July 26, 1996

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& Herald

Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

Bringing The Love

Volume 5 Number 42 • July

26, 1996

Of Jesus

Takes Parishioners To Poverty-stricken Side Of Jamaica

Ministry By

MIKE KROKOS Editor

KINGSTON, JAMAICA

"It

— Chris Glass has

nessed both ends of the spectrum

this

wit-

summer.

In June, the rising senior at Charlotte Catholic at St. Ann Church spent 10 days with classmates in Spain touring "the glories of western civilization and the post-Renaissance period." A few weeks later he found himself overseas again, this time in the slums of Jamaica, offering a helping hand to the less fortunate of what many consider a jewel of the West Indies. "My dad (Dr. Larry Glass) had made a mission trip here last fall, and I wanted to see what it was really like in a third world country," he said. "I needed to experience that myself." For six days earlier this month, Glass and 24 others ministered to people in Kingston. From building and repairing homes to teaching children and providing medical needs, the group which included parishioners from St. Ann and St. Eugene parish in Asheville focused on a culture in need. They also spent time getting to know the people whose faces would become embedded in their memories. In the process, the teenager learned a lot about life in poverty-stricken parts of Kingston. "You see a lot of sick people down here, and I wanted to see if I could help ease their pain," Glass said. Despite the stories his father shared from his journey last October, the 16-year-old wasn't prepared for all aspects of Jamaican life. "I was ready for the shacks, but I wasn't ready for the human suffering," Glass said. The pilgrimage to Jamaica was the second in nine months led by Monsignor Richard Allen, pastor of St. Ann Church. Father Richard Ho Lung, the Jamaican priest who founded the order called the Missionaries of the Poor, had visited St. Ann parish and invited Msgr. Allen and parishioners to come to Jamaica and "share the spiritual life of the brothers." Another driving force behind the mission trip was St. Ann parishioner Janine Boudreau, who had done similar work in an Atlanta parish before moving to

High School and parishioner

Charlotte

1

She had found the experienriching that she wanted Msgr.

1/2 years ago.

ence so spiritually Allen and their church family to share in it. This month's trip was different from last fall's journey in several ways: the group that accompanied Mgsr. Allen was much larger (only 1 3 people went last fall); they spent more time (six days versus four) in Kingston; and several teachers led by Sister of Saint Joseph Helene Nagle, principal at St. Ann School, made the trip to educate children at the residences operated

by the brothers of the order. Teachers spent time at the Faith Center, a residence for 70 homeless persons; Good Shepherd, which houses 60 street people and abandoned children; and the Lord's Place, where 30 mentally and/or physically handicapped children who've been abandoned live. The Brothers also operate a fourth shelter, Jacob's Well, which houses 80 homeless adults and retarded children. Natalie Bassham was among the educators who spent an intense four days with children at the Lord's Place.

From counting

to 10, reciting the

was easy to jump in (to a rouBassham, a teacher at Holy

tine)," said

ABC's and

Middle School. "There's so much even if it's just talking or hugging the children." The teachers and other volunteers from the diocese were overwhelmed by the children's plight and the great paradox of Jamaica: brutal poverty on this island paraTrinity

that needs to be done,

dise. Judith Akins, a teacher at St.

Ann

School, was skeptical about making the

She admits she thought sending

trip.

money was

the best way to help the troubled people at first; However, that quickly changed after arriving. "They need

someone to lift them up and help them, and money won't do that," she said. "They need hands down here." In the process, Akins said the warmth and genuineness of the people changed her perspective. "I came on the trip because I thought I could give something to these people and I could feel good about something, but I ended up getting se-rauch more from them in return," she said. The "school days" in Jamaica extended way beyond the ABC's. The daily lessons were a teaching experience for Sister Helene as well. "We went down there thinking we were an educational team, and the big thing we wound up doing was helping children walk for the first time, teach-

See Jamaica, page 2

Photo by MIKE

Seminar Offers Hope Based By

BRYAN LAMBERSON Staff Writer

CHARLOTTE

KROKOS

Glass embraces a child at The Lord's Place in Kingston, Jamaica. Dr. Glass was among St. Ann parishioners who made a mission trip earlier this month with Monsignor Richard Allen. The group also included parishioners from St. Eugene in Asheville. Dr. Larry

— As she moved past the hot

God's Word

In

view of Biblical history, the parables and the Gospel of Matthew. Last year's seminar was entitled: "Stories Jesus Knew From Books Jesus Loved," which encom-

and among her audience, the stylishly-dressed woman with short blonde hair and red-framed eyeglasses had everyone's attention. The camera angles were blocked, the video checks complete, the sound levels from the two wireless microphones she wore on

passed the entire Deuteronomic history. As the topics covered have expanded over the years, so has the audience. What began with a handful of parish-level faith formation coordinators has now

her waist just right. Action!

adult ministers, catechists

lights

how you can live the life that God wants words of God here's a blueprint!" she proclaims. (And you thought it was "Sally Jessie"...) This was the scene in the parish hall of St. John Neumann Church in Charlotte on the final day of the 1996 Bible Seminar, presented July 15 - 19 by Susan "Here's

— from

the

Brady. Brady, southern regional director of faith formation for the Diocese of Charlotte, had spent five days leading a group of 70 through the 40th through 55th chapters of the book of Isaiah.

Shout the news gladly; make

it

known every-

packed houses, including youth and young and those without a formal ministry who yearn for a deeper understanding of God's word. "The way Susan presents the scriptures is a real inspiration. It's like they come alive not just dry words on a page. They're presented with a real passion and

grown

to

..

an insight that helps them to become much more personal," said Mike Hjellming, faith formation coordinator for Our Lady of the Assumption parish. St. Vincent dePaul parish Faith Formation Coordinator Joan Mahony echoed that endorsement: "This is my fifth year (attending the seminar). Susan just has a way of making Jesus so alive and real, today]"

where... Isaiah 48:20

This

is

the last five

Brady's challenge ... and her talent. For summers, the Dominican-educated Bibli-

singing nursery rhymes, the teachers were greeted with

cal scholar has carved out a portion of her schedule in

love and cheers each day as the residents showed a yearning to learn.

the Office of Faith Formation to present the Bible Seminar. In years past, the topics

have included an over-

The Sovereign Lord has taught me what to say, so that I can strengthen the weary. Every morning he makes me eager to hear what he is going to teach me.

See Brady, page

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July 26, 1996 by Catholic News Herald - Issuu