Aug. 23, 2002

The Catholic News & Herald 1

August 23, 2002

Parishioners pay tribute to retiring pastor

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor? Or who has given the Lord anything that he may be repaid? For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

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— Romans 11:33-36 August 23, 2002

Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

Youth ‘Come to the Water’

“Revival of the Spirit 2002: Do You Know My Jesus?”

By JOANITA M. NELLENBACH Correspondent BRYSON CITY — From meditating about water to taking a dip in the old swimming hole to breaking down the barriers that separate one from God, 47 young people from 11 parishes in the Smoky Mountain and Asheville vicariates participated in “Youth Rally 2002: Come to the Water” at Swain County Recreation Park Aug. 4.

Paul Kotlowski, diocesan director of youth ministry, and Catholic Christian musician Greg Walton facilitated the sessions for high- and middle-school youth.

The rally offered fellowship and fun in Christian community as the youths explored their faith based on the theme of living water, renunciation of evil and spiritual renunciation — self-denial that leads to asceticism.

Is this too heavy for middle and high schoolers to deal with? Kotlowski doesn’t think so, although for the middle schoolers he talked about renunciation more in terms of ecological conservation.

“Throughout history,” he said, “young people have been attracted to the renunciation gospels. Young people can hear the message more eagerly than some of us who are willing to rationalize.”

Quoting Jesus in John 7:38, Kotlowski told the groups that, “If anyone believes in me, out of his heart shall flow living water. That’s the theme for today — living water. At baptism we are buried, and we rise from the water. We receive the spirit of adoption, which makes us See WATER, page 13

Father Tony Ricard looks to God during the Harambee Mass at the weekend tent revival at Our Lady of Consolation Church Aug. 16-18. For story and photos, see pages 10-11.

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no. 42

Unveiling the mystery of Mystagogia

Photos by Joann S. Keane

In prayerful rememberance: Honoring the victims of Sept. 11

vOLUME 11

Ascension lifts youth toward God

...page 8

By REV. MR. GERALD POTKAY Correspondent BROWNS S U M M I T — The Diocese of Charlotte contracted The North American Forum on the Catechumenate (NAFC) to give a seminar focusing on Mystagogia at The Summit: an Episcopal Center Aug. 8-10.

Mystagogia is the continued catechesis of newly initiated Catholics (neophytes) that leads them into a deeper, stronger understanding of their faith that they have accepted through the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults). The period of Mystagogia is one in which the neophytes discover how they fit into the church and how they should practice their faith as Catholics.

Dr. Cris Villapando, director of Faith Formation in the Diocese of Charlotte, said there was a needs’ assessment on the implementation of the RCIA process in the United States conducted by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Office of Evangelization between 1993 and 1996.

According to this USCCB, 50 percent of the respondents did not have a post-baptismal instruction process simply because those involved didn’t know what to do.

Kathleen Lyons, director of Religious Education and RCIA coordinator for the Diocese of St. Augustine, Fla., said, “This was part of the process we seem to fall apart on. It is difficult to enSee MYSTAGOGIA, page18

Tiffin Room honors sisters who served Living Waters

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2 The Catholic News & Herald organizations because of the church’s structure, said Stephen Goldsmith, a Harvard professor who was appointed by Bush to head the Corporation for National and Community Service. Goldsmith, who also is former mayor of Indianapolis, made the comments in a lecture on “Putting Faith in Neighborhoods: Making Cities Work Through Grass-Roots Citizenship,” sponsored by the Heritage Foundation in Washington Aug. 15.

Campus Catholic community can help students cope, keep faith strong GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (CNS) — The first year of college is an adventure for new students as they make new friends, learn new things and take on new challenges, said Joseph Varacalli of Nassau Community College. But it is also a stressful time, and Catholic students should seek out what parish community is available — on campus or nearby — that will help them cope with all kinds of challenges, said Varacalli, who is a sociology professor at Nassau and founder of the college’s Center for Catholic Studies.

Many students who are away from their parents and their home for the first time experience homesickness, and many face questions about their faith and the temptations of alcohol, drugs or sexual promiscuity, he added. “As Catholics, our faith teaches us the importance of community and solidarity,” Varacalli told The Long Island Catholic, newspaper of the Diocese of Rockville Centre.

Vatican to comment on U.S. sex abuse charter soon, says spokesman KRAKOW, Poland (CNS) — The Vatican is still reviewing the charter on sex abuse adopted by U.S. bishops in June and hopes to issue its response sometime “soon,” a Vatican spokesman said. The spokesman, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, made the comments to reporters Aug. 17 during Pope John Paul II’s visit to Poland.

He was reacting to a published report that said the Vatican was about to issue a negative response to the norms. NavarroValls said speculation about the Vatican’s answer was premature. “No decision has been taken yet because the document is still being evaluated. We hope to be able to communicate soon to the bishops the

August 23, 2002 Volume 11 • Number 42 Publisher: Most Reverend William G. Curlin Editor: Joann S. Keane Associate Editor: Kevin E. Murray Graphic Designer: Tim Faragher Advertising Representative: Cindi Feerick Secretary: Sherill Beason 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 $18 per year for all other subscribers. 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.

August 23, 2002

The World in Brief

expression, vigor and spirituality. The Philadelphia priest will focus on that mission as one of a host of presenters at the National Black Catholic Congress in Chicago Aug. 29-Sept. 1. Other presentations will focus on such topics for black Catholics as spirituality, youths and young adults, education, social justice, Africa, racism and HIV/AIDS. The national gathering is held every five years.

Its mission is “to establish an agenda for the evangelization of people of African descent and to improve the spiritual, mental and physical conditions of black people.”

CNS photo by Paul Jeffrey

Women sing at celebration for 500th anniversary of Mass Women sing during the Aug. 14 Mass for the 500th year since the first Eucharistic celebration took place on the Americas’ mainland near Trujillo, Honduras. The anniversary marked the date in 1502 when a Mass was believed to have been celebrated on the site during Christopher Columbus’ fourth and final voyage to the Americas. The women are descendants of Caribbean Indians and African slaves.

Presidential adviser discusses role of faith-based organizations WASHINGTON (CNS) — A special adviser to President Bush said that the major issue in community revitalization is balancing the independence of faithbased and grass-roots organizations with the need for accountability to the government. Catholic organizations are not immune to this situation but tend to be easier to deal with than other faith-based

answer to their request,” he said.

Speaker hopes national congress will empower young black Catholics CHICAGO (CNS) — Empowering young black Catholics is a special mission for Father Anthony Bozeman.

“For the last couple of years, we’ve been losing ground (in the black Catholic movement),” he said, adding that this year “we’re being called by our baptism to use our black Catholic gifts” of music,

Episcopal calendar

Diocesan planner

Bishop William G. Curlin will take part in the following events: September 5 Episcopal ordination Philadelphia, Pa. September 11 - 7:30 p.m.

Memorial Mass for 9/11 victims St. Patrick Cathedral September 13 — 11 a.m. Mass Installation of Belmont Abbey College President James Gearity, Ph.D. Belmont Abbey Basilica, Belmont September 14 — 6 p.m.

Confirmation St. William Church, Murphy September 15 — 9 a.m.

Confirmation Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Hayesville September 21 — 5 p.m.

50th anniversary celebration and Mass St. John Baptist de la Salle Church, North Wilkesboro

creation and Christianity and Native American traditions and customs. For further information, call the center at (828) 926-3833 or e-mail lwcrc@main. nc.us.

10 CHARLOTTE — The St. Gabriel Church Arthritis Support and Education Group will meet this morning from 10-11 a.m. in Room D of the parish ministry center located at 3016 Providence Rd. For further details, call (704) 362-5047, Ext. 217.

14 CHARLOTTE — The Vietnamese Cursillo community will meet at 7:30 p.m. tonight and every second Saturday of the month for a school of leaders at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Rd. For further information, call Ky Do at (704) 532-9094.

14 CLEMMONS — Holy Family Church, 4820 Kinnamon Rd., will be sponsoring a CPR class for toddlers, infants and adults today from 9 a.m.-

Church official says CMSM abuse document not in opposition to bishops DETROIT (CNS) — The response to the clergy sex abuse crisis adopted Aug. 10 by the heads of men’s religious orders might not be identical to what the U.S. bishops adopted for diocesan priests, but the differences just take into account the special nature of religious life, the Archdiocese of Detroit’s key spokesman on clergy sex abuse said Aug. 12. “It would be unfortunate to see the position of the religious superiors that met in Philadelphia (Aug. 7-10) as being in opposition to the bishops or the Dallas charter,” said Msgr. Walter Hurley, who has been appointed by Cardinal Adam J. Maida of Detroit as his delegate for sex abuse policy reform in the archdiocese.

Members of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men said they will abide by the bishops’ policy barring priests who have sexually abused minors from any public ministry, though the organization’s president sharply criticized the “zero tolerance” policy as “ a war slogan” not suited to church leadership. Unlike the bishops, who spelled out laicization as the normal response to a priest who abuses a minor, the CMSM delegates focused on developing “more effective methods of intervention, care, treatment and follow-up supervision of institute members in need of treatment and continuing supervision for sexual abuse.”

4 p.m. To sign up or for more details, call Ellen Tommasi at (336) 766-5989 or Ruthe Hollodick at (336) 940-5511.

15 MOORESVILLE —New parish life center celebration (dinner, tours and Stewardship Fair) will be held today after the 5:30 p.m. Liturgy at St. Therese Church, 217 Brawley School Rd. Call (704) 664-3992 for more information.

19 MOORESVILLE — A series of presentations; sponsored by CSS Elder Ministry and facilitated by Richard Von Stamwitz, a national certified gerontological counselor; are being presented throughout the diocese.

Today’s presentation will be given at St. Therese Church, 217 Brawley School Rd., from 10:30 a.m.- 2 p.m.

Parish-provided lunchtime will begin at 12:15 p.m. The topic, “Commentary & Discussions: ‘Blessings of Age - A Pastoral Message on Growing Older Within the Faith Community’”, will be presented in two sessions. For Sept.

12 pre-registration and other information, call Sandra Breakfield at (704)

August 23, 2002

Msgr. Higgins’ legacy hailed in first Labor Day message since he died WASHINGTON (CNS) — In a message marking the first Labor Day since the death of Msgr. George G. Higgins, Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick of Washington called on all Catholics to carry on the late priest’s “rich legacy” of support for Catholic teaching on work and workers’ rights. “Let us continue his efforts to secure a living wage and greater respect for the dignity and rights of workers,” said the cardinal, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Domestic Policy, in the statement dated Sept. 2 but released in mid-August in Washington.

“In telling the truth, in building bridges among peoples, in standing with the poor, and in solidarity with the church’s teaching on the importance of the labor movement, Msgr. Higgins calls us to reform and renewal, to leadership and service,” he said. Msgr. Higgins, who died May 1 in Illinois at age 86, was America’s foremost labor priest for half a century. For decades he was the author of the bishops’ annual Labor Day statement.

Cuban defections in Canada seen as harming churchstate relations HAVANA (CNS) — Catholic officials are worried that the decision of 23 Cuban youths to remain in Canada after World Youth Day will damage church-state relations in the Caribbean nation. “The church respects the options in something so personal as the decision to emigrate, but it can only express its sorrow in this case, which affects our families, all of society and the church,” said Bishop Carlos Baladron Valdes of Guantanamo-Baracoa, who headed the 200-member youth delegation to Canada. Several church sources said the defections could result in government reprisals against the church, such as restricting future exit visas to laity wanting to go to religious meetings in other countries. They said Cardinal Jaime Ortega Alamino of Havana had convinced Cuban President Fidel Castro to allow a large group of Cuban youths to leave the country for the religious event.

