Aug. 18, 2006

The Cathol ic News & Hera ld 1 August 18, 2006

Serving CatholiCS in WeStern north Carolina in the DioCeSe of Charlotte

Generous in spiritMan leaves more than $1 million to diocese

| PAge 10

VocationsPriests, seminarians hold cookout; youths discern callings

| 3

Culture WatchMusic ministers’ focus; Madonna’s act upsets many

auguSt 18, 2006 voluMe 15 no. 38

www.charlottediocese.org

SPREDing God’s word

PerspectivesFather Buettner examines what impels us; David Hains writes about forgiveness for Mel Gibson

| PAges 18-19established Jan. 12, 1972 by Pope Paul vi

Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte

See SPRED, page 5

Leading a new flock

See RALEIGH, page 17

ProgrAm welComes develoPmeNTAlly disAbled iNTo PArisH

by KEVIN E. MURRAyEdItoR

CHARLOTTE — There are special people in many parishes who need friends and support on their faith journeys.

To address that need, St. Matthew Church in Charlotte has implemented SPRED, a program of religious education specifically designed to meet the spiritual needs of persons with developmental disabili-ties.

SPRED (Special Religious Development) is a network of services that assists those people with developmental disabilities to realize their own giftedness and dignity and become more integrated into their parishes.

by CAtHoLIC NEWS SERVICE

RALEIGH — Bishop Mi-chael F. Burbidge used the ex-ample of St. John Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests, in formally introducing himself to his new flock as bishop of Raleigh at his Aug. 4 installa-tion Mass.

“Like the people St. John

CNS photo by Fadi GhaliouN, ReuteRS

A Lebanese woman cries as she walks past the wreckage of a building in Beirut Aug. 8. A U.N.-brokered truce went into effect Aug. 14 to end more than four weeks of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

Bishop Burbidge installed as head of Raleigh Diocese

THE WAR AT Local Lebanese Catholics mindful of Hezbollah-Israeli Pope prays Mideast cease-fire will hold, aid will reach

See LEBANON, page 6

by KEVIN E. MURRAyEdItoR

CHARLOTTE — Despite an uneasy cease-fire between Israel and the Hezbollah mili-tia, tensions are still high for many Lebanese Catholics liv-ing in the Diocese of Charlotte.

“I have a strong interest in what’s going on there. It affects us a lot,” said Jamiel Kadri, a parishioner of St. Ga-briel Church in Charlotte.

Kadri’s father left Lebanon at age 18; his mother, whose parents were from Lebanon, was born in Charleston, S.C. Kadri, 30, also was born in Charleston but has family liv-ing in and visiting Lebanon.

Although they do not live in danger zones, Kadri’s fam-ily is affected by the conflict in

CNS photo by NaNCy WieCheC

The sign outside St. Clare Church and its parish school in Waveland, Miss., displays a message of hope. The church, school and homes in the community were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. See KATRINA, page 9

Still picking up the A year after hurricanes, Southern dioceses still trying to recover

by CARoL ZIMMERMANCAtHoLIC NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON — South-ern dioceses from Texas to Alabama are still reeling from the swath of destruction left by last year’s hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The Archdiocese of New Orleans and the Diocese of Biloxi, Miss., both hit hard

by Hurricane Katrina Aug. 29, have taken steps toward recovery, but fu l l -sca le restoration is still a long way off as thousands of residents no longer have places to live, churches and schools remain damaged and community service programs are no longer operational.

2 The Catholic News & Herald August 18, 2006

Current and upcoming top-ics from around the world to your own backyardInBrief Group works in churches to bring

awareness of, tips on energy cuts

driveN by fAiTH

PublisHer: most reverend Peter J. JugisediTor: Kevin e. murraysTAff wriTer: Karen A. evans grAPHiC desigNer: Tim faragherAdverTisiNg mANAger: Cindi feerickseCreTAry: deborah Hiles

1123 south Church st., Charlotte, NC 28203mAil: P.o. box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237PHoNe: (704) 370-3333 fAX: (704) 370-3382e-mAil: [email protected]

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AUG. 18, 2006VoLUMe 15 • NUMBer 38

ASHeVILLe VICArIATe

ASHEVILLE — The St. Martin de Porres Domini-can Laity Chapter meets the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the rectory building at the Ba-silica of St. Lawrence, 97 Haywood St. Inquirers are welcome. For more information, contact Beverly Reid at (423) 638-4744 or [email protected] — The St. Francis of the Hills Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order meets the fourth Sunday of each month, 2:30-4:30 p.m., at Immaculate Conception Church, 208 7th Ave. West. Visitors and inquirers are welcome. For more information, contact Joanita Nellenbach, SFO, (828) 627-9209 or [email protected] VICArIATe

SPRUCE PINE — A Rosary of Intercession for Priests is recited each Friday at St. Lucien Church, 695 Summit St., before the 9 a.m. Mass. Prayers are offered for bishops, priests and deacons, and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood. For more information, call the church office at (828) 765-2224.CHArLoTTe VICArIATe

CHARLOTTE — St. Basil the Great Ukrainian Church will have a Ukrainian Mass in the chapel of Charlotte Catholic High School, 7702 Pineville-Matthews Rd., Aug. 20 at 11 a.m. The Mass is open to anyone who would like to attend. For more information, please contact Father Deacon Mark Shuey at [email protected] or call (919) 779-7246.CHARLOTTE — Father Timothy Reid, paro-chial vicar of St. Matthew Church, will present “The Importance of Beauty in Living a Catholic Life” Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. in the activity center of St. Vincent de Paul Church, 6828 Old Reid Rd. RSVP to [email protected] — St. Matthew Church will host a

Christian Coffeehouse Aug. 26, 7:30-9:30 p.m. at Roof with a View in the Cedar Hill Building, 800 W. Hill St. in uptown Charlotte. Single and married adults are invited for an evening of contemporary Christian music, food and fellowship. For more information, call Kathy Bartlett at (704) 400-2213.CHARLOTTE — Pathfinders, a peer-led sup-port group for separated and divorced adults, of-fers education, support and fellowship through the divorce process. The group meets Tues-days, 7:30-9 p.m., in St. Gabriel Church’s Min-istry Building, 3016 Providence Rd. For more information, call Nancy at (704) 752-0318.HUNTERSVILLE — Mass is celebrated in Spanish, Sundays at 3 p.m. at St. Mark, Catholic Church, 14740 Stumptown Rd., beginning Sept. 3.HUNTERSVILLE — A Mass to Honor Deceased Loved Ones is celebrated the last Friday of each month at 7:30 p.m. St. Mark Church, 14740 Stumptown Rd. For more information, call Pam Schneider at (704) 875-0201.CHARLOTTE — A Support Group for Caregivers of a Family Member with Memory Loss meet the last Monday of each month, 10-11:30 a.m., at St. Gabriel Church, 3016 Providence Rd. For more information, contact Suzanne Bach at (704) 376-4135.CHARLOTTE — The St. Maximilian Kolbe Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order gathers the first Sun-day of each month at 2 p.m. at Our Lady of Consola-tion Church, 2301 Statesville Ave. Those interested in learning more about the SFO and the Franciscan way of life are invited to attend. For more information, call Tom O’Loughlin at (704) 947-7235.GreeNSBoro VICArIATe

HIGH POINT— Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 4145 Johnson St., will begin the third series of the Hope of Seeing Everyone Again program. HOSEA is a pro-gram to invite Catholics who have distanced themselves from the Catholic Church, for whatever reason, to return. This small group will meet beginning Sept. 5, 7-9 p.m. and will meet weekly for six weeks to discuss various issues and concerns and to receive pastoral referrals and guidance. For more information, contact Larry Kwan at

Diocesanplanner

At 99, Long Island Catholic woman remains vital part of her parish

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, N.Y. (CNS) — At 99 years old, Teresa Duff still cleans her own house, shops for gro-ceries and goes to Mass every day.

She is practically part of the furniture at Immaculate Conception Church in Westhampton Beach.

“The sixth pew back, on the left,” Duff said, noting her usual spot. “This is what I live for. God has been so good to me. I owe him this debt of gratitude. Since I am able to go, I go.”

When Father Joseph Mirro, pas-tor at Immaculate Conception Church, announced Duff’s 99th birthday from the pulpit at Mass July 14, the congregation gave her a standing ovation.

Duff drives to church every morn-ing, arriving at 7:30 to pray the rosary before Mass. On rainy or snowy days, a neighbor takes her. On the rare occasions she can’t make it to church, Duff watches Mass on television.

She has attended daily Mass nearly all of her adult life. An Irish immigrant, she lived in Manhattan with her now-deceased husband, Angus, and her two

sons. During that time, she worked at various department stores, attending Mass each afternoon on her lunch break.

When she moved to Quogue on Long Island 45 years ago, she started attending morning Mass at Immaculate Conception Church.

She credits her mother’s example for her strong faith and love of the Mass.

“It doesn’t surprise me that she comes to Mass every day,” Father Mirro said. “It does surprise me that she is more active than a lot of younger people.”

