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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