New document says targeting Jews for conversion is 5575.

9 CHARLOTTE — The bereavement support group will meet tonight from 6-7:30 p.m. and every first Monday in the family room at St. Gabriel Church, 3016 Providence Rd. This support group is for anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one. For details, call Ruth Posey, CSS counselor, at (704) 370-3238.

9 FRANKLIN — The Women’s Guild of St. Francis of Assisi Church, 299 Maple St., will be having their monthly meeting tonight at 7 p.m. in the Family Life Center. The meetings feature guest speakers and special events periodically. For more information, call Claire Barnable at (828) 369-1565.

9 MAGGIE VALLEY — Living Waters Catholic Reflection Center, 103 Living Waters Lane, will host Charity Sister Fran Grady and Freeman Owie as facilitators of “The Wisdom of the Holy Spirit and the Great Spirit.”

This retreat, beginning this evening through Sept. 13, will connect, celebrate and honor the mystery of

The Catholic News & Herald 3

The World in Brief

CNS photo from Reuters

Pope smiles at meal with former schoolmates Pope John Paul II smiles as he shares a meal with old school friends at the archbishop’s residence in Krakow, Poland, Aug. 18. unacceptable WASHINGTON (CNS) — “Campaigns that target Jews for conversion to Christianity are no longer theologically acceptable in the Catholic Church,” says a new joint Catholic-Jewish document. The 12-page document, “Reflections on Covenant and Mission,” was made public Aug. 12. It was the result of a March 13 consultation in New York of the National Council of Synagogues and the U.S. Catholic bishops’ Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. Cardinal William H. Keeler of Baltimore, the bishops’ moderator for Catholic-Jewish relations, called the reflection “a significant step forward in the dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Jewish community in this country.” He added, “Here one can see, perhaps more clearly than ever before, an essential compatibility, along with equally significant differences, between the Christian and Jewish understandings of God’s call to both our peoples to witness to the name of the one God to the world in harmony.”

Shroud of Turin undergoes secret restoration work for conservation TURIN, Italy (CNS) — Promising a press conference and extensive documentation in September, Cardinal Severino Poletto of Turin has confirmed conservation work on the Shroud of Turin. Workers, under the direction of a Swiss textile expert, removed 30 fabric patches that had been sewn onto the shroud in 1534 to repair fire damage. The removal of the patches — and of a fabric backing initially attached to support the shroud — was carried out in almost complete secrecy between late June and late July, the Archdiocese of Turin said.

Many people believe the 17-foot-long cloth, which bears the image of a crucified man, is the shroud in which Christ was buried.

Pope, president honor Knights of Columbus at annual convention ANAHEIM, Calif. (CNS) — In messages sent to the Knights of Colum-

September 1 CHARLOTTE — The St. Maximilian Kolbe Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order will be gathering today at 2 p.m. at Our Lady of Consolation Church, 2301 Statesville Ave. Those interested in learning more about the SFO and the Franciscan way of life are invited to attend. For more information, call Skyler Mood, SFO, at (704) 545-8133.

2 CLEMMONS — Holy Family Church, 4820 Kinnamon Rd., will be celebrating its regularly scheduled charismatic Mass tonight at 7:30 p.m. instead of Sept. 9. The sacrament of reconciliation will be given at 7 p.m., and the laying on of hands will take place after Mass. The next Mass will be celebrated on Oct. 7., the first Mon. of the month. For more information, call the church office at (336) 778-0600 or Jim Passero at (336) 998-7503.

4 ALBEMARLE — The Forever Young Club of Our Lady of the Annunciation Church, 416 N. 2nd St., will

be having a meeting and a covered dish lunch in the Family Life Center this morning at 10 a.m. For further details, call Mary Garris at (704) 982-8427.

4 CHARLOTTE — The Happy Timers of St. Ann Church, 3635 Park Rd., will be having a meeting with a luncheon and program at 1 p.m. in the parish activity center. All adults age 55 and older are welcome. For more information about the senior group or bingo every Thursday night at 7 p.m., call Charles Nesto at (704) 398-0879.

5 GUILFORD COUNTY — The Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians Guilford County Division 1, an IrishCatholic social and charitable interparish group, will be having a meeting tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Ladies’ Cottage at Our Lady of Grace Church, 2205 West Market St. in Greensboro.

For further information, call Alice Schmidt at (336) 288-0983.

5 WINSTON-SALEM — The Healing Companions is a grief support group for the bereaved. They will be meeting tonight and Sept. 19 in con-

bus convention in Anaheim, Pope John Paul II and President Bush hailed the work of the fraternal organization in trying times. The 120th annual convention, held Aug. 6-8, marked the centennial of the founding of the first Knights’ council in California. More than 2,000 attended, including more than 70 cardinals, archbishops and bishops from North America and the Vatican. Bush, in a video message, hailed the Knights as “advocates for life,” and thanked them for their role in healing the nation following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The Knights, he said, “were among the first to step up” by creating the Heroes Fund, which from Sept. 12 to Nov. 1 collected and distributed more than $1 million to the nearly 400 families of lost rescue workers.

Our Lady of China mosaic dedicated at national shrine in Washington WASHINGTON (CNS) — A new Our Lady of China mosaic, depicting Mary and the Christ Child with Chinese features and in traditional Chinese garb, was dedicated during a special Mass Aug. 3 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. The 13-foot-tall mosaic, which includes the Chinese characters for faith, hope, love, and unity below the image of Mary and the Christ Child, was crafted by Italian artisans. It was installed recently on the west wall of the shrine’s Great Upper Church. The 1,800 Chinese Catholic pilgrims and other guests who attended the dedication came from the Archdiocese of Washington and Texas, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey and other locations.

As the dedication began, Washington Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick spoke a few words in Chinese and the crowd applauded. “There is no one closer to Jesus than Mary,” the cardinal said in his homily. He also asked for prayers for the people of China.

ference room B at St. Leo the Great Church, 335 Springdale Ave. For further details, call Joanne Parcel at (336) 924-9478.

8 CHARLOTTE — A charismatic Mass will be held at St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Rd. East, this afternoon at 4 p.m. with prayer teams at 3 p.m. and a potluck dinner at 5 p.m. in the school cafeteria. For further information, contact Josie Backus at (704) 527-4676.

8 CHARLOTTE — The Third Order of Discalced Carmelites is open to men and women 18 years and older who wish to deepen their relationship with God. The group meets this afternoon from 2-4 p.m. at St. Ann Church, 3635 Park Rd. For more information, call Joyce at (704) 536-5049.

8 WINSTON-SALEM — St. Leo the Great Church, 335 Springdale Ave., will have the first Life Teen Mass today followed by a huge party for all teens and their families. For more information, call (336) 682-

4 The Catholic News & Herald

Conference geared to help reconnect with faith ASHEVILLE — “Where is That

in the Bible?” and “Why is That in Tradition?” are the titles of two books by Patrick Madrid, Catholic author, speaker and publisher. They are also two of the questions that he and others will address at the “Triumph of the Cross” conference in Asheville Sept. 13-14.

Hosted by St. Barnabas Church in Arden, “Triumph of the Cross: Building Catholic Families, Building a Catholic Culture” included “Catholic Grandparenting,” “Living The Faith In Your Home,” “Moral Imagination Of Children” and 15 other workshops.

The theme of the conference is three-fold: to inspire Catholic families to live their faith in their homes; to address various aspects of the culture in terms of Catholic faith; and to celebrate the priesthood and religious life.

Madrid, who is editor of Envoy magazine and the author of several books on Catholic apologetics, will address the conference on Friday evening following Mass and will be the principal speaker on Saturday.

Father Ray Williams, pastor of St. Mary Church in Sylva, is scheduled to speak on Catholic literature. “Conferences like this one help us to reconnect with our Catholic faith,” said Father Williams. “You’ll also discover that you’re not the only one yearning for something deeper.”

Helen Gordon, an active member of The Nazareth House — a family ministry program in Asheville — agreed. “Here is an opportunity for people to begin to realize the absolute treasures of their faith,” she said. “This faith is a veritable banquet, so overflowing that the table is literally splitting, and we need to share its delights with others.”

Teens as well as adults are encouraged to attend “Triumph of the Cross.”

Several workshops and talks will be directed to young people in high school and college.

In addition to the speakers and workshops, both the Friday evening session and the Saturday session will begin with Mass. Throughout the day on Saturday there will be Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and an opportunity for reconciliation.

With the help of Father Roger Arnsparger of St. Barnabas Church, The Nazareth House and Saints and Scholars Bookshop have coordinated efforts to bring the conference to Asheville.

Priests at all local parishes are invited to the conference both to participate and to help hear confessions during Saturday’s sessions.

The cost of registration is $10 per adult and $5 per teen. Preregistration is strongly encouraged.

For more information call Saints and Scholars Bookshop at 1-828-251-5558 or Saint Barnabas Catholic Church at 6846098. If you wish to register by phone, call Saints and Scholars Tuesday through Friday afternoons.

Around the Diocese

August 23, 2002

Young missionaries strengthen faith in

By MARY MARSHALL Correspondent CHULUCANAS, Peru — “I had the time of my life helping people that are less fortunate than me,” said Chris Nagel, a rising senior at Charlotte Catholic High School.

Nagel was one of 17 from CCHS and Villanova University in Pennsylvania who traveled to Chulucanas, Peru in July. The trip was a pilot program of the Augustian Secondary Education Association, whose goal was to bring young people together to continue and expand the works of their missionary in Peru.

Organized and led by Capuchin Franciscan Father Steve Hoyt, who leaves Sept. 17 to become a missionary in Zambia, the group visited and expanded their understanding of missions and helped build a children’s park.

Traveling with Father Hoyt, who was chaplain and spiritual director at CCHS for the past four years, was Augustian Father Jim Cassidy, principal of CCHS; Andrea Hines of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte; Randy Hines, a recent graduate of CCHS who will attend Northwestern University this fall; and rising CCHS students Chris Nagel of St. Mark Church in Huntersville and Ryan Burke of St. Peter Church in Charlotte.

Father Cassidy spent many years at his order’s missionary in Chulucanas. Today, he devotes his summers to visiting parishes throughout the country raising money for the mission’s human development projects. He also sells dolls made by the people.

“The world has an impact on students,” said Father Cassidy. “This was an opportunity for our students to impact the world. They got a first hand feeling of how the majority of people in the world live. As future economic and political leaders, students need to see the third world.

“Our students immediately immersed themselves, getting involved with the projects, playing soccer with the kids, and spending time with the children. I’m very proud of them,” he said.

The students prepared for the expenses of the trip through car washes and selling note cards. The Charlotte Catholic Foundation offered a grant and people assisted with donations.

The bishop and municipality of Chulucanas funded the materials for a park for children living in a shantytown where homes consist of bamboo and mud.

“We brought in logs for benches, set cement, dug holes and planted trees,” said Burke. “The children named the park — The Dawn of the New Mountain — at a ceremony where they bubbled over with appreciation and excitement.”

The people are very generous and loving,” said Nagel. “They showed me that faith and love are far more important than materialistic things. I learned the meaning of teamwork and trust; that’s all you need to survive, no matter how bad things are.”

Burke discovered another world, one free of the materialistic American culture.

“The people are so poor but so giving,” he said. “Most don’t have jobs. They are kind and loving, such good people.

It was nice to see; it wasn’t all about money.”

Courtesy photo

Peruvian children play in a park built with the help of a group of 17 student missionaries from Charlotte Catholic High School and Villanova University.