“We celebrate Teresa not because she is 99 but because she is a loving, car-ing person and a regular volunteer; she is always there to help in whatever way possible,” he said.

Duff is part of the parish’s mail-ing ministry and still bakes her famous Linzer tortes and other baked goods for church occasions.

“I am really blessed,” Duff said. “I don’t know what I did to deserve this. I have had a comfortable life. I am part of a good church. I am just so grateful and I tell God I am grateful.”

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Interfaith Power & Light sounds like the name of a public utility, complete with monthly bills. But it’s not.

Interfaith Power & Light, active in 21 states and the District of Columbia, works at educating churches and their mem-bers about how to make a dent in global warming. It’s part of the organization’s way of caring for God’s creation, and the work is done on many fronts.

“The focus is ... making congrega-tions the model of behavior for individu-als through conservation, new technolo-gies; making congregations more energy- efficient, and then having it filter down to the individuals to make changes in their lifestyles and make their lives more ener-gy-efficient,” said Tim Kautza, education specialist for the National Catholic Rural Life Conference, a member of Iowa In-terfaith Power & Light.

Michigan Interfaith Power & Light operates on several levels, said its direc-tor, Father Charles Morris, pastor of

St. Elizabeth Church in Wyandotte, Mich.

One is a Web site where customers can order compact fluorescent lights and power-saving appliances at a discount.

St. Elizabeth Church spent $5,000 on an energy audit in 1997 and recouped the expense within a year by implementing the audit’s energy-saving recommenda-tions, according to Father Morris.

“We can save money as well as make a sacramental witness of our deepest values, with our care of creation,” Father Morris said.

At St. Elizabeth, “we have four solar (power) systems in the rectory,” Father Morris said: a solar thermal unit for the hot water, cutting natural gas usage in half; a 1.1-kilowatt photovoltaic unit; a 400-watt solar-wind hybrid turbine; and a solar attic fan.

“You can finance on-site renew-able (energy) to reduce your ecological footprint,” he noted.

CNS photo by GReGoRy a. Shemitz, loNG iSlaNd CatholiC

Teresa Duff, 99 (right), chats with fellow parishioner Jane Campbell following Mass in late July at Immaculate Conception Church in Westhampton Beach, N.Y. Duff still goes to church every day, arriving at 7:30 a.m. to pray the rosary before Mass.


Next secretary of state says Vatican warnings on Iraq were prophetic

from THe vATiCAN

(336) 688-1220.GREENSBORO — Catholic Daughters of the Americas will meet Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. in Our Ladies Cottage at Our Lady of Grace Church, 2205 West Market St. Any questions can be directed to Lawrene Kirwan at 292-2776.HICKorY VICArIATe

NEWTON — Fostering Justice Worldwide, sponsored by the diocesan Office of Justice and Peace, will share Catholic Relief Services (CRS) stories. This free event will take place at St. Joseph Church, 720 West 13th St., St., Sept. 9, 1:30-5 p.m. The program will provide an overview of Catholic social teaching, CRS-related work in the Diocese of Charlotte, CRS work in Africa, presentations on effective advocacy and more. This event will be repeated in Stoneville Nov. 4. For specific details about the Saturday afternoon events please call the Office of Justice and Peace at (704) 370-3234 or (704) 370-3225, or e-mail [email protected] VICArIATe

SALISBURY — Elizabeth Ministry is a peer ministry comprised of Sacred Heart Church parishioners who have lost babies before or shortly after birth. Confiden-tial peer ministry, information and spiritual materials are offered at no cost or obligation to anyone who has expe-rienced miscarriage, stillbirth or the death of a newborn. For details, call Renee Washington at (704) 637-0472 or Sharon Burges at (704) 633-0591.SMoKY MoUNTAIN VICArIATe

MURPHY — A Charismatic Prayer Group meets Fridays at 3:30 p.m. in the Glenmary House of St. Wil-liam Church, 765 Andrews Rd. join us for praise music, witness, teaching, prayers and laying on of hands for those in need. For more details, call Gery Dashner at (828) 494-2683.MURPHY — Msgr. Joseph Champlin will lead an an-nual summer mission Aug. 19-23 with 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. services alternating between St. William Church, 765 Andrews Rd., and Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Hayesville. Themes addressed will be “Prayer and Faith,” “Mercy and Peace,” “Grace and Growth” and “Faith and Forgiveness.” The closing session,

“Spirituality and Stress,” will be a 6 p.m. Mass at St. William Church Aug. 23. For more information, call Judy Lott at (828) 835-3359.

HAYESVILLE — Msgr. Joseph Champlin will lead an annual summer mission Aug. 19-23 with 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. services alternating between Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Highway 64 West, and St. William Church in Murphy. Themes addressed will be “Prayer and Faith,” “Mercy and Peace,” “Grace and Growth” and “Faith and Forgiveness.” The closing ses-sion, “Spirituality and Stress,” will be a 6 p.m. Mass at St. William Church Aug. 23. For more information, call Judy Lott at (828) 835-3359. WAYNESVILLE — Adult Education Classes are held the first three Wednesday evenings of each month beginning at 6:45 p.m. in the St. John the Evangelist Church Social Hall, 234 Church St. For more information, call Charles Luce at (828) 648-7369 or e-mail [email protected] VICArIATe

WINSTON-SALEM — The Spirit of Assisi hosts a Wednesday Lunch & Speaker Series each Wednes-day, 12:30-1:15 p.m., at the Fatima Chapel, 211 W. Third St. Conventual Franciscan Father Conall McHugh will speak on “Meditating with the Bible” at the Sept. 6 program. Laura Graban will speak on “Reconciliation: the Sacrament of Healing” at the Sept. 13 program. For more information and to RSVP, call Sister Kathy Ganiel at (336) 624-1971 or e-mail [email protected] — A Charismatic Prayer Group meets Mondays at 7:15 p.m. in the eucharistic chapel of Holy Family Church, 4820 Kinnamon Rd. Join us for praise music, witness, teaching, prayers and petition. For more details, call Jim Passero at (336) 998-7503.

is your parish or school sponsoring a free event open to the general public? Please submit notices for the diocesan Planner at least 7 days prior to desired publication date (fridays) in writing to

Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, former nuncio to U.S., dies at age 76

Calling for change

Aug. 20 — 12 p.m.vietnamese Cursillo gatheringreedy Creek Park, Charlotte

Aug. 22 — 8 a.m.mass for the missionaries of Charitymissionaries of Charity convent, CharlotteAug. 24 — 10 a.m.

diocesan foundation board meetingCatholic Conference Center, Hickory

sept. 9 — 1:30 p.m.“fostering Justice worldwide”st. Joseph Church, Newton

sept. 12 — 11 a.m.

episcopalcalendar Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in

the following events:

ROME (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI’s choice as the next secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, said the current situation in Iraq demonstrates that the Vatican’s warnings against the war were “prophetic.”

At the same time, the cardinal said he has argued against a precipitous pullout of Western forces from Iraq because it would leave local Iraqis exposed to dangers.

Cardinal Bertone, archbishop of Genoa, Italy, made the comments in the Italian magazine 30 Giorni (30 Days), published Aug. 9.

Cardinal Bertone, who takes up his new duties Sept. 15, also said he had been following the fighting in Lebanon and was praying every day that the country be spared further “useless massacres.” He expressed support for the strongly worded appeals of Pope Benedict and the outgoing secretary of state, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, both of whom called for

an immediate cease-fire in Lebanon.On Iraq, Cardinal Bertone said he

had agreed with the Vatican’s position against the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and added, “The current situation in Iraq shows how prophetic that judg-ment was.”

Although not a diplomat by training, Cardinal Bertone has traveled extensive-ly and has been involved in global issues, including economic relations between the world’s poorest and richest countries.

Regarding Islam, Cardinal Bertone said that as archbishop of Genoa he had not opposed the construction of a mosque in the city, because he believes it is im-portant to protect the human dignity of Muslim believers.

At the same time, he said, it would be good if “a certain reciprocity” were shown to Christian minorities in Muslim countries.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) —

Colombia-born Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, who served for seven years as the Vatican’s nuncio to the United States, died Aug. 2 in Rome in a hospice run by the Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Mich.

Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state, presided over his Aug. 5 funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Archbishop Montalvo, 76, was reported to have been suffering from lung cancer.

A career Vatican diplomat, the archbishop arrived in Washington in January 1999 after six years of ser-vice as the president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, which trains priests to become Vatican diplomats.

Conversant in Spanish, French, English, Italian and German, his back-ground included service in countries torn by violence and in nations where church-state tensions were high.

Before stepping down this past February as nuncio to the United States,

Archbishop Montalvo had traveled throughout the country, not simply par-ticipating the liturgies marking the instal-lation of new bishops — including that of Bishop Peter J. Jugis in the Diocese of Charlotte in October 2003 — but also getting to know U.S. Catholics and the situation of the church in the country.

