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Serving the Church of Phoenix Volume 26, Number 15 • December 16, 2010
Catholic Ca lic Su Sun un
© 2010 The Catholic Sun • 36 pages • $1.75
Church of martyrs Chaldeans endure despite 2,000 years of persecution By Joyce Coronel The Catholic Sun
Reaching out to people living on the streets gets complicated in northern Arizona
Homeless for Christmas Michael Van Ness , who coordinates one of Catholic Charities’ homeless outreach programs in northern Arizona, searches for clients behind the Walmart in Page. Sttto Sto S ory ry a and an nd n dp ph hot otto oto o oss by J.D ..D. D.. Lo D Long ngn g--Gar g Ga Ga arrccía cííía a
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— See CHALDEANS page 17 ▶
Attention taxpayers:
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Msgr. Felix Shabi has a heartfelt plea for his fellow Catholics. The Iraqi-born priest is pastor of two burgeoning communities of Chaldeans in the Valley — communities most Arizonans aren’t aware exist. “It’s important for people to understand who we are and the persecution that our people are going through,” Msgr. Shabi Msgr. Shabi said, “because still today, the world media — including Catholic media — they don’t realize the huge massacre and the huge persecution that we are going through.” On Oct. 31, terrorists linked to al-Qaida stormed into Our Lady
PAT PA TH H pro rovviide id dees su supp ppo orrt to to ind ndiv iviid d dua uallss wit ua ith sseerriio ou u uss ment ment me ntal tal al illne llllness neesssses n es who ho are re hom omel eles les esss.. Laasst yyeeaarr, r, tth he PA PATH TH team te team am reefffer eerrre red 11885 iin nd diivviidu id du uaalls ffo ual or ps psyycch hiiat atrriic ic ca care re. “Yo “Y ou u do on n’t ’t kno now w wh ho is is meen nta tall lly ill iilll ffrrom om one ne enc ncou cou ounntteeer, rr,,” Va Van N Neess ess ss exp xpla lain ined. eed d. A lo lot of of tiim mes es, th es, tho osse w wiith th a meent m ntal ntal al illlln neess ss als lsso oh haave ve a sub ubst bst stan anccee ab bu ussee prro ob blleem m. SSiinc nce th the ar arrea eeaa is so so vas ast an and re reso source urces ur ces ar ce are scar are scaarrccee, Va sc Van Neess N ss and nd his is teeaam ccaan n’’t w waaiitt for or hom omeelles ess iin nd diiivi vviid du ual als ls to sho to how up up at a soup sso oup up lin inee.. Ins nstteead nste ad PA AT TH tteeam eam am meem mbers bers be rs piilee int p nto aan n SUV UV and nd sco cou urr small mall ma ll to ow wns ns, h hu un nttin tiin ng in n alle al alle leyyw way ays and and un an unde der b der brridge idggees, id s, hop opin ing tto ing o fi fin nd pe peop ople le in need ne d befor efor ef ore th hey ey die ie of the th he co cold ld. ““II don on’tt caarre if if yo ou u lik ike me me, jju ust st tak ake th thiss slleeep epin ing b baag ag aan nd le leaarrn ab abou abou out th the ot oth heer se serv rviicceess,,”” Van rvic n Nes essss ssaaiid d on a — See ee HOM HO OM MELESS E ESS ELE SS pa pag aagge 14 ▶ age
Take the credit Year-end deadline to make donations looms By Ambria Hammel The Catholic Sun
Charity is supposed to be about selfless giving, but it won’t hurt to give yourself a little credit while you’re at it — especially a tax credit. Several local charitable agencies and area Catholic schools are encouraging tax credits as the 2010 tax year draws to a close. By totaling up all monetary donations made throughout the year to charitable organizations — See YEAR-END page 18 ▶
Local News CUA Cardinals Dinner in Phoenix Page 4 Sudanese to vote at St. James Page 12
Media/Arts BOOKS: ‘Thursday Night Pizza’ Page 28 FILMS: ’Dawn Treader’ Page 29
Catholics Matter Barbi Riccitelli Letting go and letting God. Page 23
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