When the group visited a local hospital, Burke saw people lining the hall.

“Their hospital compares in size to a small wing at our hospitals,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to be sick there.”

Ambulances stationed in various areas up to six or seven hours away transport those in need of care to the facility.

People often turn to a priest asking for transportation.

“My attitudes have changed,” Burke said. “We’re here at a private school with nice cars and clothing. I realized some things don’t matter that much. Why not send them some money rather than purchase a nicer pair of shoes? It’s really not that important to have a BMW.” Burke hopes to return next year.

“They need our help and are very appreciative.”

“We visited a mission site run by the Sisters of Mercy of Philadelphia,”

said Father Hoyt. “Their goal is to promote the dignity of women by teaching them skills such as sewing and cooking.

Women are also taught how to raise farm animals.”

The women are brought together to build self-esteem. “Here they realize their gifts and talents and how these talents can benefit themselves, their families and their communities,” said Father Hoyt.

“We also witnessed a strong lay ministry movement that is essential for the church to survive with so few priests and religious,” he said. “Pope Paul VI stated, ‘If you want peace, you must work for justice.’ We saw that come alive in our visit. It was a humbling experience. The people are so warm, generous, and accepting.”

August 23, 2002

Many lend helping “Hands” for Holy Angels for donations of $1 or 50 cents. Donors’ names are added to the logo and the bright colored paper symbols stretched throughout schools’ hallways.

St. Gabriel School students raised $4,679. Charlotte Catholic High School under the leadership of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes added $4,041 to the fundraising project. And in Gaston County, Tryon Elementary School, Page Elementary School and W. C. Friday Middle School raised over $6,000. This school year, Holy Trinity Middle School, All Saints Elementary School, St Patrick’s Elementary School and Catawba Heights Elementary School are eagerly preparing for their campaigns.

“Hands Around Our School” impacts the philanthropy segment of general character building in the Catholic schools,” said Reyburn. “Students learn empathy and become motivated to help.”

An annual appeal also went out to the Knights of Columbus councils to link up with their Operation Lamb “Tootsie Roll” campaign. Holy Angels earmarked their needs such as adaptive equipment and special educational supplies and materials. The council selects the project(s) to support. Fortunately, Holy Angels is high on their list. The councils supported the purchase of a digital scale and automatic blood pressure machine.

“The support of the Knights of Columbus throughout the state is very significant in that we serve residents from the entire state,” said Reyburn.

“Holy Angels is the only Catholic facility of its kind in North Carolina.

We’re grateful to the various councils that are also personally connected with us, volunteering at Christmas parties and donating gifts. They also host a barbeque and boat ride at Camp Hope, an Easter egg hunt, and a staff luncheon.”

Programs at Holy Angels include Holy Angels Residential Center, Fox Run ICF/MR (Intermediate Care Facility for the Mentally Retarded) group homes (three six-bed homes and one eight-bed home), Community Group Homes, Little Angels Child Development Center, Great Adventures, Camp Hope and Cherubs Café & Candy Bouquets in downtown Belmont.

If you would like to help: Contributions may be sent to Holy Angels, 6600 Wilkinson Blvd., P.O. Box 710, Belmont, NC 28012. Gifts to Holy Angels can be designated on your United Way pledge card if you company allows open designation (Holy Angels does not receive UW funding). For additional information, call (704) 825-4161, ext. 302.

The Catholic News & Herald 5

Around the Diocese

By MARY MARSHALL Correspondent BELMONT — The Reverend Mother in the Sound of Music told Maria, “When the Lord closes a door, somewhere he opens a window.” When state and Medicaid funding cuts closed a door, the innovative staff of Holy Angels Foundation opened a window to help alleviate those cuts. The response to their appeals warms their hearts.

Although the ministry of the Sisters of Mercy supports Holy Angels — a private, nonprofit corporation founded in 1956 that provides innovative programs and services for children and adults with varying degrees of mental retardation, some of whom are medically fragile — with an annual sustaining gift, Holy Angels must raise $1.7 million to meet their annual budget.

“Our needs may be overwhelming but the response to these needs is also overwhelming,” said Lynne Reyburn, vice president of the Holy Angels’ Foundation. “Holy Angels is a love story. People hear about us and respond. Everyone here is touched by the generosity and this is our opportunity to say ‘thank you.’”

Through appeals to corporations, students and the Knights of Columbus, more than $125,000 has been raised.

By reaching out to the community under the newly formed Corporate Advisory Committee co-chaired in Mecklenburg County by Gerald Healy, principal of Holy Trinity Middle School, and Robert Healy, CFS, Allmerica Financial; and in Gaston County by William Seabrook, Holy Angels informed corporations of their needs asking for assistance.

Knowing that the quality of care for Holy Angels residents can’t be sacrificed, corporations pledged nearly $60,000. “We’re humbled by the generosity of these corporations,” said Reyburn. “It is our hope that our corporate friends will continue to support us because we know more cuts will come our way.”

The committee will host a fundraising event in uptown Charlotte on Oct. 28, featuring Don McCauley, former UNC star athlete who was recently inducted into the NCAA College Hall of Fame.

In addition, Holy Angels Foundation staff engaged schools in a “Hands Around Our School” campaign. Staff members visited schools showing the Holy Angels video and speaking at assemblies to educate students and teachers about living with a disability.

They involved students in disability enactments whereby students tried to maneuver wheelchairs, endure the difficulties of blindness by placing a bandana over their eyes and experience the frustration of buttoning their shirt or tying their shoes when a sock is placed over their hand.

Students were then asked to support Holy Angels by selling “hands”

In prayerful remembrance B THE MOST REV. WILLIAM G. CURLIN y

Bishop of Charlotte

There are certain moments in one’s life that remain “frozen in time.”

Sept. 11, 2001, is such a moment!

Few can forget where they were and how they heard news of the terrifying acts of death and destruction that occurred last Sept. 11 in New York, Northern Virginia and Pennsylvania. Scenes of people leaping out of the burning Twin Towers before they crumbled to earth, and the gaping wounds where planes had plowed into the Pentagon and a farming field are forever etched into our memories. Additional names of the dead continue to be announced.

Many people are preparing fitting memorial services this coming Sept.

11 to commemorate those who lost their lives that terrible day, especially those who gave their lives in trying to help others trapped in the Twin Towers and those who gave their lives in Pennsylvania and thereby saved many lives from further destruction in Washington, D.C. Truly, it seems impossible to adequately commemorate the victims of that day of national tragedy.

Long ago, Cardinal Newman wrote, “There are some things that are too deep within our souls to describe in human language.” Let us then turn to Jesus to speak what is in our hearts. The triumph of his life over death is celebrated in every Mass. What more worthy manner in which to remember those who died that day of national tragedy and to beg God’s healing grace for their loved ones?

On Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2002, I cordially invite you to join with me in a Mass of Remembrance at 7:30 p.m. in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. I also ask every parish to offer a special Mass on that day of national remembrance.

6 The Catholic News & Herald

Around the Diocese

August 23, 2002

Diocese welcomes director of evangelization

fulfill the role of director of evangelization

By KEVIN E. MURRAY and adult education.

Associate Editor “The fact that Frank is bilingual is CHARLOTTE — On Aug. 5, the Diocese of Charlotte welcomed Frank significant,” added Father Hawker. “He is Villaronga as the new director of evangal- totally familiar with both the Anglo and Hispanic cultures, and he is eager to learn ization and adult education.

“It’s basically a three-pronged about and collaborate with the various other position,” said Villaronga. “I’ll be Catholic cultures within the diocese.”

“Adult education is something that I directing the lay ministry program, coordinating the LIMEX program — feel I am called to and I have brought difthe graduate level theology program ferent dimensions of that to my positions in out of Loyola University — and I’ll the past,” said Villaronga. “Evangelization be developing evangelization for the has always been something that I’ve tried to bring into all of the different positions, diocese.”

Villaronga felt the latter of his re- especially with young adult ministry. I was trying to get them to sponsibilities would see the importance of be the most challengoutreach and evangelizing. “The other two ing, and seeing it as the areas already have mission of the church programs in place,” and something we’re all he said. “I’ll be findcalled to by virtue of our ing ways of evalgebaptism.” lizing and meeting Villaronga heard the challenges of the a calling to the semi21st century.” nary. He spent five years Hailing from in study up until two the Archdiocese of months before his diaMiami, Villaronga conate ordination. considers himself a “I entered the semiproduct of the “cranary feeling that I had zy Miami culture,” a vocation to ministry, which he describes and I was discerning as very multicultural exactly what that call and always changing.

Frank Villaronga was,” he said. “After “I have experifive years, I came to ence with the needs the conclusion that the of Miami. I’m new to Charlotte and I’m not pretending what ordained ministry were not was God was will work in Miami is going to work in calling me to, but I did feel called to ministry Charlotte,” he said. “My first priority is as a lay person so I made that commitment.”

One thing he has tried to do, he said, is going to be to get to know the diocese and see what the needs are, and then to empower lay people. “It’s not just about look at developing programs that will learning things about your faith, but actually putting them into practice and taking meet those needs.”

With a bachelors in English (minor in part in the mission of the church,” he said.

Spanish), a masters in divinity and a doc- “Jesus didn’t say go out and learn, he said go torate in ministry, Villaronga served the out and spread the Gospel.”

Villaronga will be out spreading the Archdiocese of Miami for over five years as coordinator of young adult ministry, two word — he intends to spend a year getting years as director of pastoral center services acclimated to the needs of the diocese by visitand two years as educator and consultant ing the various vicariates and parishes.

“In the two weeks that I have been here, for the office of lay ministry. He also taught a world religion analysis course for six years. the people have been very friendly and out“It is such a pleasure to welcome Frank going, and I have felt very welcomed,” said to the diocese,” said Father James Hawker, Villaronga. “I have a strong sense this is vicar for education and pastor of St. Luke where God wants me to be.”

Church in Mint Hill. “His educational and Contact Associate Editor Kevin E. pastoral experience equips him so well to

Courtesy Photo

Denver council installs new Knights Holy Spirit Church Knights of Columbus Council 10389 in Denver, N.C., installs new slate of officers for Columbian Year 2002-2003 at a ceremony July 13. Back row (left to right): David Folety, outside guard; Robert Zollo, trustee; Kurth Dohmann, warden; Michael Ceril, recorder; Thomas Keene, chancellor and Operation LAMB director; Robert Johansen, treasurer; Peter Ferrara, trustee; Donald Richmond, financial secretary.

Front row (left to right): Fred Myers, District 20 deputy; Stephen Lisi, trustee; Robert Ladousier, grand Knight; Father Joseph Ayathupadam, chaplain and pastor; Patrick Keene, deputy grand Knight and program director; Gordon Hirshman, lecturer; Paquale Lisi, advocate. Missing from photo is Paul Rizzi, inside guard.

In native Poland, pope seen as moral authority, not aging icon KRAKOW, Poland (CNS) — When Pope John Paul II came home to Poland for the ninth time, his compatriots gave him their cheers, their smiles and above all their attention.

The 82-year-old pontiff returned the affection and also brought a demanding spiritual and social message, challenging Poles to hold fast to Gospel values that risk slipping away in their new society. For four days, the combination of the crowd’s energy and the pope’s charisma worked a special kind of magic. Once again, despite his frailty, he connected with the country that has been transformed so dramatically during his papacy.

“Poland is still listening to this man because they love him and they trust what he says,” said 20-year-old Janusz Grochola, a Krakow student.