His tenure in the U.S. included a period of great challenges to the Catholic Church in the U.S. In addition, the United States and the Vatican had serious differ-ences over the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

The archbishop first gained atten-tion as a Vatican diplomat in 1982 when Pope John Paul II appointed him assistant mediator in Argentina and Chile’s dispute over the Beagle Channel. The Vatican’s me-diation efforts, which began in 1979 when Argentina and Chile were on the brink of war, ended successfully with Archbishop Montalvo’s help in early 1984.

CorreCTioNsfigures need correcting from the room at the inn article (‘Helping make room at the inn,’ Aug. 4):— since december 1994, the residency program has served 400 mothers and children, not 300;— in its second year, the outreach center served 113 mothers and children, not 50 individuals;— in the last fiscal year, the outreach center served 437 mothers and children, not more than 400 women. The Catholic News & Herald regrets the errors.

PAsTorAl AssigNmeNTsbishop Peter J. Jugis announces the following pastoral assignments:eeffective July 10, 2006: Capuchin father remo disalvatore, as pastor of st. Thomas Aqui-nas Church in Charlotte. effective Aug. 1, 2006: father Joseph Kelleher, as chaplain of bishop mcguinness Catholic High school in Kernersville.

CNS photo by paul haRiNG

Sister Carole Shinnick, a School Sister of Notre Dame, addresses a rally on Capitol Hill in Washington June 27. Sister Shinnick, executive director of the Leadership Conference of Women religious, was pressing for Congress to make poverty issues a priority.

4 The Catholic News & Herald August 18, 2006AroUND THe DIoCeSe

Sworn to serve

CouRteSy photo

Carol Pennington, president of Columbiettes Council 8509, and Ruth Bailey, Colum-biettes member, present a $645 check June 29 to Eileen Gilreath, mother of Cheryl Gilreath, a parishioner of Holy Cross Church in Kernersville who is discerning her call to the religious life while performing mission work with the poor overseas.The Columbiettes, the women’s auxiliary group of the Knights of Columbus, hold an-nual fundraisers to help support those considering or pursuing religious vocations.On June 28, Grand Knight Lance Cancro of Knights of Columbus Council 8509 pre-sented Cheryl Gilreath with a donation toward her education and training.Gilreath’s interest in the religious life grew while attending Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. Currently she is in Sabinov, Slovakia, as part of a mission trip to assist the poor in other countries. She was interested in assisting in the Sudan.

CouRteSy photo by FRed hoGaN

Newly-elected officers of Knights of Columbus Council 8509 are pictured after be-ing sworn in after Mass at Holy Cross Church in Kernersville July 9. Oblate Father Joseph Tustin, pastor and council chaplain, officiated at the ceremony assisted by Chris Parker, district warden, and Bob Nicolosi, district deputy. To fulfill the council’s bylaws, elected officers unable to attend the ceremony had stand-ins to represent them at the function.

Pictured (from left): Parker; Nicolosi; Stanley Winnicki, stand-in; Dave Shepherd, treasurer; Al Livelsberger, outside guard; Dick Meyer, advocate; Fred Schaefer, stand-in; Lance Cancro, grand knight; Sal Vita, chancellor; Bruce Baden, financial secre-tary; and Father Tustin.

Officers not pictured are Guy Harley, deputy grand knight; Mike Hamilton, recorder; Jean Dion, warden; Max Saffer, inside guard; George Role Jr., trustee third year; Tom McMahon, trustee second year; Chip Evans, trustee first year.Donating support

CouRteSy photo

Members of Knights of Columbus St. James Council 7152 are pictured before installing new flooring in the rectory of St. Philip the Apostle Church in Statesville in July. The work took about two weeks, according to Father Kurt Fohn, pastor.

“The Knights are very involved at the parish and always lend a hand to do what needs to be done,” said Father Fohn.

Pictured (clockwise from left): Dick Bockoras, Jim reilly, Phil Klvana, Ken Jewell, Kay and Tom Dziubczynski.

Faith from the floor

The Cathol ic News & Hera ld 5 August 18, 2006FroM THe CoVer

Program welcomes developmentally disabled into parish life

SPRED, from page 1 “We hope it catches on in the Diocese of Charlotte. It is like a second family for our developmen-tally disabled friends,” said Jan Clem-ens, SPRED coordinator at St. Matthew Church.

“SPRED is an inclusive, not exclusive, ministry. It prepares them to share in the life of their community and parish,” said Clemens.

Founded in the Archdiocese of Chi-cago more than 40 years ago, the program now has more than 200 SPRED groups throughout the United States and overseas. St. Matthew Church is the first area par-ish to establish a SPRED program.

The two dozen members of SPRED and their families celebrated the end of the program’s first year at St. Matthew Church with a banquet and Mass May 20.

Msgr. John McSweeney, pastor, celebrated and Father Carmen Mala-cari, then-parochial vicar, concelebrated the Mass in which SPRED members participated with their “catechist help-ers,” volunteers who receive special training in SPRED methods.

Clemens was involved with SPRED in northern Virginia before coming to Charlotte. In 2004, she asked Pat Tomlin-son, St. Matthew Church faith formation

director, about bringing SPRED to the parish.

“She said ‘we don’t have one, but we need one,’” said Clemons.

They approached Msgr . Mc-Sweeney about the program and he was “very enthusiastic,” said Clemens.

The parish’s pastoral plan included identifying ways to welcome and include persons with developmental disabilities, said Msgr. McSweeney.

Clemens was even more inspired to pursue the initiative after hearing Bishop Peter J. Jugis’ Thanksgiving homily at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte in 2004.

“He said there is room for everyone at the Lord’s Table,” she said.

St. Matthew Church’s SPRED program is for both youths and adults, with six participants per group. Each par-ticipant is paired with a catechist helper.

“We identified parishioners who were interested in serving as catechists and sent them for training (at the SPRED headquarters) in Chicago,” said Msgr. McSweeney.

This year, a catechist training day will be held at St. Matthew Church Aug. 26.

“You need committed, trained people,” said Msgr. McSweeney. “This is a ministry that requires time and preparation for each time they come together.”

For those people with developmen-tal disabilities, the Word is proclaimed

and the message internalized through activities, gestures, songs and other symbolic methods, with ritual being an important factor. Much of SPRED activity draws heavily on the work of Maria Montessori, the famed Italian educator and devout Catholic.

Through one-on-one and group relationships, persons with disabilities are better able to celebrate the sacraments and participate in the sacramental life of the church; also, they discover a place where they can belong and enjoy meaningful relationships in which can realize their dignity.

The SPRED program has been accepted with great enthusiasm at St. Matthew Church, according to Pat White, parish coordinator of volunteers and communications.

Parents of SPRED participants have expressed their gratefulness for a program that provides the spiritual development, friendship and dignity that their children so richly deserve, she said.

France Robinson’s son, Kevin, is blossoming in St. Matthew Church’s

adult SPRED group.“It’s the first time Kevin has been a

part of his faith, being an active member of the parish,” she said.

“It’s a lonely world he’s in. Now he has some reason to go to church. He’s really enjoying SPRED,” said Robinson.

“Persons with developmental disabilities are unique individuals,” said Msgr. McSweeney. “To see their smiles and their participation in the special lit-urgies we’ve had for them let’s me know this is a worthwhile endeavor for them.”

Beginning in fall 2006, St. Matthew Church will establish a support group for parents, family members and friends of persons with disabilities. It will be an opportunity to hear special education experts, obtain valuable information on community resources and share ideas.

“Parents can give no greater gift than to put their children in an environment where they can feel comfortable, have friends and worship God together as a community,” said Clemens.

Contributing to this article was Pat White.

wANT more iNfo?for more information about st. matthew Church’s sPred program, call Jan Clemens at (704) 341-8978.for the Archdiocese of Chicago’s sPred center, visit www.spred.org.

CouRteSy photo

Father Carmen Malacari (rear right), then-parochial vicar of St. Matthew Church, stands with participants and catechist helpers in the parish’s SPreD program. Also pictured (from left): Tom Sperrazzo, catechist; Jack Kennedy and Nora Martini, participants; and Frances Martini and Mary rutman, catechists.

Help for Haiti

CouRteSy photo

Parishioners of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte help load pallets of food and supplies aboard a truck Aug. 10, as part of the parish’s 4th annual Food Drive for Haiti. They will be shipped to the Missionaries of the Poor, an international monastic order of brothers, in Cap-Haitian. There the missionaries feed and care for those in need, teach children, build housing, provide church services and bury the dead. After the truck was loaded, three leftover pallets of food were donated to Second Harvest Food Bank in Charlotte. The parish has donated a total of 72 tons of food and supplies.

6 The Catholic News & Herald August 18, 2006MIDeAST CoNFLICT

Lebanon. While they still have electric-ity, the fighting has cut off many parts of the country and they have begun ration-ing supplies for fear of shortage, he said.

Many communities have no or limited access to electricity, fuel and food.

