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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