Sibling nuns named 2002 ‘Pacem in Terris’ award winners DAVENPORT, Iowa (CNS) —

Siblings and fellow Franciscan Sisters Dorothy Marie Hennessey and Gwen Hennessey of Dubuque have been named the 2002 winners of the “Pacem in Terris” Peace and Freedom Award, given by the Diocese of Davenport.

The award will be presented by Davenport Bishop William E. Franklin Oct. 3 in Christ the King Chapel at St. Ambrose University in Davenport. In a letter to the nuns about the award, Bishop Franklin said, “Your lifelong commitment to live the Gospel, your nonviolent witness for worldwide peace and your activism for social justice for the past three decades affirm the values espoused by the ‘Pacem in Terris’ encyclical.” Sister Dorothy, 89, has been a Franciscan for more than 70 years and Sister Gwen, 69, for more than 50 years. Both nuns were jailed at a federal work camp in 2001 for a November 2000 peaceful protest at a military base in Fort Benning, Ga. Furry feline is ‘catalyst’ for emotionally disturbed children

August 23, 2002

The Catholic News & Herald 7

Around the Diocese

Parishioners pay tribute to retiring pastor

By JOANITA M. NELLENBACH Correspondent SYLVA — Three 6-foot-long tables in St. Mary Church Hall were loaded with food, and more kept arriving. A fourth table held two bowls of punch and the white-frosted congratulatory cake.

Parishioners filled the room to tell Father James Cahill how much they loved him. This was May 18, and Father Cahill would be retiring the next month.

As the reception began and everyone joined hands for prayer, Father Cahill tried to shift the spotlight: “I’d like to just say that this is your day.”

Cries of “No!” and “Doesn’t work!” came from around the room. The parishioners weren’t to be deterred from honoring the man who had been their priest for 11 years.

“Of all the priests I’ve known, he’s probably the closest to Jesus,” said Bill Barr, who had joined St. Mary three months before. “Love and forgiveness are his middle name. He’s wonderful with children. When he walks out of church at the end of Mass, they grab his hands and walk out with him.”

“His sermons,” said Joby Upson, 14. “I mean, he gets into it so much he almost cries sometimes. He was talking about how we should respect our parents, and that made me think; how if they say ‘No,’ it’s no, and that made me really think.”

“He’s just holy,” Sandra Beauchemin said. “My 5-year-old, Trey, had his kindergarten picture, and he said, ‘Wait ‘til God sees this.’ That speaks volumes, when your child thinks Father (Cahill) is God.” It might seem that Father Cahill brought years of pastoral experience to St. Mary, but the Sylva parish was been his only pastorship.

He had attended Jesuit schools, which influenced him to become a priest.

Ordained in 1961 in Weston, Mass., and originally a member of the Jesuits, he started his priestly career in the classroom.

After teaching junior and senior high school in Washington, D.C., Father Cahill moved to the Diocese of Charlotte

Photo by Joanita N. Nellenbach

Father James Cahill greets parishioners of St. Mary Church in Sylva at his retirement party May 18, one month before his official retirement. in 1986; he was parochial vicar at St. Patrick Cathedral for five years, an assignment that he credits with preparing him for his work in Sylva.

“I was just ready,” he said of becoming a pastor. “In these entire 11 years, these people here are just wonderful.

They keep this parish going. Lots and lots of people do wonderful things.

They’re overwhelmingly good.”

Among those things is a group that visits shut-ins and people in nursing homes. Parishioners created a memorial garden and raised money for a new organ to honor fellow parishioners who had died. They also started Dollars for Those in Need.

“In 1996, we needed a couple of thousand dollars immediately for a parishioner,” Father Cahill said. “The group now raises $8,000-$10,000 a year for needs.”

He said he hears of a need and “the money just seems to show up; this is money for anyone, regardless of (de-

nomination). I’m not a money person.

I don’t like to ask for money, and I haven’t had to. I just can’t begin to tell you how wonderful these people are.”

“It’s his humility, and through his humility he teaches you humility,” said Jeanette Hayes, a parishioner for eight years. “My husband converted because of Father Cahill. Father Cahill never says, ‘Money, money, money.’ He says, ‘We have these obligations, and this is what we have to do.’ “ “He made me feel at ease,” Carl Hayes said. “I had been married before.

My wife was Catholic, and my kids were raised Catholic, but I never had any desire to change. Of course I was younger, and your priorities change.

Then we came down here, and there was just something about Father Cahill.”

Then Carl wound up in the hospital for 23 days. Doctors discovered his esophagus had torn loose from his stomach.

“Father Cahill was really faithful to him,” Jeanette said. “Through his humility he taught Carl that life is

short and you need to have a commitment to God.” “I thought I had control of my life,” Carl said. “I found out I didn’t have control. When something like that happens, you realize that there’s somebody who’s there to pull you through, and that somebody is God.” “That’s when he started to pay attention to life, and Father Cahill was the director,” Jeanette said.

Others who joined the Catholic Church while Father Cahill was pastor included Brendan Ferguson, 15, who, with brother Daniel, were baptized in 1999. “I chose to come into the church,” Brendan said. “He baptized me. I had my first reconciliation and my first communion with him. He really cares about our youth group.”

On the day of the retirement party, parishioners crowded around a table to look at two albums some of them had helped to compile. The albums, a gift for Father Cahill, were packed with 11 years of pictures: youth events, weddings, confirmations, first reconciliations and communions, parish trips — a family enjoying life together.

“It’s been such a wonderful thing being a pastor here for the people, coming to this group of people whom I love so much,” Father Cahill said before the party.

“His loving kindness, he’s so sincere, there’s nothing phony about him,” said Pauline Watson, a parishioner for 18 years. “If you listen to his homilies, he makes you think. He’s wonderful to go to for confession. He makes you feel so comfortable. It’s just like talking to your father.”

Father Cahill wants to continue serving and has decided to remain in Sylva to help out in area parishes and to visit the sick. “I very much want to keep my hand in,” he said Contact Correspondent Joanita M. Nellenbach by calling (828) 627-9209 or e-mail jnell@dnet.net.

8 The Catholic News & Herald

Ohio priest honored for ministry to police, locals and at ground zero

COLUMBUS, Ohio (CNS) — The International Conference of Police Chaplains has awarded the John A. Price Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement Chaplaincy to a priest from the Columbus Diocese.

Conference officials said Father Leo Connolly is a role model for other chaplains and praised him for his volunteer work at ground zero after Sept. 11.

Father Connolly, chaplain for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and pastor of St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Columbus, received the award in July at the conference’s annual training seminar in Anaheim, Calif.

The International Conference of Police Chaplains is an interfaith, nonprofit organization that helps agencies develop chaplaincy programs. It has more than 2,500 members in 12 countries.

“Chaplain Connolly exemplifies the type of caring, compassionate chaplain that law enforcement agencies need,” said Dan Nolta, president of the conference, in presenting the award.

Nolta said that Franklin County Sheriff’s officials are grateful for Father Connolly’s calming presence and 24hour availability, and often use him as a hostage negotiator.

He said the priest is unassuming and dedicated, but added, “The efficient but quiet way he goes about providing chaplaincy service to his department does not hide the immense love and concern he provides for his department of over 900 personnel.”

“His program serves not only the members of his department, but the community as well,” Nolta said.

Father Connolly said he was surprised but honored to be selected for the prize.

Around the Diocese

August 23, 2002

Ascension lifts youth toward God

By MARY MARSHALL Correspondent CHARLOTTE — The worship center at St. Luke Church vibrated as the teen group Ascension took the stage Aug. 10 with their theme song, “Go Make a Difference.”

What’s their mission? They’re spreading the word of the Lord through music. And they’re lovin’ it. Smiling faces, swaying bodies, hands signing to the words — this group of happy, hip teens knows who they are and where they’re going. Wrapped up in their gospel music, they enrich the spirits of those witnessing their faith.

Dressed in kaki shorts or pants, sporting Nike tennis shoes and identifying themselves by their navy t-shirts highlighted by words from their theme song encompassing a treble clef intertwined around a cross, the 22 energetic teens ranged in age from 13 to 21.

Ascension began four years ago when three teens, befriended through a youth group, yearned to transform their Friday evening jam sessions into an organized group with performances. Maria Conrad, Chris Cosentino and Brian DuBois (who is now an Appalachian University student) realized they needed adult sponsorship and sought the assistance of parishioners Frank and April Ryder, who accepted the challenge and have reaped the benefits of these vibrant youths.

The group grew rapidly as teens who play guitars, trumpet, flutes and drums and love to sing came aboard.

Through their music, they focus on praising God, playing at Masses and concerts within the parish community. Last year, they began touring and traveled to Sparta in an outreach effort.

For the past several years, Marti Dushak, St. Luke Church director of music and keyboard accompanist, has coordinated the group with the assistance of April Ryder.

“Ascension models the open arms of Jesus,” said Dushak. “Members’ faiths deepen as each realizes we’re all God’s children. Music is important but what’s most important is that we are a small faith community where no one is excluded.”

The teen’s music choices radiate their thoughts, such as “Share Your Bread with the Hungry,” “Awesome God,” “Shout for Joy” and “I’m Yours, Lord.” They plan the choreography, with some opting to testify on Scripture verses as they apply to teen’s lives.

“By ministering to one another and the community, we feel closer to God,”

Photo by Mary Marshall

Ascension, a musical group of 22 youths ranging in age from 13 to 21, performed at St. Luke Church’s worship center Aug. 10. said Julie Walz, who sings and plays the trumpet and will leave the group soon to attend North Carolina State University.

“With so much negativism in the world, our group is a beacon in the night.”

Jonathan Fung, an eighth-grade student at Crestdale Middle School, couldn’t wait for his thirteenth birthday so he could join the group. A talented musician, Fung plays the guitar, bass, drums, piano and trombone.

“When I saw the group at church, it was awesome,” he said. “I was anxious to become a member; I knew it would be good for me. It’s more than just music.

Each performance is preceded by devotion with a thought to concentrate on while performing and to improve our lives in general. Tonight’s thought dealt with being ourselves and not pretending to be something else.”

All relate that they are a group of best friends. “We are close knit; something you’d never find with another group of teens,” added Conrad. “We have a definite moral code and serve as role models for other parish teens.”

Ascension serves as the teen’s home away from home. “We share our stresses and understand what each other are going through,” said Walz. “We praise the

Lord and are enlightened.”

Her brother, Chris Walz, who is a sophomore at Independence High School, will keep the family name alive within the group. A talented tenor, he sees the group as his escape from the everyday world.

“At Monday evening practices, I’m able to release all that’s happened throughout the week,” he said. “Music allows me to be free of worries and cares.

I praise God singing, lifting up my voice.

For me, Ascension is very spiritually rewarding.”

Laura Donaldson, a sophomore at Sun Valley High School, said, “This is the only place where I can be myself. Here, I can be as loud as I want praising God. Through the group I have become a better Christian.”

“Musically, socially and spiritually, the group stimulates growth within its members,” said Alan Gomiz, a sophomore at Butler High School.

These teens are delivering the message of their theme song, “We can make a difference; we are the light of the world.”

August 23, 2002

The Catholic News & Herald 9

Around the Diocese

Sapphire Valley parish gets needed room to grow

By JOANITA M. NELLENBACH Correspondent SAPPHIRE VALLEY — The symbol of a new era at St. Jude Church has substantial fieldstone pillars out front and facilities that let parishioners get together as they’ve never been able to do.

The new parish hall, completed last December, means that RCIA sessions no longer meet in a store in Cashiers, three miles away; the parish council can conduct its meetings at a table in the parish center, rather than in pews in the church.