“There are few bridges left, and many of the roads have been destroyed,” said Lucille Moses, a parishioner of St.

can representative to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, decried the loss of life and destruction caused by the fighting.

The archbishop told the council that during the fighting little was done to ensure the safe conduct of relief supplies for “the suffering populations whose right to life, food, health, water (and) housing” was being denied.

“The Holy See is deeply convinced that no just and durable solution can

be reached by recourse to terrorism or armed conflict, and only dialogue is the way to peace and to the safeguarding of human rights,” said Archbishop Tomasi.

“My attention is certainly on the situation in Lebanon, but my heart goes out to all those who are affected,” said Kadri.

Precarious peaceThe Security Council’s resolution

called for a cease-fire and for sending a 15,000-member international peacekeep-ing force into southern Lebanon.

Under the terms of the resolution, Lebanon also would send 15,000 of its own troops to the area to disarm the Hezbollah militias, and Israel would withdraw its troops from the Lebanese territory it invaded in an attempt to stop Hezbollah from firing rockets and mortars into Israel.

Although Israel, Lebanon and Hezbollah accepted the cease-fire agreement, each did so with conditions.

Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said Aug. 14 that his guerril-las achieved a “strategic, historic vic-tory” against Israel — a declaration that prompted celebratory gunfire across the Lebanese capital.

Israel’s prime minister, however, maintained the offensive eliminated the “state within a state” run by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

From Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, Pope Benedict XVI prayed that the cease-fire agreement would hold

and that humanitarian aid quickly would reach those in need.

“Recent developments let us hope that the clashes will cease and that humanitarian assistance for the populations will be assured quickly and effectively,” the pope said during his Angelus Aug. 13, about 17 hours before the cease-fire went into effect.

“Everyone hopes that finally peace will prevail over violence and the force of weapons,” said the pope.

Like many people watching the situ-ation, Kadri is hopeful for the ceasefire to work.

“It’s possible, but it will require help from a lot of places, in particular the United States,” he said.

“It will take a long time for things to get back to normal,” said El-Khouri.

Land of faith and strifeArchbishop Tomasi told the Human

Rights Council that the conflict was a threat to the peaceful coexistence among Lebanese Muslims, Christians and Druze.

“The violence of these weeks is destroying a promising model of na-tional conviviality, built over centuries, where a plurality of communities, even of very different religious convictions, learned that the only way to live in peace and security and to use their human resources in a creative way is dialogue and close cooperation.”

“That land is for everyone — Christians, Jews, Muslims — and nothing gets solved from war and constant killing,” said Kadri.

Christians have religious ties to the areas of conflict, said Kadri, and the fighting affects more than just Jews and Muslims.

“There are a lot of Christians over there, many of whom are Catholic or Greek Orthodox,” said Kadri, who comes from a “strong Catholic family,” includ-ing an ancestor who was martyred in Syria for his faith.

“People forget that Christianity started in the area around Jerusalem,” he said. “There are Christian families there

LEBANON, from page 1

CNS photo by mohamed azakiR, ReuteRS

Lebanese people displaced by the conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah militia attempt to return home in the southern Beirut suburbs Aug. 14. A U.N.-brokered truce went into effect Aug. 14 to end more than four weeks of fighting.

Local Lebanese Catholics mindful of

See LEBANON, next page

The Cathol ic News & Hera ld 7 August 18, 2006MIDeAST CoNFLICT

Gabriel Church.Moses, a Maronite Catholic raised

Roman Catholic, is the daughter of Lebanese immigrants. Her husband is of Lebanese descent and she has cousins living in Lebanon.

The recent fighting that claimed more than 1,250 lives and wounded thousands forced Moses’ family to take refuge in the mountains outside of Beirut.

“The entire infrastructure is gone. There’s more destruction in Beirut than from the 15-year-old civil war,” she said, relaying what her cousins told her.

A month ago, Moses could call and e-mail her cousins easily. Now, contact with them is sporadic and difficult.

Catherine El-Khouri, a parishioner of St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte, visited family in Lebanon last summer.

“It breaks my heart to look at the photos (of my trip) and think of all the internal destruction,” said El-Khouri, 45. “It’s hard to get through to (my family),

but we’re trying to keep in touch. If we’re lucky, we talk once a week.”

A few hours before the U.N. Secu-rity Council adopted the cease-fire resolution Aug. 11, Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, Vati-

who go back to the time of Christ.”“(The conflict) is having a huge effect

on the small but very Christian community in Lebanon,” said El-Khouri. “People don’t understand how the Christian community in the Holy Land is dwindling because of everything that is going on over there.”

Her father left Lebanon in his early 20s; he, along with her mother (a first-generation Lebanese American) helped to found Holy Redeemer Church in An-drews, N.C. Her father donated the land next door to their house.

“The two biggest things in our lives were our church and our culture — it’s what made us different but special,” said El-Khouri.

A number of sites in Lebanon are significant to Christian history, said Kadri. The Shrine of Our Lady of Leba-non is located in Harissa, 17 miles north of Beirut.

Lucille Moses feared the shrine would get hit, as the Israeli army was striking targets with no apparent military significance, including a resort town and a lighthouse, she said.

If any religious sites were destroyed, it “would be devastating to future generations,” said El-Khouri.

Kadri wished more people would learn about the region’s history and significance, and discern the information they get from the media.

“Lebanon is beautiful. Beirut is known as the paradise of the Middle East,” he said. “The Lebanese people are very caring, giving and hospitable.”

“People should read up on and be knowledgeable of the people who are over there,” said El-Khouri. “Not every Muslim aligns with radical terrorists.”

Yet years of conflict have left deep marks upon the country and its people.

“It’s the children who suffer. They grow up to hate because all they know is violence,” said Kadri.

“Every time Israel tries to stamp out a terrorist group, it creates another one, and those groups engrain a hatred of Israel in their children,” said El-Khouri. “How to break that cycle, I don’t know.”

Power of prayerCardinal Nasrallah P. Sfeir, patriarch

of the Maronite Catholic Church, told Vatican Radio Aug. 12 that the Lebanese were feeling both “desolation” and hope.

While everyone hoped for a quick end to the fighting, the destruction created in a month of bombardments and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Lebanese will make recovery difficult, the cardinal said.

“I hope that all those who were forced to flee can return soon, but unfortunately they will not find their houses because everything has been destroyed. I think that initially we will have to shelter them in prefabricated houses or in tents until we can help them rebuild their houses,” he said.

Moses said she hopes her family will be able to return to Beirut, if there is anything left of the city.

“The only thing that is going to save Lebanon is prayers,” she said.

Prayer is a big part of El-Khouri’s fam-ily.

“We are always saying extra prayers for what’s going on over there,” said El-Khouri. “Every day I try to take a moment to pray, if not to stop the fighting, at least to help make it less of a constant for my family.”

“People should continue to pray for peace and all the people there, and that the children grow up to become agents of change,” said Kadri.

“We are all part of God’s family. We need to look out for each other,” said El-Khouri.

“None of the problems get solved by war,” said Kadri. “It will take time, but peace will rise again.”

Contributing to this article were Staff Writer Karen A. Evans, Catholic News Service and the Associated Press.

Pope prays Mideast cease-fire holds, aid reaches needy

CNS photo by yoNathaN WeitzmaN, ReuteRS

An Israeli soldier prays by an armored personnel carrier near the Israeli-Lebanese border Aug. 14 after returning from Lebanon.

LEBANON, from previous

8 The Catholic News & Herald August 18, 2006AFTer THe HUrrICANeS

by PEtER FINNEy JR.CAtHoLIC NEWS SERVICE

NEW ORLEANS — The long haul is here.

Every day, teams of counselors and social workers with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New Orleans visit hurricane-devastated neighborhoods and go door-to-door asking people simple questions related to complex problems.

Behind every door is a Katrina survivor with his or her sobering story.

The stories haven’t changed much since Katrina hit nearly a year ago, and that is perhaps the saddest indicator of a community in the midst of a collective mental health crisis.

By early July, social workers and counselors with Catholic Charities’ Louisiana Spirit outreach program had personally visited 65,000 people and reported spikes in domestic violence, child abuse, substance abuse, depression and suicidal tendencies.

Now the program is in danger of elimination because the Federal Emergency Management Agency is refusing to pay for certain previously approved and budgeted services, leaving Catholic Charities with a $20,000 daily shortfall and an uncertain future.

Daunting indicatorsA recent report by The New York

Times noted that the annual suicide rate in New Orleans tripled in the four months after Hurricane Katrina — from fewer than nine a year per 100,000 residents to 26 per 100,000.

Dr. Elmore Rigamer, medical director of Catholic Charities in New Orleans, said he isn’t in a position to contradict the apparent threefold increase in the suicide rate, but he does know from the firsthand evidence gathered by his team of 140 Louisiana Spirit workers that the community’s mental health is teetering.

“The level of anxiety and people feeling overwhelmed and saying ‘I don’t know if I can take this’ is up,” said Rigamer, who is a psychiatrist.

