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Volume 6 Number 13 • November
Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte
DRE
Asheville
Love,
Looks For
Students
Spirit In
By PAUL FREDETTE
own lives," she said. Poli graduated from
their
Correspondent
ASHEVILLE
—
Mary Ann
cradle of
The Catholic
Poli's formative
years was the ethnically Slovakian parish of Sts. Cyril ren, Ohio.
and Methodius
in
War-
When she moved to Asheville in
1988,
Poli
brought with her an experience of
ate this
—
down,
schools, in
the public government regu-
lations.
She
many
came
to
Asheville Catholic in 1988,
with a wealth of teaching ex-
ementary school where she had taught for 12
ciation for the educational
tone that administrators can set in a school.
Her background
stressed
the notion that faith perme-
to consolida-
ated the culture, but she be-
parish schools in
gan to observe a steadily increasing tendency by teachers and administrators
recent years. Despite the heartaches sur-
rounding enough in
like
perience and critical appre-
succumbed
the fate of
same kind of commubogged
by
school with less than 200 stu-
dents finally
that
nity without getting
years. In 1987
tion
Maria convinced
Villa
Catholic schools could cre-
the parochial el-
faith nurtured
this small
—
closing, Poli believed the value of Catholic education to continue her profession as a teacher at Ashevilie Catholic Schooi.
recognized this
Although she found graduate work at the Franciscan University of Stuebenville, Ohio, (where she obtained
asked to become a religion teacher. I found myself teaching all the religion
her
its
MA in theology) a satisfying expe-
rience, Poli credits her undergraduate
years at Villa Maria College (now Gannon University) in Erie, Pa., with providing her the environment of faith and freedom she needed to make life choices. "The Sisters of St. Joseph were very caring and fostered a close family-
community among the 500 women on campus at the time," she said. style
who
alike
—
to separate Catholi-
cism from culture.
"I first
when
was
I
was
classes," she said. "It
Photo by Joann Keane
Good Samaritans.
considered a specific subject like art or geography, not something that pervaded the life of the school as at Sts.
I
—
Cardinal Asked That
had experienced
She taught
at
Asheville Catholic for
first as a
teacher's aid, then
She evenheaded the religion department
Sisters
before deciding to leave in 1995.
By then
the night Cardinal Bernardin died that the Little Sisters of the
Maria College was
the realization of a long-held dream. "I
in a different direction," she said. "I've
said Sister Marcel
was never
come
has contended since
infancy with disabilities resulting from polio, attending Villa
able to attend our parochial
school because
it
was not accessible
to
people with physical disabilities," she said. "My parents arranged for me to attend schools that were all on one level." Poli looks back with admiration at the influence of the Sisters of St. Joseph upon the students. "Their presence was
Poli's outlook
to believe strongly that
some
Catholic schools are having an identity crisis.
They
whether to be repromote faith or pri-
aren't sure
ligious schools that
the
young women
inside
to live
See
Living,
page 2
bread on the table, pay the
Sis-
now
92, has lived
Pope Speaks
4
The Little Sisters of the Poor are a mendicant order founded in 1839 in France by Jeanne Jugan, who was beati-
Columns
5
fied in 1981
year and a time of
"Blessed Jeanne instructed
tenderness, love and the
com-
passion of Christ to the aged poor," Sis-
Entertainment
McCanless said. Today about 3,500 members carry on that ministry on five continents in 200 ter
News
Briefs
10-11
spiritual preparation
for Christmas.
show
.
residences, serving nearly 23,000 elderly
Parish Profile
12
men and women.
cial
bills,
keep
the lights on."
said.
Mrs. Bernardin,
us to
jRj
— he was so generous,"
McCanless
back more than 120 years.
liturgical
Sister Beatrice Scully in Palatine,
where the
cakes
his gifts with us.
order's ministry in the Chicago area goes
Room at the Inn
was here. The door was always open when he was visiting with his mother. He was part of our family."
frequently sent over flowers, cook-
"He always shared
ter
"The cardinal came here every day before his illness," Sister McCanless said. "He was 'Father Joseph' when he
sisters also have their provinhouse, said the congregation has made no immediate decision on how gifts in the cardinal's name will be used, but the donations will probably help "put
1982, when Cardinal Bernardin was named archbishop of Chicago. But the
the first
marks the beginning
new
are filled with deep gratitude,"
with the Little Sisters of the Poor since
Sunday of Advent,
of a
name
cardinal's mother, Maria, lives.
ies,
For the past year and a half, Poli has been settling into her new position as
Poor learned he
gifts in his
McCanless, assistant administrator of the order's Helen Kellogg Center in Chicago, where the
to public education."
Happy New Year! 1,
"We
He
Special 4-page supplement:
Dec.
wanted any memorial
vate schools that provide an alternative
significant but surprisingly unintrusive.
They allowed
Little
Of Poor Get Memorials
CHICAGO (CNS) — It wasn't until
as a full-time religion teacher.
given to them.
Poli,
1 1
Cyril and Methodius."
seven years, tually
Gee and Savannah Thompson — both
and members of St. Vincent de Paul in Charlotte look over the contents of shoe boxes destined to reach needy children worldwide via Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritans Purse, a ministry established by Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Dr. Billy Graham. Last year, over 81 2,000 children in 15 countries received shoe boxes filled with toys, school supplies and other small gifts. The faith formation office of St. Vincent de Paul distributed 200 boxes parishwide, and will deliver the filled packages to Operation Christmas Child. Matt
on religious education had changed. "Although I made very good friends there, I realized I was growing
For
29, 1996
"As a mendicant order, we go out and beg for food and donations," she said. Every day members of the order go out to South Water Market in Chicago to collect donations of produce. Other food is brought to their door by donors. Sister Scully said that since
the
needy
it
serves
elderly, the congregation al-
ways faces administrative costs. "Since Medicare and Social Security for our residents only cover about 54 percent of our expenses, we depend upon God's goodness for the rest," she said. Memorial gifts in Cardinal Bernardin 's name can be sent to: Little Sisters of the Poor, 2325 N. Lakewood Ave., Chicago, IL 60614