“They built this so they could have their own family life center,” said Father William M. Evans, sacramental minister at St. Jude and at Our Lady of the Mountains Church in Highlands. “They’re willing to do whatever they need to be a contributing entity to the diocese.”

Parishioners gathered Aug. 18 for a Mass, blessing and reception to dedicate the new hall.

Concelebrating with Bishop William G. Curlin were Father Carl T. Del Guidice, pastor of St. Jude and Sacred Heart Church in Brevard; Father Evans; Father Paul Byron and Father Raymond Berg, former St. Jude pastors; and Msgr.

Ted Malanowski, visiting from the Diocese of Norwich, Conn.

“I congratulate you for the sacrifice you made for this wonderful parish family,” Bishop Curlin said. “When you go out of here today, remember you take Jesus with you.”

In the 30 years since Bishop Michael Begley concelebrated the first Mass in St.

Photo by Joanita M. Nellenbach

Bishop William G. Curlin blesses St. Jude’s new parish hall. Others participating in the ceremony are Father Paul Byron (left) and Father Raymond Berg, former St. Jude pastors; Peter J. Pioli, master of ceremonies; Father Carl T. Del Guidice, pastor of St. Jude; Father William M. Evans, sacramental minister at St. Jude; and Bradley Dunn and Emma Driver, who held the bishop’s miter and staff during Mass.

Jude, the church community has grown from less than 20 families to 60 families year-round and 180 families MayOctober. It became clear that the church needed to upgrade its facilities.

The new 4,200-square-foot addition has four classrooms and an office upstairs; downstairs a social hall and kitchen look

out onto a patio.

“This (project) actually started about 1998,” said David Klingel, who, with wife Deanna, headed the campaign to raise the money for the new hall. “Bob Juback was the one who did all the legwork to get approval from the diocese, and he worked with Allen Brown to design the parish

hall.”

To finance the hall, parishioners pledged $340,000 in seven weeks.

“The original design had only the downstairs to be completed and a big empty space upstairs for future development,” Klingel said. “We realized we needed to finish the upstairs, so we went back and raised another $85,000.”

“These people are wonderfully generous,” Father Evans said. “They’re willing to share what God has given them with one another and with the parish.

Even if they don’t live here all year, they think of this as their parish.”

Since the new center opened, parishioners Bob and Elaine Silva don’t need to keep Silva’s Sport Shop open one evening a week for RCIA sessions. Faith formation is in the new classrooms rather than private homes. Father Evans started a Scripture class that has 16 students.

They’re finishing Revelation and plan to continue, beginning with Genesis and going through the whole Bible.

Now there are parish banquets, a monthly pancake breakfast after the 9 a.m. Sunday Mass and a potluck supper one Thursday a month.

“We had people who did not know each other,” Father Evans said. “Now they’re all getting together.”

Contact Correspondent Joanita M. Nellenbach by calling (828) 627-9209 or e-mail jnell@dnet.net.

1 0 The Catholic News & Herald

By KEVIN E. MURRAY Associate Editor CHARLOTTE — According to Father R. Tony Ricard, to have good church you need three things: good preaching, good song and the frenzy.

“The frenzy is when you are so excited about your faith and what God has done for you that you want to celebrate with everything you have — mind, body and soul,” he said. “At that moment, you don’t care what people think. It’s all about celebrating God.” Father Ricard, a priest and renowned revivalist from the Archdiocese of New Orleans, La., supplied the good preaching at “Revival of the Spirit 2002: Do You Know My Jesus?” — an old fashion revival sponsored by the African American Affairs Ministry, celebrated at Our Lady of Consolation Church (OLC) Aug. 16-18.

“The theme means coming to know Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior with the same conviction that Simon Peter had when Jesus asked him, ‘Who do they say I am?’ and he responded, ‘You are the Christ!’” said Father Ricard, pastor of Our Lady Star of the Sea and St. Phillip and the Apostle churches in New Orleans.

Reminiscent of the earlier days of outdoor preaching, this year’s event was the third annual revival to again provide good song by OLC’s The Perpetual Hope Gospel Choir and Pinn Memorial Baptist Church Gospel Choir from Philadelphia, Pa. “They were two of the best choirs I’ve heard in my travels,” said Father Ricard. “The blessing was to bring the two denominations together to praise God.” The past president of the National Black Catholic Seminarians Association, Father Ricard is the core instructor of church doctrine for the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University and the ninth-grade

Tent Revival

August 23, 2002

Revivalist encoura

theology teacher for his alma mater, St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. He has held positions on several diocesan and national boards and was recently appointed as the archdiocesan liaison for African-American vocations to the priesthood.

He said he felt blessed to be able to do what he does; preaching “the Good News” has brought him to 49 states and 13 nations. “I still get blown away by what God does and how he uses me,” he said.

Over the course of the weekend, Father Ricard passionately stressed the theme of the revival — to truly know Jesus.

“My hope is that people walk away with a renewed sense of living, serving and knowing him as a real, living God,” said Father Ricard. “By knowing that Jesus understands our sacrifices and where we are in life, we better understand his sacrifices for us.”

Father Ricard stressed the importance of prayer, community, the domestic church (family) and being ministers of God. “We’ve got to pray, because that’s what we do as a people. If we pray, God will take care of the rest,” he said.

Father Ricard said it’s important to remember what God has already done for us — in our own lives as well as historically. “If God has touched you before, he’ll touch you again,” he said. “And when the hand of God is upon you, nothing can stop you. All we have to do is take up the call. All of us are called to be ministers of the Lord and to spread the Good News.”

And you don’t need to use big words, he said. “Talk about what you know and God will do the rest.” Father Ricard added that while it may be hard work, “in God and his word, we find ultimate rest.”

Both choirs performed together at the Sunday Harambee Mass, which began with drums and dancing.

Dressed in African-inspired clothing,

Above left, a woman dances into Our Lady of Consolation Church at the start of the Harambee Mass Aug. 18. Above right, a woman reflects on Father Tony Ricard’s homily during the Mass.

Photos by Joann S. Keane

complementing the cloth material and decorations draped on the altar, people moved and clapped their hands to the music. Capuchin Father Jude Duffy, pastor of OLC, concelebrated the Mass and with Rev. Mr. Curtiss Todd, vice chancellor and vicar for African American Affairs Ministry, and Rev. Mr. Charles Knight of OLC serving.

“In the midst of it all, Jesus can make it right,” said Father Ricard. “If one person walked out of the revival filled with the spirit and closer to God, then it was a success.”

Contact Associate Editor Kevin E. Murray by calling (704) 370-3334 or email kemurray@charlottediocese.org.

August 23, 2002

Tent Revival

ages closeness

Above and at right, gospel music and song filled Our Lady of Consolation Church during the Harambee Mass Aug. 18, inspiring many to stand up, clap their hands and sing along. Below, Father Tony Ricard poses for photographs after Mass.

“All of us are called to be ministers of the Lord and to spread the Good News. And when the hand of God is upon you, nothing can stop you,” said Father Tony Ricard during the tent revival at Our Lady of Consolation Aug. 16-18. Below, two women ritually “sweep” the church at the start of the Harambee Mass Aug. 18.

The Catholic News & Herald 11

1 2 The Catholic News & Herald Black Catholics were first in nation to hold lay congress WASHINGTON (CNS) — Black Catholics in the late 1800s were the first to hold a national lay Catholic congress in the United States.

About 200 delegates answered Daniel Rudd’s call in 1889 for such a gathering of black Catholic leaders. Congresses were held annually for four more years, but after the one in 1893 they abruptly ended.

Other national organizations then took up the cause of black Catholics.

In the early 1900s, the Knights of Peter Claver, the Federated Colored Catholics, and the National Catholic Interracial Federation were formed. Their annual conventions maintained the spirit of the earlier congresses, giving lay black Catholics a forum where they could speak for themselves on issues of evangelization, spirituality, education and the plight of African-Americans.

Beginning in the 1960s, organizations such as the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, the National Black Sisters’ Conference, and the National Black Lay Caucus — united for a time under the umbrella of the National Office for Black Catholics — continued advocacy on behalf of black Catholics.

But none has been as closely linked to the church hierarchy and nationwide diocesan offices as the National Black Catholic Congress office.

After a group of lay leaders, with the help of African-American bishops, revived the idea of the black Catholic congress in 1984, an office for the gathering was established in 1985 in Baltimore.

The congress is supported by a 19-member board of trustees which represents the nation’s 11 active black Catholic bishops, the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, the National Black Sisters’ Conference, the National Black Seminarians Association, the Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver, the National Association of Black Catholic Administrators and the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University in New Orleans.

The congress works in close cooperation with the U.S. black bishops, one of whom is elected by his brother bishops as president of the congress board of trustees and two others are elected as trustees.

Around the Diocese

August 23, 2002

Tiffin Room honors sisters who served Living

By JOANITA M. NELLENBACH Correspondent MAGGIE VALLEY — The meeting room at Living Waters Catholic Reflection Center isn’t called simply “the meeting room” any longer. As of Aug. 11, it’s officially the Tiffin Room.

The new name honors the Franciscan Sisters of Tiffin, Ohio, who operated the reflection center for its first 22 years. They served at Living Waters from 1977-1998, when Augustinian friars arrived in Haywood County to staff St. Margaret and St. John churches and the center.

“When we remembered it was the 25th anniversary of the center, we wanted to especially do something to remember the sisters,” said Augustinian Father Terrance W. Hyland, Living Waters’ director. “We saw that the feast of St. Clare (of Assisi) was on a Sunday, so that was perfect.”

About 40 people gathered in the Tiffin Room for the dedication. Many were St. Margaret parishioners; at least 10 were Tiffin Sisters. Some had worked at Living Waters or been stationed nearby, others attended retreats there. A reception in the dining room followed the ceremony.

What eventually became Living Waters started as Falling Waters Motel, on the bank of Jonathan Creek, in 1962. Michael William Murphy had purchased 19 acres of land in Maggie Valley. He built the motel and operated it for a number of years. Retreats were held there even before Murphy deeded the building to the Diocese of Charlotte in 1975.

Murphy built St. Margaret Church, dedicated in 1968, on a hill above the motel (and he was ordained there in 1972.) And, on a hill above the church, he built the House of Prayer, which burned in February 1977 — a few months after it opened.

The Franciscan Sisters arrived in 1977 and continued the retreat work, using Falling Waters for retreatant lodging and holding conferences held in St. Margaret.

Falling Waters was remodeled and enlarged. Sister Jane Schmenk, the di-

Photo by Joanita M. Nellenbach

Franciscan Sister Jane Schmenk and Augustinian Father Terrance W. Hyland install a plaque naming Living Waters Catholic Reflection Center’s meeting room as the Tiffin Room. rector, was thinking about a new name for the retreat center, and Franciscan Sister Jean Linder suggested Living Waters to reflect the center’s mission.

“The theme that we’ve chosen for our blessing and rededication ceremony is the theme of thanksgiving,” Father Hyland told the dedication attendees. “We’re thankful that Living Waters has served this area so well for 25 years. Thanks to Father Murphy, whose vision this was. Without his vision, none of us would be here.

“In a special way we want to thank the Sisters of Tiffin, who served for 22 of those 25 years. Not a retreat happens that someone doesn’t ask, ‘How are Sister Jane and all the sisters?’ But most of all we thank the good God for this place of reflection and peace and for the many blessings of this ministry. Many people have had their lives

blessed by coming here.”

Sister Jane and Father Hyland then placed a dedicatory plaque near one of the Tiffin Room’s doors.