Many people have been “stymied by the insurance companies and by the hopelessness of the hoops they have to jump through to get funds. It’s sort of an urbanwide malaise,” he said.

Taking it to the streetsThe Louisiana Spirit program is

changing lives the old-fashioned way — by reaching out to people instead of waiting for them to come forward for help.

Every day Louisiana Spirit regional director Heidi Nuss colors in a map with a yellow marker to indicate where a team has been. Social workers provide an empathetic ear and emotional sup-port, and then leave the person with an updated resource list for agencies that can provide needed services.

If during the conversation the person looks distraught, Louisiana Spirit can send a counselor to the person’s home within 24 hours for up to five visits.

“No other program sends a licensed

counselor to your door to come to see you,” Nuss said, adding that there is no eligibility criteria to get the counseling.

“All you have to do is say, ‘I want to talk to somebody.’ That’s the eligibility,” she said.

Tracy Cormier, the children’s team clinical manager, said she has wit-nessed an increase in nightmares and “regressive” behavior such as children

Healing hearts and mindsDoor-to-door post-Katrina counseling critical to recovery

CNS photo by miChael alexaNdeR, GeoRGia bulletiN

A sign displays the Mass times at St. Clare Church in Waveland, Miss., where the parish currently conducts services in a donated Quonset hut on the concrete slab where the church once stood. The Diocese of Biloxi, Miss., was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina Aug. 29, and steps have been made toward recovery, but full-scale recovery is still a long way off.

wanting to sleep with their parents.But she said there is a critical lack

of psychiatric resources in New Or-leans: Only 10 beds are available for

adolescents needing psychiatric help, and there is no “respite” program that would allow children to get away from angry parents.

“We are seeing an increase in domestic violence, which transfers to kids,” Cormier said.

Catholic Charities also has two related programs to help people deal with post-Katrina realities. Counseling Solutions — which was in place before Katrina — provides counseling, paid through insurance coverage or on a sliding-scale basis, at five locations throughout the archdiocese.

Director Bill Swann is attempting to set up group sessions of the program at local churches.

Another program is Katrina Aid Today, which offers long-term case management for Katrina victims. The program is funded through a grant provided by the United Methodist Church and Catholic Charities USA.

“It’s very individualized help that will help someone get on the road to recovery,” said director Joseph Ma-honey, noting that clients may need help with Katrina-related paperwork or they might need referrals to other agencies or counseling and support services.

The program has helped 1,000 clients since January and is expected to run through next October. Because there is a waiting list, only people over age 55 or who have a disability are currently be-ing advised.

According to Rigamer, not everyone who is depressed needs to see a medi-cal professional, but he advises those with depressive moods to “connect with someone.”

Another key to recovery, he said, is to have a plan.

“You can’t get out of depression if you remain passive and you can’t get moving,” said Rigamer.

“The level of anxiety and people feeling overwhelmed and saying ‘I don’t know if I can take this’ is up.”

— Dr. Elmore Rigamer

The Cathol ic News & Hera ld 9 August 18, 2006AFTer THe HUrrICANeS

The coastal area of the Archdiocese of Mobile, Ala., is also in the midst of recovery. Church structures have been repaired, but residents of the small fishing village of Bayou La Batre, Ala., are still living in trailers and trying to salvage what they can from destroyed homes and fishing livelihoods.

Farther west at the Texas-Louisiana border, the impact of Hurricane Rita, which slammed the area Sept. 24, is evi-dent in ongoing repair work.

In the dioceses of Beaumont, Texas and Houma-Thibodaux, La., there has been a flurry of repairs of homes, schools and churches, but in the Diocese of Lake Charles, La., repairs are only just beginning.

“The needs are still as great as ever,” said Margaret Dubuisson, communica-tion director for Catholic Charities in New Orleans. “If anything, the needs are greater as people come home or attempt to come home.”

The agency continues to provide immediate relief with food, medical care and shelter, but it is also inundated with long-term recovery needs from counseling to housing. The agency has been involved in gutting destroyed homes, remodeling apartments for the elderly and helping establish new communities.

“We don’t build levees, but if we did, we’d be right out there,” Dubuisson said.

By the numbersThe New Orleans Archdiocese was

hit with $120 million in uninsured losses alone and is in the midst of the arduous process of repairing wind- and flood-

damaged schools and churches. Six churches have been permanently closed and 23 have closed temporarily.

A number of churches are still undergoing repairs, and 24 churches and one mission that sustained extensive flooding damage have reopened. Six-teen schools are still closed and 21 have remained open while being repaired.

Although the archdiocese has filed paperwork with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the hopes of being reimbursed for costs associated with the rebuilding of schools and other nonworship facilities, it is unclear how much the archdiocese will eventually receive. FEMA will not pay to rebuild church buildings.

The Biloxi Diocese suffered property damage of $70 million and only half of the damage is covered by insurance. Thirteen churches were damaged, and three of them will not reopen.

The future of one church is currently undetermined. Five are using temporary locations until their buildings can be repaired and four have been in use while undergoing major repairs.

Katr ina also destroyed f ive schools and damaged 10. The diocese consolidated six schools into three and has been doing repair work on 10 schools that remain open.

A year after hurricanes, Southern dioceses still trying to recover

The new school year in the Biloxi Diocese started in early August.

According to Mike Ladner, dioc-esan superintendent of schools, crisis management plans have been finalized, buildings have been modified and school officials have been advised to take school records with them to a dry place in the event of another hurricane.

In Biloxi and other areas, many are considering what they would do differently in the face of a hurricane, but they are also hoping just to get their lives back to where they were prior to the storms.

Rita’s wrathAlthough Rita was overshadowed

by Katrina, its destruction can’t be dismissed by local residents now accustomed to the ever-present blue tarps marking signs of repair.

In Beaumont, one church closed because of hurricane damage and five closed temporarily for ongoing repairs. One Catholic school closed but will reopen for the upcoming school year.

Just prior to Hurricane Rita, the Lou-

isiana dioceses of Houma-Thibodaux and Lake Charles were busy assisting Katrina evacuees. Although Katrina inflicted minimal damage on the Houma-Thibodaux Diocese, Rita flooded more than 10,000 homes.

As a result of both hurricanes, seven Catholic schools and eight parishes were damaged, but have since been repaired and are currently functional.

In the Lake Charles Diocese, Rita caused severe damage in several counties and its strong wind and storm surges essentially flattened the civil entity of Cameron Parish, a region that includes five parishes and five mission churches, nine of which had been tempo-rarily closed because of storm damage.

Currently, three damaged churches are in the very early stages of repair, after gaining approval from the lo-cal government, the Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA.

For the past several months, the mis-sion chapel of St. Patrick has been the only church in the civil entity of Cam-eron Parish safe enough to have Masses on a regular basis.

“It’s still a very difficult time for many people,” said Morris LeBleu, director of communications for the diocese and editor of its diocesan newspaper, The Southwest Catholic.

He noted that only about 5 percent to 6 percent of the residents of Cameron Parish have returned.

On July 23, for the first time since Hurricane Rita, a Sunday Mass was celebrated at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Cameron. Parishioners brought their own chairs and prayed together in the empty shell of the church.

“It was good to see the church and be in it and worship,” LeBleu said, even if it will be a long time before parishioners will actually be inside the church as it once was.

Contributing to this story was Peter Finney Jr. in New Orleans.

KATRINA, from page 1“If anything, the needs are greater as people come home or attempt to come home.”

— Margaret Dubuisson, Catholic Charities in New Orleans


Generous in spirit

by KAREN A. EVANSStAFF WRItER

CHARLOTTE — In the small town of Newton, Charles Shelton is remembered for his devotion to his church and to his community.

Because of some careful plan-ning, he will be remembered for years to come for his generosity, not only by residents of Newton and parishioners of St. Joseph Church, but also by the entire Diocese of Charlotte.

In January 1995, when Shelton wrote his final will and testament, he notified the diocesan development of-fice of the bequest in his estate plans. Shelton passed away Nov. 12, 2000 of Alzheimer’s disease.

Shelton’s estate bequeathed more than $1 million to the Diocese of Charlotte. In addition, Shelton left $100,000 to his parish, St. Joseph Church in Newton, a portion of which was used to establish an endowment in his name. Also, he left $100,000 to the church he attended as a child in Springfield, Ill.

Shelton’s endowment marks the second $1 million estate gift in the past year, said Jim Kelley, diocesan director of development. Last year, Aurelia Isle Guffey left $1.4 million to the Founda-tion of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, Catholic Social Services and two parishes.

The foundation is a non-profit organization established to provide endowments for the diocese and its parishes, schools, agencies and organizations.

An endowment is a permanent fund placed in the diocesan foundation that earns income over time. The original amount is not spent, but the income can be used in a manner stipulated in the person’s estate plan or in an endowment agreement, according to Kelley.

Shelton made his living as an engineer and consultant for General Electric, a job that included traveling the world. He was an active member of his parish and the parish’s Prime Timers, a group for adults over 50.

