Oct 6, 1995

Page 1

IIIH 13dVHD ONH 0£6£ 80 AbVbSIl NOS1IM

>£-669iZ

3M

NOI1331103 3N

Catholic

News & Herald Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina

Diocese of Charlotte

in the

Volume 5 Number 3

«

October

1995

6,

Campaign for Human Development Bears Fruits Of Justice By Hope cause

is

a valuable

MARY COYNE WESSLING

commodity be-

does not discriminate, it is a great motivator, and it inspires dreams. Hope, for those who understand it, is a powerful building tool. So it comes as it

no surprise

hope is the greatest contribution made by the Campaign for Human Development. Celebrating 25 years, CHD has given hope to more than 3,000 selfhelp, grassroots groups of poor persons. Seed money to fund these programs has amounted to $238 million. Nationally, some 200 groups receive CHD funds annually. Dozens more receive local grants from diocesan CHD collections. While the Campaign for Human Development may have appeared to be a fresh and welcome idea in 1969, its purpose and philosophy is based on a mandate first dictated by Jesus more than 2,000 that

years ago.

The aim of CHD was made clear by

who created it: "fund such projects as voter registration, community organizations, seed money to develop non-profit housing corporathe U.S. bishops

community-run schools, minority-owned cooperatives and credit tions,

The Reverend Charles Adams of St. Timothy Episcopal Church in Kingsport, Tenn. enjoys a quiet moment with his wife Nancy at the Tenth Annual National Symposium on Ministry With the Aging. The event, held last week, was partially sponsored by the Diocese of Charlotte. Photo by ELIZABETH MAYBACH

Aging Symposium Draws From All Over The Country

,

By ELIZABETH

MAYBACH

(CRISM) program in the diocese said, "The symposium is wonderful. Not only

Staff Writer

HENDERSONVILLE The Tenth Annual Symposium on Ministry With the Aging was a renaissance for many of

does

it

give us

information,

all

it is

an opportunity to gain also an excellent way

to share with others.

unions, capital for industrial develop-

ment and job training programs, and set up of rural cooperatives." Throughout its 25-year history, CHD has supported and encouraged people to dream of a better life rooted in justice and compassion. At a recent celebration at: Holy Family parish in Clemmons, we asked some people to reflect on the Campaign for Human Development, its philosophy, and its role in bringing the Gospel mandate to action.

Ron White, education coordinator Campaign for Human Development, called it "A program for for the National

the debate

was resolved when it was knew CHD was a good Gospel mandated and the

agreed that they thing.

It is

Gospel

So

is

radical."

in the course of

addition to funding groups,

25 years, in CHD people

on diocesan and national levels get the word out about its work. Here in the Diocese of Charlotte, several people have played a part in organizing the

work of CHD. Among them is Jan Valder Offerman, former director of the diocesan CHD office. She said it is not only Catholics

who are being educated about

CHD. "I remember being at a CHD workshop in Asheville and a woman from one of the funded groups said she sees how Catholics are people who really do what they believe in," said Valder Offerman. She added that, to funded groups, CHD is an advocate that helps them renew themselves and their communi-

In practical terms,

ties.

ing in grant writing, resources, and

how

CHD offers train-

how to access other to maintain

an

ef-

fective organization. In terms of justice,

CHD gives people fighting oppression community decision-making. White said he sees hope shine in the eyes of people "who once thought of themselves as losers." With the help of a voice in

CHD,

these people "are

now

co-part-

ners in getting something done," he said.

Hope

is

not limited to the poor,

however. CHD has inspired much hope in the people who provide the support to funded groups. "I experience the em-

powerment of people every time

I

get

involved in a project," said White. "I see a renewed sense of human dignity

and a demand for equal respect from

The interdenominational symposium, which was held Sept. 26-29 at

I'm reminded of Exodus 3 When Moses saw a burning bush and walked up to it. God spoke to him from the bush and told him to take off his shoes because he was on holy ground. My experience with working with the elderly in this diocese has been just like that. I feel like I'm on holy ground. I feel blessed because the best part of our journey is the end, and that's the part I've been able to share."

economic solutions has not filtered down to them. So we continually emphasize our education programs. We want Catholics to know what their support

Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, was the result of support from a number of grofjps, including the Catho-

"Your young shall see visions and your old shall dream dreams," the symposium consisted of several ple-

goes for." There was a time, admitted White, when CHD organizers debated whether

Fraser, along with the diocesan ofof Justice and Peace Ministry, plans to spend the next year encouraging parishes to educate themselves about

lic

Diocese of Charlotte. Suzanne Bach, director of the Catho-

nary sessions, conference intensives and

to explain

mission. "They wondered

and other social justice programs. The

lic

Retirees Invited to Special Ministry

the participants.

"Renaissance means rebirth, renewal, revival and resurrection," said Ivy Hill Health and Retirement administrator Juliana Cooper-Goldenberg. "I think that

things

is

a perfect description of the

we want

to

accomplish here

to-

day."

Entitled

concurrent sessions, which each ad-

See Aging page 13

authority."

these times, designed to give people the ability to

own

claim the power to shape their

does not know the details of CHD," said White, "The story of creative, social-

if

CHD because

it

work

gets to the root causes

CHD

lives."

"The average Catholic probably

its

"Catholics can appreciate the

of

people would think

liberal, too radical or

CHD

of poverty." said Joanne Fraser, coordinator for the Diocese of Charlotte. She said that no matter whereji Catholic stands politically, ht or she can support the mission because of its commitment to help people help

CHD

themselves. fice

CHD

was too

too left-wing. But

See

CHD,

next page


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.