“It’s just an honor for us, and the plaque is beautiful, and to have it on Sunday when so many of us could be here,” said Sister Yvonne Fischer, a member of the Tiffin Franciscan Council.

The dedication, Sister Jane said, “just reinforces in my mind the kindness and gentility of the Augustinians.”

Contact Correspondent Joanita M. Nellenbach by calling (828) 627-9209 or e-mail jnell@dnet.net.

August 23, 2002

The Catholic News & Herald 13

Around the Diocese

WATER, from page 1 sons and daughters of God. We become heirs to the kingdom of God, we become God’s adopted children.”

Water had some solid imagery, with river rocks that Joseph Holt, youth minister at St. Joseph Church in Bryson City, had collected.

“The rock lived in the river for hundreds or thousands of years,” Kotlowski said. “The rock was probably rough, but the water had its effect. We need to pray that God will smooth us.”

Each student selected one of the rocks from their water-filled container.

They would take their rocks home at the end of the day after painting on symbols of their baptism — symbols that showed they take their baptisms seriously.

Streams, crosses, God’s hands appearing from a cloud, words like “Savior” appeared in bright colors on the gray rocks. For Lucas Millsap of Sacred Heart Church in Brevard, the rock was a powerful symbol of what he learned at the rally. “I got kind of an idea of where my faith is and who I am,” he said. “I learned that I’m actually the lamb, and God is my shepherd.

That’s what I painted on my rock.”

“God chooses us,” Walton said in his presentations. “St. Jerome says there are two conversions, conversion by water in baptism and conversion by tears in repentence.”

Walton used music to get across

Photo by Joanita M. Nellenbach

Youth were invited to take a dip in the Swain County Recreation Park pool during “Youth Rally 2002: Come to the Water” Aug. 4. a message about spiritual blindness and the barriers people erect between themselves and God: “We erect barriers between us and God when we choose to sin; we need to tear those walls down. I guess that’s my mission today, to tell you that God isn’t just for your grandma and your pastor. Holiness is for all of us.”

Walton talked about the courage necessary to live and likened life’s stumbling blocks and overcoming

them to the wicked witch in “The Wizard of Oz,” who tries to entice Dorothy and her friends from the Yellow Brick Road. “The Yellow Brick Road is like the path we’re supposed to follow, which is God’s word,” Walton said.

He talked about his sister, who has been clean for 12 years after a long bout with drug abuse.

“I liked the songs and the stories behind the songs, especially about his sister and how she’s OK now,” said Caroline Jackson of Immaculate

Conception Church in Hendersonville.

“The sister was a drug addict. Someone invited her to church and now she’s clean.”

At the end of a day that included sessions interspersed with lunch, a dip in the recreation park’s pool and impromptu soccer on the grass, everyone clapped in time to the Mass’s entrance hymn, “I Could Sing Your Love Forever.” All joined in singing, “Every move I make, I make with you. Everywhere I look I see your face. ...Oh my God, this love, how can it be?”

Father Terry Hyland, director of Living Waters Catholic Reflection Center in Maggie Valley, celebrated Mass in the park’s pavilion, assisted by the Rev. Mr. Carl Hubbell of St. William Church in Murphy.

“We come to the water in our own individual ways to be changed, to be cleansed, to be refreshed,” Father Hyland said in his homily. He spoke of the Eucharist as thanksgiving: “If we don’t have some kind of hunger, it’s going to be very difficult for us to appreciate and be thankful for the Eucharist. ...Think about your attitude: Do I have an attitude of gratitude?”

Contact Correspondent Joanita M. Nellenbach by calling (828) 627-9209 or e-mail jnell@dnet.net.

1 4 The Catholic News & Herald

August 23, 2002

Readings

Book Review

Books reveal art of Reviewed by WAYNE A. HOLST Catholic News Service Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister’s “Seeing With Our Souls: Monastic Wisdom for Every Day” is a collection of spiritual maxims based on the “lectio divina” or divine readings — a traditional discipline linking the Scriptures with the pursuit of personal transformation. Sister Chittister adroitly blends traditional wisdom with modern life.

Robert Waldron’s “Walking With Thomas Merton: Discovering His Poetry, Essays and Journals” is a selection of reflections composed during a three-month period leading up to Waldron’ leadership of a retreat centering on Merton’s works.

Developing the art of contemplation is a common theme of both books.

“Contemplation is essentially a listening in silence,” says Waldron.

Sister Chittister, on the other hand, writes contemplative themes for active people who may not be able to pray like monks but who, nevertheless, quest for spiritual wisdom in their lives.

Sister Chittister’s book investigates qualities that each of us must cultivate if we truly desire to be unique and saintly people in a changing world.

Vision is one such quality. “Vision asks the questions no one else seems to know exist,” she says. “Vision gives meaning to life,” she continues. “It propels us through difficulty when the goals we set are greater than the obstacles we must face in achieving them. True happiness comes through fidelity to a worthy purpose.”

Imagination is another. “Our dreams keep us going.” To achieve the dream of our lives is to be able to let go of the rest of it. Imagination and courage go together.

“It’s not what we know but how we put things together that makes the difference, ... (since) imagination is more important than knowledge,” she writes.

A third quality, gentleness of spirit, comes to us when we are embedded with life at its depths. “No amount of trivia can upset equanimity of soul,” she says. Gentleness is not innate. It must be learned.

We need to assert ourselves, but come to do it gently.

Waldron, meanwhile, is an English

professor who, after 31 years of teaching, decided to retire in order to concentrate on writing, lecturing and conducting retreats on themes relating literature and Merton, his lifelong spiritual mentor.

Waldron’s book is able to demonstrate, with charm and substance, why Merton’s poetry and prose are so fascinating. “Teach me to be attentive,” wrote Simone Weil. That is what Merton is able to do for us.

Taking time with him, we learn to attend to many small and obscure things in life that would otherwise pass us by or we may overlook.

Merton demonstrated through his own vocation how the world of the monastic could become engaged with the world outside in a special way.

He opened Eastern mysticism to many Westerners, for example, and was heavily involved in matters of politics and social justice.

Waldron offers interesting comparisons and contrasts with another 20th-century spiritual master, Father Henry Nouwen. While Father Nouwen was the more charismatic personality, Merton was the better philosopher and theologian, Waldron believes.

“Both men had strong libidos,” says the author, but each, as vowed religious, channeled their sexual energies into writing and speaking. “But the fact of the matter is that both men were men of love. And in the end what else matters?”

The appearance of these books is a reflection of growing popular interest in spiritual disciplines. Sister Chittister and Waldron help readers mine rich veins of contemplative wisdom from the Benedictine and Trappist traditions. They help us see that the church has a profound spiritual heritage that, in the hands of talented writers, can be creatively presented and interpreted to modern seekers.

Holst writes from Alberta where he taught religion and culture at the University of Calgary.

Word to Life

Sunday Scripture Readings: Aug. 25, 2002 August 25, Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle A. Readings.

1) Isaiah 22:19-23 Psalm 138:1-3, 6-8 2) Romans 11:33-36 3) Gospel: Matthew 16:13-20

By JEFF HENSLEY Catholic News Service “You’re sure there’s light at the end of the tunnel and not a train,” I said, with perhaps a bit too much cheerfulness, to the archbishop of Santa Fe, Michael Sheehan. We were standing near the press credentials table at the June bishops’ meeting in Dallas. I was referring to a speech he’d made not too long before about his own experience bringing integrity to the church’s handling of multiple sexual scandals in Santa Fe. His leadership after being named archbishop there had been exemplary, and the painful work of restoring the focus of the local church had been long and difficult — but ultimately cleansing, ushering in a new time of evangelism and Christ-centeredness for the Catholics of northern New Mexico.

The director of vocations for his archdiocese projected five years ago that he expected to have more than 35 men in the seminary studying for the priesthood by 2002. Though he said his prediction was met with laughter, his expectations were more than met. The

actual number of seminarians after five years was 50.

After I’d reintroduced myself to Archbishop Sheehan, the former bishop of Lubbock, Texas, where I had met him some years back, he smiled and said, yes, that was correct. It was light out there at the end of the tunnel.

In this Sunday’s Gospel Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They give various replies, then Jesus asks, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter replies, “the Son of the living God!” Jesus tells Peter that the Father himself has revealed this truth to him.

“I for my part declare to you, you are ‘Rock,’ and on this rock I will build my church, and the jaws of death shall not prevail against it.” And we know that not too long after that, the speaker of these words and the author of life itself was crucified, only to rise again after three days.

There is always life after death, always light after darkness, always a way made for the reviving of spirits for the righteous who have humbled themselves and sought the Lord’s grace and forgiveness and power.

QUESTIONS: When have you seen God revive your hope or the hope of others after a difficult time?

SCRIPTURE TO ILLUSTRATE:

Weekly Scripture Scripture for the week of August 25 - August 31 Sunday (Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time), Isaiah 22:19-23, Romans 11:33-36, Matthew 16:13-20; Monday, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12, Matthew 23:13-22; Tuesday (St. Monica), 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, 14-17, Matthew 23:2326; Wednesday (St. Augustine), 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10, 16-18, Matthew 23:2732; Thursday (The Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist), 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, Mark 6:17-29; Friday, 1 Corinthians 1:17-25, Matthew 25:1-13; Saturday, 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Matthew 25:14-30 Scripture for the week of September 1 - September 7 Sunday (Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time), Jeremiah 20:7-9, Romans 12:1-2, Matthew 16:21-27; Monday, 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, Luke 4:16-30; Tuesday (St. Gregory the Great), 1 Corinthians 2:10-16, Luke 4:31-37; Wednesday, 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, Luke 4:38-44; Thursday, 1 Corinthians 3:18-23, Luke 5:1-11; Friday, 1 Corinthians 4:1-5, Luke 5:33-39; Saturday, 1 Corinthians 4:6-15, Luke 6:1-5

August 23, 2002

Video Reviews NEW YORK (CNS) — The following are home videocassette reviews from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Office for Film and Broadcasting. Theatrical movies on video have a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops classification and Motion Picture Association of America rating. All reviews indicate the appropriate age group for the video audience.

“The Business of Strangers” (2001) Disturbing drama in which an ambitious older executive (Stockard Channing) and her disaffected young assistant (Julia Stiles) become locked in a power struggle while stuck for the night at an airport hotel and end up taking out their pent-up anger on an unsuspecting businessman (Frederick Weller). Despite commanding performances by the leads and an often absorbing plot, writer-director Patrick Stettner’s dangerous psychological game turns into the brutal abuse of an innocent man initially for revenge, then just for kicks. Savage scene of abuse, a few sexual situations, lesbian undertones, recurring rough language and brief profanity. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. (MGM) “Change of Habit” (1969) Three coy nuns don civilian clothes to work in a Spanish Harlem ghetto clinic run by Dr. Elvis Presley, who, unaware of the convent’s experimental program, naturally falls in love with one of them (Mary Tyler Moore). William Graham directs with plenty of sentimentality, cliches and stereotypes of the 1940s that some modern nuns may not appreciate. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G — general audiences. (Universal) “Collateral Damage” (2002) Over-the-top action movie in which an L.A. firefighter (Arnold Schwarzenegger) whose wife and son were killed by a terrorist bomb single-handedly takes on

Entertainment the terrorists in the Colombian jungles before rushing back to Washington to prevent a further terrorist attack. As directed by Andrew Davis, characterization and a credible plot are all-but-abandoned in depicting an indestructible hero whose pursuit of personal vengeance is tempered by the need to destroy murderous terrorists. Frequent violence, ethnic stereotyping, some profanity and a few instances of rough language. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops classification is A-IV — adults with reservations. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. (Warner Home Video) “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings” (2001) Visually splendid adventure tale set in the mythical realm of Middle-earth where a humble Hobbit (Elijah Wood), assisted by eight faithful companions (including Ian McKellen), embarks on a perilous quest to destroy a ring which possess the ultimate source of dark power. Based on the first book of J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy, director Peter Jackson’s fantasy is true to the epic struggle of good versus evil and uses magnificent effects and location shots. Yet its myriad characters prove daunting and the narrative grows repetitive. Many scenes of battle violence with several frightening images. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops classification is A-III — adults.