Shelton spent his final years at The Little Flower Assisted Living Residence in Charlotte, and later at Carolinas Medical Center as his Alzheimer’s developed.

“He was very devout in his faith,” said Father Richard Hanson, former pastor of St. Joseph Church. “The Mass and the Eucharist meant everything to him.”

Shelton was a generous member of his parish, Father Hanson said. He would often make anonymous donations, preferring to avoid any fanfare.

“Like Mr. Shelton, more people are giving not only of their current as-sets, but taking the additional step of designating a portion of their assets for the foundation in their estate plans,” said Kelley.

Currently, the diocesan foundation has 140 endowments.

“Charles Shelton left a legacy in his

estate to what he valued in his life,” said Kelley.

WAYS TO GIVEA gift through a will can stipulate

that the foundation or named endowment receives a specific amount, a percentage of your estate, or remainder after other be-quests are filled. In addition to a bequest in a will, there are five other primary ways to donate an endowment to the dio-cese, according to Judy Smith, diocesan director of planned giving.

They are:— Gifts of cash, securities or real

estate.— Gifts of life insurance, which

allow you to make a gift that might be larger than if you were to give an asset outright. You can donate a paid policy that you already own or you can purchase a policy to donate.

— Life income arrangements, which allow you to make a gift during your lifetime while retaining and even increas-ing your income from those assets for the remainder of your life. These include trusts and charitable gift annuities.

— Gifts from retirement plans, which allow you to designate your en-dowment as the remainder beneficiary of an IRA, 401K, or annuity to receive what is left in your retirement plan after your death.

— A gift of life estate in real property, which allows you to enjoy your home or vacation property during your lifetime, while giving you the satisfaction of knowing your church will benefit from the gift after your death.

wANT more iNfo?To learn more about planned giving or to set up an endowment, call Jim Kelley at (704) 370-3301 or e-mail [email protected], or Judy smith at (704) 370-3320 or e-mail [email protected].

Charles Shelton leaves more than $1 million to diocese

AroUND THe DIoCeSe

The Cathol ic News & Hera ld 11 August 18, 2006ADVerTISeMeNT


HAMLET — Ann Peters, faith formation director at St. James Church in Hamlet, recently retired after 16 years of service.

Peters was honored by her fellow parishioners during a farewell gathering June 14.

During the gathering, Peters was presented with a “circle of life” pendant necklace representing the lives that were touched by her work and dedication. Children and young adults from the parish also presented her with flowers.

Eric Duncan and Colleen Lind-strand spoke about how the parish’s faith formation program had impacted their lives and how Peters had nurtured and influenced them as they participated in the program.

“Mrs. Peters has been a great influence on all of us and she will be truly missed,” said Lindstrand.

“She has been a great support to my own children and I have watched them grow in their own faith because of the opportunities that they were given,” she said.

Peters taught at a Catholic school in Wisconsin before relocating to North Carolina and accepting the faith formation director position at St. James Church.

During Peters’ tenure, 41 people have been welcomed into the church as Catholics, and the adult and children’s programs have enriched the parish’s faith life.

When the Hispanic community began to grow in the area, Peters worked to expand classes and unite the English- and Spanish-speaking communities. St. James Church now celebrates four bilingual children’s liturgies a year and offers Family Learning Days, a youth group and a children’s choir.

More than 50 children come from different cities and churches to attend the parish’s Vacation Bible School each summer.

“The faith formation program has flourished and grown. One thing has remained constant — the dedication and tireless energy of Ann Peters,” said Lindstrand.

Forming the faithful‘A Godly man’SALISBURY — Deacon Patrick

Malone Vallandingham’s kindness and service to the church will be remembered for a long time to come.

Deacon Vallandingham, permanent deacon at Sacred Heart Church in Salis-bury, died Thursday, July 6, at Rowan Regional Medical Center. He was 67.

A prayer service was held at Sacred Heart Church July 9, and a Mass of Christian burial was celebrated by Bish-op Peter J. Jugis July 10. Burial followed at the U.S. National Cemetery.

Deacon Vallandingham was born July 12, 1938, in Carrollton, Ky. He graduated from Charleston Catholic High School in 1956 and attended West Virginia State University and Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J. Deacon Vallandingham served in the 150th Armored Cavalry in Fort Meade, Maryland.

Deacon Vallandingham was or-dained in the Diocese of Charlotte’s first diaconate class in 1983 and began his ministry at his home parish, Sacred Heart Church.

“I have always had very positive experiences working with the permanent deacons of the diocese, and this was certainly true where Deacon Pat was con-cerned,” said Father John Putnam, pastor of Sacred Heart Church.

“When I arrived as pastor in the summer of 2000, he was one of the most helpful people in the transition,” said Father Putnam.

Deacon Vallandingham went to work for First Union National Bank of Charlotte in 1970, in the building where the original diocesan pastoral center was located. In fact, his old office later belonged to then-Bishop Michael J. Begley.

While in Charlotte, he was instru-mental in developing the local charismatic renewal movement. After moving to Salisbury, he attended Sacred Heart Church, where he held various church positions, including parish council, finance council and membership in the Knights of Columbus.

“God had done so much for me, and it became more important for me to walk in

my faith,” said Deacon Vallandingham in a March 2001 interview with The Catholic News & Herald. “I wanted to tell the Lord that I was appreciative for all he had done for me and my family and a way to show that was to respond to the call of service in the church.”

After joining the permanent diacon-ate, he served as the first diaconate presi-dent and later served as regional vicar. He also was an advocate for the diocesan tribunal, which handles requests for mar-riage annulments.

Deacon Vallandingham retired from banking in 1994 and began full-time work for the church.

“Aspects of my faith are paramount in my life; it really means something to me internally,” said Deacon Vallanding-ham in 2001.

“Deacon Pat was a man who loved life, loved people and loved the Catho-lic Church,” said Father Putnam. “He always exhibited a genuine concern for people and their relationship with Jesus Christ. This was evident in his interaction with parishioners, his attentiveness to the sick and his desire to bring Jesus to the faithful through word and sacrament.”

“He was, in short, a Catholic gentle-man, a Godly man,” he said.

Deacon Vallandingham is survived by his wife, Ann Ashe Vallandingham; one son and three daughters, and their families; two sisters; and three brothers, and their families.

Ann Peters

Parish faith formation director retires after 16 Deacon Vallandingham remembered for kindness

Deacon Patrick Vallandingham

AroUND THe DIoCeSe


CouRteSy photo

Approximately 60 priests, transitional deacons and seminarians enjoyed food and camaraderie for the second annual priest and seminarian cookout at Bishop Peter J. Jugis’ residence in Charlotte Aug. 8.The event began with evening prayer at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte, followed by the cookout with Knights of Columbus from St. Mark Church in Huntersville manning the grills.Pictured (in front, from left): Transitional Deacon Patrick Cahill, Father Robert Con-way, Transitional Deacon Patrick Toole and Transitional Deacon Patrick Hoare.In spring 2005, the diocesan Presbyteral Council suggested a get-together to allow the priests and seminarians of the Diocese of Charlotte to get to know each other. The event gives the men a chance to pray together as well as socialize.Transitional deacons Cahill, Toole and Hoare will be ordained to the priesthood in June 2007.

Food, fun and faith Day of discernment

CouRteSy photo

Bishop Peter J. Jugis (second from left) stands with diocesan priests, seminarians and high school and college students from around the diocese for the annual vocations day of discernment, held at St. Joseph Church in Newton Aug. 11. The event was to provide a chance for male students to discern what God is asking of their lives and to explore their possible callings to the priesthood.

In addition to attending Mass celebrated by Bishop Jugis, the students spent the day in prayer, eucharistic adoration and talks with priests and seminarians on discerning a call to the priesthood. The day also included sports, games and a panel discussion with a question-and-answer session about life in the priesthood and seminary.

For more information about vocations to the priesthood, contact the diocesan vocations office at (704) 370-3353.

VoCATIoNS


A roundup of scripture, readings, films and moreCulture Watch WORD TO LIFESUNDAY SCRIPTURE READINGS: AUG. 27, 2006

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE

Music ministers urged to focus on unity, not their own agendas

Aug. 27, Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Cycle B Readings:1) Joshua 24:1-2a,15-17,18b Psalm 34:2-3, 16-17,18-19, 20-212) Ephesians 5:21-323) Gospel: John 6:60-69

Understanding our faith only enhances it

by dANy LUbyCAtHoLIC NEWS SERVICE

For someone so prominent in the Gospels, to whom Jesus gives so much responsibility, whom the church honors so highly, St. Peter sure gets a lot of things wrong.

When t he Lo rd p roc l a ims his messiahship as a humble path of redemptive suffering rather than a pride-ful march of triumph, Peter objects loud-ly. He boastfully promises loyalty only hours before publicly denying Christ, not once but three times.

Even after Pentecost he draws the wrong conclusion in an early dispute with Paul over the Mosaic law.

But in Sunday’s Gospel Peter couldn’t have gotten it more right.

