’s visit Catholics must work to abolish death penalty, support culture of life I woke up on the morning of April 17 knowing this would be an emotional day for me. It was the birthday of my son John and the second day of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the U.S. I have felt a special connection to this Holy Father ever since February of 1994 when I met him in Jerusalem at a very special conference for Christians and Jews worldwide. I had the chance to shake his hand, ask him to pray for my deceased son John and then take his photo. I was so honored.

He did not know, of course, that John and his wife Nancy had been shot to death six months earlier by an 18-yearold invader in their home.

So on April 17, after some special prayers, I turned on the TV and picked up The New York Times. I was surprised to see no headlined story or photo of our Holy Father.

Instead I became distressed when I read: “Justices Uphold Lethal Injection in Kentucky Case.” What had been challenged in Kentucky was not the killing itself in a death penalty case but whether lethal injection as a killing method constituted cruel and unusual punishment.

The Supreme Court ruled in a 7-2 decision that even if there is much pain, Kentucky — and, thus, of course, other

states — can continue using this method for killing death-row inmates.

Chief Justice John Roberts, a Catholic, explained the court’s controlling decision, saying, “Simply because an execution method may result in pain, either by accident or as an inescapable consequence of death, does not establish the sort of ‘objectively intolerable risk of harm’ that qualifies as ‘cruel and unusual’ under the Eighth Amendment.”

Equally disturbing was the quote from another Catholic, Justice Antonin Scalia, responding to Justice John Paul Stevens, who supported the judgment of the court while speaking against capital punishment itself: “But of all Justice Stevens’s criticisms of the death penalty, the hardest to take is his bemoaning of ‘the enormous costs that death penalty litigation imposes on society,’ including the ‘burden on the courts and the lack of finality for victims’ families.’”

I wanted to shout out to him what my older sister said about the death penalty: “You can’t get peace from something that ugly!”

How different are Justice Scalia’s words from those of top Vatican official Cardinal Renato Martino, who spoke last September in Rome on the pastoral care of prisoners.

Spirituality for Today FATHER JOHN CATOIR cns columnist

become your supreme goal. Don’t fight your destiny. Accept your own death and be free of fear.

Better to adopt a spirit of cheerful acquiescence to the whole process than to curse the darkness.

Do yourself a favor: Accept life as it comes, day by day. In the process of keeping yourself healthy, accept your duty to help others along the way. Don’t become a recluse. Get out!

Risk exposing yourself to the germs of those less fortunate than you. Otherwise you will be like the seed that never broke open, never died and flowered.

The supreme law says this: Love God and neighbor as you love yourself.

To love self, you have to learn to love your body. That means you must accept the aging process as part of God’s plan for you. Even when life takes you down the scary road of old age, surrender with a gentle smile.

Pain is good if it helps you to become more aware of the needs of others. Reach out to help them. Accept your destiny with dignity and grace. Be charitable as you bow before the Father, surrendering to his will.

The Bottom Line ANTOINETTE BOSCO cns columnist

Appealing for the life of a deathrow inmate in Texas, he called the death penalty an “inhumane and ineffective form of punishment that also impoverishes the society that legitimizes and practices it.”

I think it is important for Catholics to be reminded that the U.S. bishops have emphasized that we must be a “culture of life,” calling for an end to t he death penalty.

Another serious reason for ending the death penalty is the possibility that an innocent person may be executed. Since 1973, 127 people have been released from death row because evidence of their innocence was found.

My children and I appealed to the judge not to seek the death penalty for the killer of John and Nancy. For as my daughter Mary testified: “Anguished cries for vengeance poison our own hearts and minds. ... Hatred doesn’t heal. Mercy, compassion, moving on with life, turning toward good people, walking into the light of love as much as possible, that’s what victims need.

“And our lawmakers have the capacity to help us do that by abolishing the death penalty and along with it the fantasy that it will make the pain go away.”

Pope says trip to U.S. was opportunity to give, receive hope, faith The Pope Speaks POPE BENEDICT XVI VAT I C A N C I T Y ( C N S ) — Reflecting on his recent visit to the United States during his April 30 weekly general audience, Pope Benedict XVI said the trip was an opportunity to give and receive a witness to the power of hope and faith.

The pope began his general audience by publicly thanking the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and President George W. Bush for inviting him, and all those who greeted him with affection and offered prayers for the success of his visit.

Addressing the 20,000 people who had gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the audience, the pope said he set out on the trip “to confirm Catholics in the faith, to renew and increase brotherhood with all Christians and to proclaim to all the message of Christ our hope.”

Here is the Vatican text of the pope’s remarks in English.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, My recent apostolic journey to the United Nations and the United States of America was inspired by the theme, “Christ our Hope.” I am most grateful to all who helped in any way to make the journey a success.

My visit was meant to encourage the Catholic community in America, especially our young people, to bear consistent witness to the faith, and to carry on the church’s mission, especially with regard to education and concern for the poor.