The Motion Pictures Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

(New Line) “The Time Machine” (2002) Poor adaptation of H.G. Wells’ classic sci-fi novel in which an 1890s scientist-inventor (Guy Pearce) creates a time machine and hurtles 800,000 years into future where the human race is divided into the above-ground Eloi who are hunted by the subterranean and monstrous Morlocks (led

by Jeremy Irons). Intermittent sci-fi violence with a few grisly images and scantily clad women. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops classifica-

The Catholic News & Herald 15

CNS photo from Fox Searchlight

Scene from movie ‘The Good Girl’ Zooey Deschanel and Jennifer Aniston star in a scene from the film “The Good Girl.” The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops classification is A-IV — adults, with reservations. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. tion is A-II — adults and adolescents.

The Motion Pictures Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (DreamWorks)

1 6 The Catholic News & Herald

August 23, 2002

Editorials & Columns

The Pope Speaks

POPE JOHN PAUL II

Pope tells pilgrims he was touched by Poles’ display of affection CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) —

Smiling and basking in the afterglow of his trip to Poland, Pope John Paul II told pilgrims he was moved by the affection and intense participation of the huge crowds that turned out in his homeland.

The display of affection continued at his summer villa outside Rome Aug. 21, where several hundred people cheered, chanted, prayed and serenaded the pope during a general audience.

The pontiff tapped his hand and hummed along with their music, and at one point seemed to encourage a cheering contest when he remarked, “Let’s see who’s stronger, the Mexicans or the Italians.” He later gave the edge to the Italians.

He looked relaxed and happy as he delivered his talk in the courtyard of the villa in Castel Gandolfo, reviewing the highlights of his Aug. 16-19 visit to his home Archdiocese of Krakow. He said he felt he was able to “embrace all of Poland” during his stay.

The pope said the main purpose of his trip was to promote the Divine Mercy devotion inspired by a Polish nun, St. Faustina Kowalska, who died in 1938. He recalled that one of her favorite prayers was expressed in the words, “Jesus, I trust in you.”

“How many times as a worker and student, and later as a priest and bishop, in difficult times in Polish history, have I repeated this profound and simple invocation, confirming its effectiveness and power,” he said.

He said the mercy of God was something beautiful that can bring people closer to the faith.

That’s why, during his visit, he dedicated his country, the church and all of humanity to Divine Mercy, he said.

At the end of his talk, the pope offered a prayer that Mary would help bring unity to the church, to families, to nations and to the world.

The pope was scheduled to spend the rest of August and September at Castel Gandolfo, holding weekly audiences, Sunday blessings and encounters with dignitaries and bishops.

Your choices When a new school year begins, most kids experience a strange mix of feelings: They feel a sense of freedom, and they feel trapped.

Freedom because, of course, it’s a new year with new classes, teachers, responsibilities, maybe even a new school.

Trapped because hardly any of that stuff mentioned above has been chosen by you, the actual person who will take the actual classes and read the actual books. It’s what’s been chosen for you, either by your parents or school administrators or through a sneaky conspiracy involving both.

Aren’t you tempted to think you’d be so much happier if you just had more freedom to figure out what to do with your own life?

Maybe, but we’re not into fantasy here, we’re into reality. The reality right here and right now is that there are aspects of your life that are structured by other people. Fighting that fact only brings frustration. The better question: What freedom do you have within the constraints of that structure? What choices are you going to make?

Let’s think about some of those choices.

Sure, you’re going to sit through required classes.

But how miserable that experience will be is partly up to you. Are you going to be open to the material being taught or closed to it? Guaranteed, the more closed you are, the unhappier you’ll be.

What’s going on after school? OK, maybe some of those hours are dictated by necessity. Maybe you have to have a job to help the family out or pay tuition. Maybe you have to spend time at home doing chores or helping with your siblings. But apart from that, it’s really up to you, isn’t it?

But sometimes, kids feel just as trapped by that round of action as they do by their school schedule. They might feel trapped by their parents’ expectations that they’ll be great baseball players, dancers or musicians, years after themselves losing interest. If that’s your story, if you’d really rather be doing something else, or you’re just tired,

Letters to the Editor No tolerance for intolerance How ironic that the article about Sheets Christian School (“Religious intolerance cheats Catholic student’s education,” July 26, 2002) appeared in the same edition of The Catholic New and Herald as an article about children sharing faith in vacation bible school (“Children share faith in Vacation Bible School”).

As a practicing Catholic, I have never heard a priest express intolerance for any religion. In a time when the world is being torn apart by differences, this is not the time to be expounding about the differences between us. A bumper sticker I saw on my way to work this morning says it all: “There is no tolerance for intolerance!”

For the 33 years Jesus was on this earth, he walked amongst the prostitutes, the tax collectors and the non-believers, always showing love and compassion, never intolerance! I will pray that the Good Lord shows his tolerance of Sheets Christian School Principal Dan Hightower when he takes his place in heaven!

— Salvatore L. Cancello, Charlotte Intolerance is one problem too many My problem is that I have never been emotionally involved as I am regarding the article about Ben Holmes (“Religious intolerance cheats Catholic student’s education,” July 26, 2002). This situation is not only a direct affront to Catholics; it is more importantly against all teachings of Jesus Christ.

Why is it that Baptists, and some others, con-

Coming of Age AMY WELBORN CNS Columnist get brave and talk to your folks honestly about it.

Be sure to tell them that you really, really appreciate all the ways they’ve helped — their money, their volunteer time, their encouragement — but that you think you’d like to (gulp) drop it for now. You need a break.

You’d like to try something else. It can be a hard decision, what with parental and peer pressure and all, but believe it or not, you have a choice about what to do with your free time.

You should be able to, after all. It is your time, isn’t it?

There are lots of other parts of your life where you have choices. You have choices how to treat people every minute of every day. You have choices about what to watch, read and listen to.

So no, your life is not one big prison. Parts of it might be determined by others, but — news flash — that’s not going to change when you grow up. You’ll have more freedom, but you’ll also probably have something else — called a “boss.”

So as a new school year begins, sure, keep working for that authentic freedom God created you to enjoy. Clear your life of unnecessary activities that make you feel trapped.

Bring the right attitude to your obligations, being open to the possibility that God put you in that situation for a reason. If you’re closed to that possibility, you might never figure out what that reason is.

tinue to scream that we Catholics worship idols? Do they not know that we were the first Christians, and there were no other Christians but Catholics until near the 1500s, and that these Catholics wrote the New Testament? But most of all, do they not hear and heed the most important of all Christian doctrines, that which Jesus proclaimed: “I give you a new commandment: that you shall Love one another as I have loved you.”

The members of the Baptist Church have always been divisive and have not been able to recognize that they have problems even among themselves. Yet they have they audacity to say, according to the article, that Ben Holmes would have to attend Blaise Baptist Church in order to follow their premise of home, school and church needing to complement one another. That is pure unmitigated untruth, using their own practices as example even within individual Baptist churches.

I do hope and pray that I, and others, may take some action to enlighten others who took this cruel, inhuman and unloving action against a young man in his formative years.

I wonder if Principal Hightower has pictures of his family, and albums that he shows and tells others about. Idol worship indeed! Perhaps they may even be interested in genealogy, which could be a form of worship, in my opinion.

— H. Larry Gore, DVM, CAE, Asheville Letters to the Editor The Catholic News & Herald welcomes letters from readers. We ask that letters be originals of 250 words or less.

To be considered for publication, each letter must include the address and daytime phone number of the writer for purposes of verification.

Letters may be condensed because of space limitations and edited for clarity, style and taste.

Send letters to: Editor Joann Keane, The Catholic News & Herald, P.O. Box 37262, Charlotte N.C. 28237.

August 23, 2002

Editorials & Columns

Light One Candle MSGR. JIM LISANTE Guest Columnist Building hope In some ways, last year seems like a lifetime ago. So much has happened to our New York community, our nation and the world at large. Early in 2001, in one of my Light One Candle columns, I told the story of the Buddhas of Bamiyan, two ancient monuments which towered over a valley in Afghanistan until they were demolished by the fundamentalist Taliban leaders who said that idols were forbidden by their faith.

There was a worldwide outcry from people of many countries and religions, including Islam, condemning the wanton destruction. Still, the minister of information and culture at that time was quoted as saying, “It is easier to destroy than to build.”

Who knew just how far those who lived by those words would go?

Months later, we watched as four passenger planes were turned into bombs, the Pentagon attacked and the twin towers of the World Trade Center obliterated, killing almost three thousand of our neighbors. Now as we approach the first anniversary of that horror, the Taliban is gone, a new government is trying to hold Afghanistan together and there is news about the Buddhas — and the people — of Bamiyan.

For more than a decade, several hundred people have been living in man-made caves that surround the remains of the giant Buddhas. They leave only when The Mary Magdalene of the Gospels Q. During Mass on the feast of Mary Magdalene (July 22), the priest told us that the Mary Magdalene who went to the tomb and found it empty (John 20) was not the same Mary who was a repentant sinner (Luke 7).

I was always taught it was the same person and that Mary Magdalene is the patroness of penitent sinners. Is there more than one Mary Magdalene in the Gospels?

(Illinois) A. No, there is only one Mary Magdalene in the Gospels, but your priest was correct.

The Gospels mention Mary Magdalene by name several times. She is also referred to as Mary of Magdala, a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee between Tiberias and Capernaum.

We are told (Mark 16:9) that Jesus expelled seven demons from her. She was one of the women ministering to the needs of Jesus (Luke 8:2), and she witnessed his crucifixion (John 19:25) and burial (Matthew 27:61).

Finally, on the Sunday of the resurrection, she was a witness to the empty tomb, and the risen Jesus appeared to her alone (John 20:1-18).

Sometimes Mary Magdalene is identified with the penitent sinner you mention, who anoints the feet of Jesus and bathes his feet. That woman is not named, however.

It’s true there is a long tradition in Christian writing and art that portrays the repenting sinner as Mary Magdalene, perhaps because Mary was the one from whom Jesus expelled the demons. But there’s no reason in the Gospels for making that connection, and it is generally considered unfounded.

The other woman with whom Magdalene is sometimes confused is Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha of Bethany. It is she who is said to have “the better part” in her relation with Jesus (Luke 10), and she is much involved in the story of the raising of her brother from the dead (John 11).

In spite of traditions otherwise, and the paintings and sculptures through the years depicting the

fighting comes too close. After the Taliban was overthrown, the people felt safe enough to return to the caves.

Driven by poverty, homelessness and desperation, families eke out a living, farming tiny plots of land or working at the bazaar in the nearest town. The caves are literally holes in the walls, carved out of the sandstone cliffs by the Buddhists who built the statues. The tiny “rooms” were originally intended for meditation, but today, they have become homes. There is no clean, running water, yet when it rains no one can leave the caves because of the danger from torrents washing down the cliffs. There is no electricity, so the only light comes through cracks in the door or oil-burning lamps. Land mines left from years of war create constant danger with every step. Fortunately, several aid groups from different countries are distributing food, locating a source of clean water and providing some jobs repairing roads.