When everyone else grumbles at the “hard sayings” of Jesus (about eating his flesh and drinking his blood), when other followers are returning to the superficial logic and familiar comfort of the old ways, Peter speaks on behalf of all those who are committed to Jesus, even without fully grasping the mystery of who he is.

“Master,” he asks, “to whom shall we go?”

In that simple, heartfelt question all his false arrogance disappears. He under-stands from his core that even though he makes mistakes, misinterprets things and gets dazzled by his own agenda, his high-est hopes and deepest yearnings will find their fulfillment only in Jesus.

It is important for us to work at understanding the doctrinal expression of our faith in Christ. Our mission to proclaim his love in what we say and do can be enhanced through a fuller appreciation of our theological tradition.

We can help others understand such “hard sayings” when we give ourselves to the discipline of study and learning.

But in the end, all of us come to a threshold beyond which our intellect cannot go, a mystery that logic and science and history cannot penetrate. May all of us, when we approach that point, embrace the humble wisdom of Peter and say, “Master, to whom shall we go?”

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CNS) — Music ministers should focus on build-ing bridges and creating unity, speak-ers said at the National Association of Pastoral Musicians’ Western Regional Convention in Sacramento Aug. 1-4.

The principle that all are one in the body of the Lord is more important than cultural, ideological, musical or liturgical differences, they said.

“We need to resist going down the black hole of anger regarding how we translate our texts, what we will sing, or which musical styles are most appropriate for our Masses,” said liturgical composer David Haas in an opening keynote Aug. 1.

“We still have something wonderful to sing about: God is still here, calling all of us to receive what we have been given from God as gift and give it back lavishly in service to the Lord and one another,” he added.

About 600 people, mostly church musicians but some liturgists and clergy as well, attended the convention. They came from California and more than 30 other states and several other nations.

The Sacramento convention was one of three regional events held this year by the association, which has about 9,000 members. Sacramento Auxil-iary Bishop Richard J. Garcia referred to the convention theme — “What You Receive, Give As Gift “ — in his remarks welcoming the attendees.

“You breathe in life-giving air and transform it into song. God blesses this whole community through the work you do, sharing your God-given gifts in the service of his people,” he said.

Haas, one of the country’s most not-ed liturgical composers, said the “full and active participation by all the people” called for by the Second Vatican Council involves something much deeper than getting worshippers to join in singing.

“The primary focus of all liturgical and catechetical mission-based service is Jesus Christ, who never wrote a document himself but who did call us to love one another,” said Haas. “That is common ground we should look for. Everything

we do as musicians must point to Christ, must deepen our relationship with him.”

Haas lamented the tendency in some parishes to develop “red state/blue state” mentalities where, he said, the attitude is often, “You not only cannot disagree with me, but there is something wrong with you and I have to stop you.”

“We have to stop fighting, put down our swords, truly love one another — intentionally and unconditionally — and listen to one another in love,” he said, “because these debates are tearing us apart.”

Composers Pedro Rubalcava and Peter Kolar led a workshop on the difficulties of building bridges between parish communities that have different languages and cultures. They invited their audience to reflect on terminologies used in planning celebrations — multicultural, multilingual, cross-cultural, intercultural — and on how the parish’s composition compares with the parish leadership.

A true intercultural liturgical celebration is not achieved simply by using a song or reading from another language, the presenters said. They said it must begin by connecting with parish-ioners outside of liturgy and genuinely learning to know and appreciate the eth-nic communities apart from their own.

“Seek first to understand, then to be understood,” said Msgr. Raymond G. East of Washington, D.C., in the conference’s closing keynote talk Aug. 4.

He urged music ministers to “syner-gize. It isn’t about my way or your way, it’s about our way. It’s about solving problems, celebrating the other, honoring the other.”

Auxiliary Bishop Jaime Soto of Orange, in a workshop following his key-note talk Aug. 2, noted that hospitality is a key to promoting genuine unity and

sCriPTure for THe weeK of Aug 20-26sunday (Twentieth sunday in ordinary Time), Proverbs 9:1-6, ephesians 5:15-20, John 6:51-58; monday (st. Pius X), ezekiel 24:15-24, deuteronomy 32:18-21, matthew 19:16-22; Tuesday (Queenship of the blessed virgin mary), ezekiel 28:1-10, deuteronomy 32:26-28,30,35-36, matthew 19:23-30; wednesday (st. rose of lima), ezekiel 34: 1-11, matthew 20:1-16; Thursday (st. bartholomew), revelation 21:9-14, John 1:45-51; friday (st. louis, st. Joseph Calasanz), ezekiel 37:1-14, matthew 22:34-40; saturday, ezekiel 43:1-7, matthew 23:1-12.

sCriPTure for THe weeK of Aug 27-sePT 2sunday (Twenty first sunday in ordinary Time), Joshua 24:1-2, 15-18, ephesians 5:21-32, John 6:60-69; monday (st. Augustine), 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12, matthew 23:13-22; Tuesday (The martyrdom of st. John the baptist), 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, 14-17, mark 6:17-29; wednesday, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10, 16-18, matthew 23:27-32; Thursday, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 matthew 24:42-51; friday, 1 Corinthians 1:17-25, matthew 25:1-13; saturday, 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, matthew 25:14-30.

sCriPTure for THe weeK of sePT 3-9sunday (Twenty-second sunday in ordinary Time), deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8, James 1:17-18, 21-22, 27, mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23; monday, 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, luke 4:16-30; Tuesday, 1 Corinthians 2:10-16, luke 4:31-37; wednesday, 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, luke 4:38-44; Thursday, 1 Corinthians 3:18-23, luke 5:1-11; friday (Nativity of the blessed virgin mary), micah 5:1-4, matthew 1:18-23;


CNS photo by Columbia

Michael Cassidy, Kate Mara, Spencer Breslin, ryan Newman and Tim Allen star in “Zoom,” a lively but lightweight comedy about a washed-up superhero, Captain Zoom (Allen), dragged out of retirement by a top-secret military agency to train four young misfits with incredible powers to save the world from the destructive wrath of Zoom’s brother, a supervillain.

Based on the Jason Lethcoe children’s book, the zippy film is entertaining if your expectations are kept low, though its kid-friendly themes of family and teamwork are handicapped by bland performances and a skeletal, only fitfully funny script, padded with strained slapstick humor and tedious musical montages.

Some mildly crude humor and unnecessary gross-out sight gags, a few rude expressions and some comic-book-style violence.

The USCCB office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

ROME — Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders in Europe have criticized the pop star Madonna’s latest world tour, in which the singer is bound to a shim-mering cross while wearing a crown of thorns.

“Madonna is exploiting Christian symbols ... and attempting to mix human passions, including her own personal ones, with something sacred,” said a spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church, which has urged people to stay away from the singer’s concert in Moscow Sept. 11.

Madonna’s performance in Rome Aug. 6 drew disapproval from an Italian cardinal, an official of the Italian Muslim League and a spokesman for Rome’s Jewish community. They called the use of the religious symbols offensive.

Several local pastors in Rome also criticized the stage act in the days leading up to the concert.

Although the Vatican ignored the controversy, the criticism was frequently characterized in the media as “Vatican opposition.” That led a spokes-woman for Madonna to extend an “open invitation” to Pope Benedict XVI to see the show.

During the performance, images of the pope were flashed on a giant screen along with those of other international figures past and present, including Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Saddam Hus-sein and George W. Bush.

In Rome, Madonna performed to a sellout crowd of about 70,000 people. Tickets to the Moscow performance reportedly were selling briskly.

European religious leaders criticize Madonna’s use of religious symbols in act

‘Zoom’ not worth the rush


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Walking through timeEPHESUS, Turkey — It was an eye-

opening experience.Mike Streich, history department

chair at Bishop McGuinness Catho-lic High School in Kernersville, was among 18 U.S. and Canadian educa-tors on a cultural and educational tour of Turkey.

The July 18-30 trip was spon-

sored by EF Educational Tours, which organizes tours around the globe for teachers and students as a way to bring the classroom experience to life.

“It is a way for teachers to learn more about a particular culture, as well as to share with each other how we apply those experiences in the classroom,” said Streich, who serves on EF’s education council.

Also on the trip was Richard Vali-tutto, Bishop McGuinness’ 2005 vale-dictorian and a rising sophomore at the University of Cincinnati.

In Ephesus, they saw the site where St. Paul proclaimed the message of Jesus.

Outside of Ephesus, the group visited the House of the Virgin Mary, where it is believed she was cared for by St. John in her last days.

“The site was an oasis of peace and deeply inspiring,” said Streich.

The experiences helped break down many cultural stereotypes, said Streich, and also enriched his faith.

The experiences will help make “the ancient world come alive for my students. Yet they also challenged me to renew my faith so that, in the spirit of St. Paul, I can proclaim Christ through my daily life,” he said.

Streich has taken students and groups on foreign trips for 15 years and plans to continue doing so.