American society traditionally values religious freedom and the need for faith to play its part in building a sound civic life. In my meetings with President Bush, and with Christian leaders and representatives of other religions, I reaffirmed the church’s commitment to cooperation in the service of understanding, peace and spiritual values.

My address to the United Nations stressed the importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which grounds respect for human dignity in a universally valid ethical order.

In a particular way, my visit to Ground Zero, charged with sober silence and prayer, was a moving testimony to the hope which is stronger than evil and death.

I ask all of you to join me in praying that this visit will bear abundant spiritual fruit for the growth of the faith in America and for the unity and peace of the whole human family.

May 2, 2008

IN THE NEWS

The Catholic News & Herald 16

Bettering the world, ‘little by little’

Catholic Worker Movement marks 75th anniversary without fanfare

by DENNIS SADOWSKI catholic news service

CNS photo by Bob Roller

Maria Talome, 18-month-old Dayo Tailor, Dorothy (who didn’t give her last name) and Cordelia Ukweekwe wait for food inside the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker House in Washington April 23. The Catholic Worker movement marked its 75th anniversary May 1.

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WASHINGTON — Seventy-fifth anniversary or not, lunch still must be served at the New York Catholic Worker’s Maryhouse. Hungry people will be waiting, as they are every day.

Jane Sammon knows the routine: hospitality, meals, conversation, responding in whatever way possible to people in need. She’s been at Maryhouse for nearly 36 years, arriving in the summer of 1972 from Cleveland to live a life of voluntary poverty and personal sacrifice with a deep commitment to the works of mercy.

It’s a way of life many admire but few venture to try.

Maryhouse is a place where the world is made better for people “little by little,” as Catholic Worker co-founder Dorothy Day often would say, recalling the example of St. Therese, the Little Flower of Jesus.

It’s a place where people are readily welcomed and their human dignity is uplifted. Day wanted a place where Christ would feel at home.

“It’s an amazing thing that really has very little to do with us,” said Sammon, 60. “It’s the grace of God that keeps us going.”

Maryhouse on East Third Street in New York’s Bowery and St. Joseph House two blocks away on East First Street are the flagship communities of the Catholic Worker Movement, which turned 75 May 1.

The movement today encompasses more than 180 houses of hospitality in the United States including a few small farms. Another 18 houses are in Canada, Mexico, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Sweden and New Zealand.

Over the years, the movement has grown considerably, with the number of houses doubling since Day’s Nov. 29, 1980, death. The notion that the movement would founder once the harddriving Day passed away has long since been dispelled.

Author Jim Forest, who worked alongside Day in New York in the 1960s and 1970s and has written extensively about her life, relates a story reflecting her view about the movement’s future.

Asked in 1973 if she thought the movement would survive her, Day answered, “Why shouldn’t it?

It has already survived more than 40 years of me.”

From depression to hope The movement was born on the streets of Depression-laden New York City May 1, 1933, when Day and friend Peter Maurin published and sold — at a penny a copy, the price it’s still going for today — The Catholic Worker, a newspaper focusing on the social

teachings of the church and advocating for the poor and displaced workers.

As circulation grew rapidly it took just six months for Day and Maurin to establish the first Catholic Worker house of hospitality in a walk-up apartment with space for 10 homeless women. The movement grew quickly in Manhattan and spread across the country.

Today, Catholic Worker houses are as diverse as the people running them. Each house is autonomous with no formal rules except to carry out the works of mercy: feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, caring for the sick, burying the dead.

Hospitality takes many forms, from storefront drop-in centers to comfortable places for people to lay their heads at night. Some communities welcome people with AIDS or HIV. Others accept single mothers and their children or homeless men, many facing addictions or mental illness.

In Stillwater, Minn., Solanus Casey House welcomes homeless mothers and their children in two restored 19thcentury houses.

“It’s an utterly ordinary thing we do,” house founder Tom Loome told the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington April 18. “It is called Christianity. It is not original what we do.

At least we hope it’s not original.”

Later, he told Catholic News Service that the community’s efforts are hardly social work.

“Social workers are not in the business of passing out love. That’s where communities like ours come in,” Loome said.

“So many of the traditional works of mercy have been institutionalized and taken over by professionals or by the government. We don’t simply direct them to the county to stand in line and get a number. To do it personally, that’s Dorothy Day’s philosophy of personalism,” he said.

It’s the philosophy of personalism — taking personal responsibility for someone in need — that guides each Catholic Worker community.

Joe May Sr., a Catholic Worker who helps run the Peter Maurin Center in Akron, Ohio, said being in touch directly with the people being served has its benefits.

“You don’t have bureaucracy,” he said, citing his community’s focus on welcoming Hispanic mothers and their children in three houses of hospitality.

“We have to find out from the people what is needed. Before we say what we’re going to do, we ask what is needed.”

Catholic Workers like Sammon say the work can be done by anyone — Christian or otherwise — who understands the call to be merciful.

“You don’t need a Catholic Worker to do what we’re doing,” Sammon said.