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News & Herald Volume 4 Number 41

Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

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July 21, 1995

Young People Build Community In More Ways Than One

Helping Hand...

By

MARY COYNE WESSLING

Last year when Charlotte's Mecklenburg Ministries hosted a summer community service project for youth, nary a Catholic was seen. This year the Catholic kids

came through. Fourteen

Catholic teens representing five parishes

pitched in on service projects and shared faith experiences

with 5

1

other partici-

pants.

The two-year-old program, Youth Breaking Barriers, has successfully drawn together young people from diverse faith and cultural backgrounds for commitment to hard work, good times and serious discussions. So successful was last year's program, a second session was added this year. Catholics attended both sessions. As other teens slept late their first weeks of summer, these young people rose early to the challenge of making a better world. Key to the program is community service. While some leadership programs focus exclusively on building skills, Youth Breaking Barriers (YBB) also a four-day

group. "We

became a family in the

Our Lady of Con-

Nija Carr, 16, of solation Parish, liked

YBB so much she'

made plans to go back next year. enjoyed meeting new people and learning about other religions," she said. "I learned a lot about the Jewish religion since our group stayed at the Jewish Community Center." The second session, held a week later, was housed at already "I

Bethel Presbyterian Church in Cornelius.

Donnie Burgoon, 17, of St. Luke Church said he enjoyed "meeting new and different people and helping out in the community." Among his favorite moments was the look of happiness on the face of the

group

woman

for

on her own," said Burgoon. In the evenings, after a long day of

get out

sweaty labor, the teens gathered at their meeting sites to relax, eat and discuss the day's activities and other issues. "I got a lot out of those discussions,"

of houses and cleaning out of stores. "Our group built a ramp for a kid with cerebral palsy and cleaned up a

really got to

senior thrift store," said Jim Martin, 17,

adults

St.

Matthew Church. "When we

fin-

whom

the

ramp was built) just beamed. The people at the thrift store were excited, too. They

his

much before. Now she can

didn't get out

said Janet Price, 14, of St.

ished the ramp, Corey (for

whom

wheelchair ramp. "She

built a

involved the building of ramps, painting

of

Dominican Sister Mary Samuel helps rising first grader Jared Langson with an art project as rising first grader Richard Workley looks on. Four Dominican sisters from Tennessee assisted with Vacation Bible School at St. Ann Parish in Charlotte. Photo by JOANN KEANE

in his

end," he said.

know

Matthew.

the people

"I

my

iri

group." teens also got to know some who spoke to different issues each evening. One presentation centered on stereotypes and how to overcome them. Price said she learned how easy it is to

The

stereotype others.

some

Even during

the pre-

adults unconsciously

told us without our help they wouldn't

sentation

have been able to open the store on time." Martin described both projects as tough but fulfilling. He appreciated the recipients' gratitude but more the coop-

tagged their young audience. "If you paid attention you noticed the stereotypes they made, especially when they'd

erative spirit that

grew among the teens

say

we were teenagers and we wouldn't

understand." See Teens, Page 2

Pope's Letter Expected To Impact Focus Of Conference On women, of pope's "deep WASHINGTON (CNS) — Pope and violence

exploitation.

It

also apolo-

John Paul II' s new letter to women should help set the agenda of the upcoming Beijing conference to focus "more on what matters to the great majority of women, rather than on what matters to a few," according to the U.S. bishops' pro-

gized for times

spokeswoman. Helen Alvare, director of information and planning in the bishops' Secre-

firmed her long-held view that Pope John

life

tariat for

Pro-Life Activities, said the

the

Church has

failed to recognize the contributions of

women. Rita Greenwald of Springfield,

111.,

Catholic

Paul

is

Women,

said the letter con-

"especially sensitive to the very

complex world in which women have to live today."

She said

that her organization

was

in a huge variety of roles" and would probably be welcomed by all but those who see motherhood as "nothing

pleased to see the pope emphasize many

but enslavement."

an issue raised by the group in the 1 960s,

The pope recognizes

the error of

those who "desire to reduce all questions

about

women

to whether they have ac-

of the issues that the

own

— such

NCCW has made

its

as equal pay for equal work,

and domestic violence, which the NCCW has been fighting as part of its "New Directions" program.

Greenwald said the NCCW also felt

cess to abortion," she said.

Pope John Paul said his unprecedented letter was an attempt to speak "directly to the heart and mind of every

affirmed by the pope' s use of the phrase,

woman"

bishops

before the

start

of the Fourth

"the genius of

was

the

women," which she

same idea used by

said

the U.S.

when they founded the Catholic

World Conference on Women, spon-

women' s group 75 years ago to "help the

sored by the United Nations and sched-

government address the tremendous needs that faced the world after World War I." Bishop John J. Snyder of St. Augustine, Fla., chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Women in Society and in the Church, said the papal letter ex-

uled for Sept. 4-15 in Beijing.

The

letter

praised

women's

historic

contributions as mothers, wives and social leaders

and said they needed greater

protection against persistent forms of

the initiatives of the

appreciation

presses the

women

have contributed to the world through the centuries" and could open 'a much needed and esteem for

all

that

'

president of the National Council of

papal letter released July 10 "affirms

women

when

dialogue about

'a

new feminism.'"

Pope John Paul' s apology "for whatever role members of the Church may have played in the oppression of women is an example to all of us of the kind of humility necessary if we are to grow into the full stature of Christ, mature men who can admit mistakes," he added. Bishop Snyder said the pope shares with many U.S women, Catholic or not, .

such "legitimate concerns" as "equal pay for equal work, protection for working mothers, fairness in career advancement, recognition of spouses with regard to family rights, (and) recognition of the value of motherhood." Cardinal William H. Keeler of Baltimore, president of the National Confer-

ence of Catholic Bishops, said the contents of the letter and its tone should not surprise anyone. But Pope John Paul's "position on women' s issues has so often been misunderstood that many may indeed be surprised," he said.

Women NCCB in

upholding the rights and dignity of

women." The new document summarizes "the broad range of issues on which the Church and society have worked and still can work in harmony to assure the dignity of

women and

human

of each and every

being," Cardinal Keeler added.

Sulpician Father Gerald L. Brown, president of the Conference of

Superiors of

Men, praised

letter as a "creative

Major

the pope's

and constructive

statement of support for the concerns of

women and for their cause of liberation from

all structures, situations

and

atti-

tudes of oppression."

B ut he said the letter could also serve as "a welcomed spring- board for further

reflection"

women

role of men in a com"What John Paul II does for

on the

plex society.

needs -to be done for

well," Father

Brown

men

as

said.

See React, Page 2

Pope's Text The complete

text of

Pope John

affirming, as have been other documents

Paul IPs letter to women is on Pages 8-9 of this issue of The Catholic News

of the Holy Father on the dignity of

& Herald.

The

cardinal called the letter "very


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