Now there is another sign of hope.

Recently, at the request of President Hamid Karzai, members of the Afghan ministry of culture and Unesco, the United Nations’ cultural agency, met to decide on priorities for rebuilding the country’s ravished heritage.

In addition to restoring several museums, the cliffs at the Bamiyan site will be stabilized and the 600 niches once decorated with Buddhist wall paintings will be protected.

In time, they plan to rebuild the great Buddhas.

Locals are hopeful that the renewed interest in the area will mean the possibility of more jobs, as well as desperately needed clinics and schools. They realize from bitter experience that there will be no quick fixes.

I truly believe that the grief and suffering so many experienced on Sept. 11 has made us all better neighbors, not just to the folks next door, but to those who, like Jesus at his birth, are sheltered by the rock walls of a cave half a world away from us. What they want — and need — is a helping hand and a chance to build, to create and to light their own candles of hope rather than curse the darkness imposed on them by those who would rather destroy.

Question Corner FATHER JOHN DIETZEN CNS Columnist

“Repentant Mary Magdalene,” from all the evidence we have these Marys were three different people.

Mary Magdalene herself is without doubt one of the most distinguished women involved with the earthly life of our Lord. Next to the mother of Jesus, she has the primary role of all women in the Gospels.

She figures prominently in five of the six stories of the resurrection, all except John 21:1-23. In John (and, along with some other women, in Matthew and Mark) she is the first witness to the rising of Jesus from the dead.

She is honored as a saint, not only by the Catholic and Orthodox churches, but also by the Church of England, the Episcopal Church in the United States and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

How this woman became misconstrued as the public sinner of Luke 7 is a matter of some fascinating conjecture.

A free brochure answering questions Catholics ask about receiving the holy Eucharist is available by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Father John Dietzen, Box 325, Peoria, IL 61651.

The Catholic News & Herald 17

Family Reflections ANDREW & TERRI LYKE Guest Columnists

Black sheep can have silver linings What do we do with family history that is ignoble? How should we report the life and times of an ancestor who lived dishonorably? Black sheep stories get buried and die because of shame, painful memories and sometimes because we just don’t know what to do with them. Very often we put a good spin on these family stories so that the beneficiaries derive a healthy family-esteem. However, accentuating the positive so much that we deny the negative can disinherit us from rich life-lessons from the sins of ancestors.

When we forget such history we are in danger of repeating it. Stories of ancestors’ ill-gotten gain offer incentives to heirs to re-appropriate that gain justly. Stories of incest, cowardice and disloyalty, for example, offer incentives to raise ourselves and do better, and to seek reconciliation.

When such stories are buried, not only do descendants lose the life-lessons that can be learned, they miss opportunities to witness God’s action in their lives. For to embrace the contemptible characters of our ancestry requires that we humble ourselves.

Andrew’s paternal grandfather (Papa) abandoned his wife, fathered children with other women and was a pathological liar. He was also arrogant and not very nice to children. There is a tendency with some in the family to ignore those character flaws. Some family members only report aspects of his life that the family can be proud of.

Some family members never speak of him.

However, our efforts to embrace Papa posthumously in total has helped us to better understand and appreciate Andrew’s father, his aunts and uncles, and his grandmother. Papa’s story clarifies our family life. It has helped to strengthen our sense of loyalty to marriage and family. It has us cherishing the truth; and it awakens us to our own sinfulness. But, most of all, it keeps us humble and pushes us toward a life of reconciliation — a life dependent on God. Our challenge is to forgive each other, including those who have died and those ancestors we have never met, for they are a part of us. Our struggle to love them is the same struggle to love those who are with us.

In their book Your Mythic Journey, Sam Keen and Anne Valley-Fox say this about listening to the all the voices of our ancestors: “Hearing the multiple voices within yourself will remind you that you belong to a special clan. Your people still inhabit you. They will help you to celebrate your myths, sing your songs, and tell your legends.”

Questions for reflection: — What stories from your family history have been buried?

— Who are the characters?

— Who do you need to forgive?

— What life-lessons can be learned from those stories?

1 8 The Catholic News & Herald

August 23, 2002

Around the Diocese

MYSTAGOGIA, from page1 courage new Catholics to come back to the Mystagogia sessions. But it is important to ground the neophytes into participating in more than just Mass. They need to find themselves in ministerial work. Mystagogy helps them find that connection.”

The local coordinator for the Brown Summit seminar was Linda Licata, a team member for the NAFC and a member of the Diocesan RCIA Commission.

The NAFC team assembled for this event were Father Rick Conway, pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine Church in Andover, Mass.; Kathy Kuczka, liturgy and music director at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Alpharetta, Ga.; and Margie Sullivan, pastoral associate for Holy Family Church in Virginia Beach, Va. Sullivan reiterated that Mystagogia was the weakest aspect of the entire RCIA process but that it should be a period of time for the neophytes to meditate on the Bible, celebrate the Eucharist and put Christian charity into practice. While the sessions should continue after the neophyte’s baptism from one to three months, Sullivan stressed that Mystagogia is a life-long process.

Father Conway agreed. “Mystagogia is a period wherein the neophytes deepen their grasp of the Pascal Mystery. Even though the instruction should last from Easter Vigil to Pentecost, learning the faith takes a lifetime.

In fact, meditation, the Eucharist and works of charity must be ongoing from the ‘Inquiry’ process through to death.”

Likening the process of Mystagogia to her own marriage adventure,

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North American Forum on the Catechumenate team member Margie Sullivan does a visual walkthrough of the seven steps of the RCIA program with participants Thomas Sims of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte and Ruth McNicholas of Holy Trinity Church in Knoxville, Tenn., during a seminar emphasizing Mystagogia in Brown Summit Aug. 8-10.

Kuczka told of the constant need for communication, talking and questioning for the neophytes. “It is a process of constant reality checks,” she said.

In response to this, Dick Bennett co-director of the RCIA program at Sacred Heart Church in Brevard, said, “I am an example of what Kathy (Kuczka) was talking about. I came into the church in 1989 as a candidate from the Methodist church. The RCIA program became a natural ministry for my wife and I and we have been doing it now for four years. I am here to better understand the mystery of Mystagogia and to learn how to make neophytes better participants in the ministries of the church.”

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Despite mishaps, Uzbek youths recall highlights of WYD celebration TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (CNS) — Their passports were confiscated and they almost failed to find accommodations after arriving in the wrong city. But for two spirited, young Uzbek women on their way to the July 23-28 World Youth Day in Canada, these inconveniences were more than made up for by the warmth and kindness of local Catholics and fellow pilgrims, reported UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand. “The Vatican Embassy obtained visas for us from the Canadian Embassy in Moscow. But upon the request of the Canadian authorities, our passports and those of other Asian pilgrims were kept by the authorities during our flight to Canada,” said Kamilla Usmanova, a 23-year-old church organist.

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ship into a discipleship wherein the neophytes walk hand in hand with their sponsors, learning what it means to be a Catholic Christian by sharing life with those who are already struggling through their own discipleship,” said Father Conway. “The entire community must be involved. At the same time each of these neophytes should become an icon (as one more presence of God) for the community.”

Another participant in the seminar, Evelyn Strickland of St. Mary Church in Goldsboro commented, “We do have programs, but we can’t be riveted to that program. There is a need for flexibility here. Each of us needs to let go and let God help them grow in their own way.”

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August 23, 2002

The Catholic News & Herald 19

2 0 The Catholic News & Herald

Living the Faith

Charity sister heals soul, body, mind through I stayed. It is an evolution process as you

By ALESHA M. PRICE move through life.”

Staff Writer Hoban entered the Sisters of Charity ROSMAN — Charity Sister Carol convent in Convent Station, N.J., in 1959, a Hoban says she had a childhood like most few months after graduation. She attended others growing up in a small town. Her nursing school at St. Raphael Hospital in religious life was not out of the ordinary, but New Haven, Ct. until 1972. During that she entered the convent because she wanted time, she professed her final vows in 1966. to serve God by serving those in need.

Her work in the medical field led her She lived next door to her family’s store to West Virginia with the Southern West in Saddle Brook, N.J., where she helped Virginia Regional Health Council, which her father by serving customers, slicing served nine counties with mobile units and cold cuts, running deliveries and stacking clinics. However, her shelves. Her mother, a path diverged, and she homemaker, made all of was led down unfamiliar the salads for the store’s and unplanned territory. deli. The store served She was elected to as a central point in the province council as the town because of its a counselor for six years accessibility, and Hoand was subsequently ban grew as the town named as the provincial expanded and matured. for the next six years.

Sister Carol said The province spans that her faith life was six states, Washington not “unusual.” CatholiD.C., and the Virgin cism corralled all asIslands, and Sister Carol pects of her existence, worked with her order’s and what she learned in day-to-day operations. school was reinforced The counselor positions at home. “School influassist the provincial — enced faith life, and the or head of the council church also influenced Charity Sister Carol Hoban — with administration, it. All of my friends personnel and other arwere Catholic, and we eas for the women religious doing ministry all went to the same school; we were doing in a particular area of the country. the same things,” said Sister Carol, who atSister Carol was excited about her new tended Catholic elementary school staffed ministry but kept her first love of nursing by the Sisters of Charity. close to her heart by working one day a Becoming a woman religious entered week in New York City in a cancer prevenher mind during her senior year in high tion clinic. “I didn’t feel like I could drop out school. She was interested in nursing beof work and drop back in,” she explained. “I cause she wanted work in a profession that kept up with professional reading for my helped people. So logically, she entered a own benefit.” She also earned her master’s community with nursing as one of its foin nursing in the 1970s. cuses. The Charity Sisters were her choice In 1986, she came to North Carolina because she had exposure to them in church to Rosman for a short period to see if the and in school. mountains and the Jersey girl would be “Thirty-five to 40 years ago, there a good fit. She began working at Frances weren’t that many options for women, at Warde Health Service and found that workleast not in a small town in New Jersey. ing with people who desperately needed I probably would have gone to nursing medical care but were lacking in funds was school or college, but I heard my calling what she wanted to do. late in my senior year,” she said. “I felt “I wasn’t sure I would be able to do this it was what I was supposed to be doing; kind of work after doing community adminit felt right. My calling evolved; I don’t istration, but I wanted to come to a place think the reason I joined was the reason

that was just starting and the philosophy was we would help people without the advantage of insurance and medical benefits,” said Sister Carol. “I found that I had to do what I had been asking other people to do.”

Additional classes at the Mountain Area Health Education Center, where she earned a family nurse practitioner certificate, have aided in her work with patients suffering from hypertension, respiratory infections, diabetes, arthritis and other diseases and ailments. On the average, she may see 10 to 15 people a day, but she is able to spend time with patients and become acquainted with them on many levels. The link between people’s

August 23, 2002

spiritual, mental and physical lives is very present to Sister Carol, and she believes that healing must take place in all areas of a person’s life.

“I think people heal themselves, or God heals them — whatever one’s belief is. There is more research now that advocates the position that many illnesses are stress-related (because) the spirit isn’t peaceful,” she said. “Being a woman religious, I see the connection first hand between mind, body and spirit, and I have the opportunity to be with people and help in the healing process.”

Photo by Joann S. Keane

Sister of Mercy celebrates golden jubilee Bishop William G. Curlin stands with Mercy Sister Mary Timothy Warren, who was honored for 50 years of service as a woman religious on Aug. 16 at the Diocese of Charlotte Pastoral Center. Sister Timothy serves as vicar for Women Religious in the Diocese of Charlotte.