“Having journeyed through Tur-key, I hope at some future point to take students and parents there so that they also can experience this rich culture and spiritual heritage,” he said.

Educator experiences culture, faith in Turkey

CouRteSy photo

richard Valitutto (left) and Mike Streich stand outside the Hagia Sophia (Church of Holy Wisdom), a former eastern orthodox church that became a mosque and then a museum in the Turkish city of Istanbul.

The Cathol ic News & Hera ld 17 August 18, 2006FroM THe CoVer

CNS photo by NiCk CRettieR, NC CatholiCS

Bishop Michael F. Burbidge smiles during his Aug. 4 installation as the fifth bishop of raleigh, N.C. Bishop Burbidge, formerly an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, was installed at the Meymandi Concert Hall in raleigh to accommodate a crowd of more than 1,700. Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of Atlanta presided at the installation ceremony.

Bishop Burbidge installed as head of Diocese of Raleigh

Vianney served, we are called to ongoing conversion and transformation,” Bishop Burbidge said.

“May we use this day to renew our commitment to build upon the great foundations that have been established in this diocese and rededicate ourselves to responding to the challenges St. John Vianney preached to his people,” he said.

Bishop Burbidge, formerly an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, was installed at the Meyman-di Concert Hall in Raleigh to accommodate a crowd of more than 1,700.

Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of Atlanta installed Raleigh’s new shepherd. Also in attendance were Cardinals Justin Rigali of Philadelphia and William H. Keeler of Baltimore; Cardinals Anthony J. Bevilacqua, retired archbishop of Phil-adelphia, and Theodore E. McCarrick, retired archbishop of Washington; and 30 other archbishops and bishops, including Bishop Peter J. Jugis of Charlotte.

Bishop Burbidge has relatives living in the Diocese of Charlotte.

“We renew the commitments conveyed in the mission statement of the Diocese of Raleigh, to use our time, talents and resources to: advocate the worth and dignity of the human person from the moment of conception to natu-

ral death; eradicate the causes of division and polarization; and promote greater so-cial justice in the cause of peace,” Bishop Burbidge said in his homily.

“We could easily be overwhelmed by these challenges. However, we must remember that the transformation St. John Vianney’s village experienced was not overnight,” he continued.

“It happened slowly and steadily, required patience and perseverance and demanded that people work together calmly and consistently,” he said.

Bishop Burbidge said he had re-ceived a warm welcome from the people of the Diocese of Raleigh since his ap-pointment was announced June 8.

In a July 28 farewell prayer service in Philadelphia, Bishop Burbidge told those assembled, “With the Lord’s help, I plan to leave behind the anxiety and even fear that can be part of a journey into the unknown.

“Instead, I plan to take with me only a keen awareness of all that God has done for me, a profound gratitude for all his bless-ings, a deep and lasting trust in his divine assistance, and a renewed commitment to proclaim his Gospel,” he said.

“I was delighted to participate in Bishop Burbidge’s Mass of installation, and welcome him to North Carolina,” said Bishop Jugis. “The bishop has relatives who live in the Diocese of Charlotte, so I look forward to welcoming him when he comes to visit family in our area.”

Bill Peglow, 56, of St. Bernard Church in Philadelphia, recalled how down-to-earth then-Father Burbidge was as a parochial vicar there. Peglow was humorous in remarking that the bishop’s new post will be a change for the Phila-delphian: “I hope he can say, ‘Dominus vobiscum, y’all.’”

Contributing to this story was Chris-tie L. Chicoine in Philadelphia.

“I plan to take with me only a keen awareness of all that God has done for me, a profound gratitude for all his blessings ... to proclaim his Gospel.”

— Bishop Michael F. Burbidge

RALEIGH, from page 1


Perspectives A collection of columns, editorials and viewpoints

Summer’s depressionBread of Life can sustain us in dark times

Depression often strikes during the winter holidays — when everything is glittering and shining — or when the Christmas season makes all cash regis-ters ring joyfully in every department store and supermarket.

When we see the beautiful white snow covering the barren trees and the busy highways, ironically, some of us experience real depression, sadness and loneliness.

There are many explanations for this. I believe that when we intend to place our fulfillment and our happi-ness in what’s out there, we end up e m p t y - h a n d e d a n d d e p r e s s e d . Fulfillment and happiness are not out there, but inside of us and in God; and if they are not in us and in God, they are nowhere to be found.

Similar depression is experienced in summertime — when we take our vacations, when schools are closed. We experience this depression for the same reasons mentioned above.

We learn f rom the Hebrew scriptures that depression is not something new; it is as old as the creation of the world and it will be with us until we die. We all get discouraged from time to time, but few of us get as discouraged as Elijah — to the point of wanting to die (cfr. 1 Kgs.19:4).

However, in spite of discouragement and darkness, the Lord is more powerful than our depression.

He says: “Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you” (Kgs.19:5).

No matter how gloomy the situa-tion may appear, we can still “taste and see the goodness of the Lord” (Ps.19). St. Paul gives us a good advice, when he says:”All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting and reviling must be removed from you, along with malice” (Eph.4:31).

To make this advice more powerful and personal, imagine that St. Paul is writing to you personally, rather than to the Ephesians.

The prophet Elijah doesn’t seem to be suffering from chemical depression, but rather from situational depression.

As we all know, chemical depres-sion requires professional help and fortunately there are medications that can help the problem.

Situational depression is totally dif-ferent. We all get it — when we fail a test; when a boyfriend or girlfriend leaves us; when we get sick; when our car breaks down; when a loved one dies.

In dea l ing wi th s i tua t ional depression, professionals often use the acronym HALT to describe the four basic steps: never get too Hungry, too Angry, too Lonely, too Tired.

In this case, let us not forget that the prophet Elijah deals with depression in a different way than we usually do. When we get discouraged, how many of us speak to God?

Is it not true that we usually turn in to ourselves, close the windows and doors of communication, build stron-ger walls around us? And our sense of guilt grows stronger to the point of destruction of self-esteem.

Elijah instead opens up to God, who saved him and saves us. The teaching of the prophet is very powerful indeed: Whether these are the worst of times or the best of times, these are the only times we have.

How, then, might we make the pres-ent count?

By feeding ourselves with the Bread of Life — Jesus — who emptied himself in order to fill our emptiness.

Capuchin Father John C. Auri-lia is pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville.

Guest Column

CAPUCHIN FAtHER JoHN

AURILIAgUESt CoLUMNISt

wriTe A leTTer To THe ediTor

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Mel Gibson’s What did Mel Gibson do recently

that was so extraordinary? He drove a car after drinking. That unfortunately happens every night. He got caught, good.

He then flew into an anti-Semite rage at his arresting police officers; like ice clinking in an empty glass, drunks often say stupid, vile things. But it is no sur-prise that the media had a field day when it learned of Gibson’s tipsy tirade. No, the extraordinary thing was it showed us how truly heartless the American media is.

Gibson has rugged good looks, on-camera charm and the ability to self-produce a blockbuster film, “The Passion of the Christ.” He has an Acad-emy Award for directing “Braveheart” and, undoubtedly, a bank account that would make King Midas feel like a hobo.

But he has his flaws. Most notable is an admitted problem with alcohol. News reports say he was undergoing treatment for alcohol dependency when he was arrested and has since signed up for more.

So, a well-known actor gets drunk and flies into a rage. For the media, that is a genuine story, especially when the subject of the actor’s rage, Judaism, is a sensitive topic. In a world that is being torn asunder by war and in a country where a broken ankle means financial ruin if you are uninsured, the Gibson outburst was worth a news cycle or two at best.

But in this age of 24-hour cable news, blogs and chat rooms that tend to care more about Paris Hilton than Paris, France, we have coverage that lasts weeks and weeks.

Coverage of a drunk driving ar-rest doesn’t make the media heartless.

But when you consider that Gibson has apologized not once, but twice, and in both cases has specifically asked for forgiveness, heartless does describe the continuing coverage.

We are a mostly Christian nation and Christianity, not to mention Juda-ism — “our older brothers in faith,” as Pope John Paul II so eloquently stated — exalts the act of forgiveness.

Forgiveness is mentioned more than 100 times in the books of the Bible. In Chapter 17 of Luke, Jesus says, “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him” (Lk: 17-3). Christ is the greatest forgiver of all time and if he can forgive us every time we humbly seek a pardon, then who are we to deny the same to Mel Gibson?

Forgiveness is the hard work of our faith. When we forgive, we look in the face of an immense wrong, a monumen-tal injustice, and we say, “Forget about it, let’s move on to something better.” Our faith requires forgiveness when someone asks for it and Gibson has asked.

Forgiveness also means “forget-ness.” OK, I made that word up, but you catch my drift.

If we don’t practice forgetness, we carry around anger and pain that puts us right back on the starting line of injustice. We haven’t really forgiven if we haven’t forgotten.

Gibson should answer for his crime. But that is between him and a court of law. The rest of us don’t really have a part in this drama.

News organizations, pundits and gossip television dutifully reported what Gibson said in his statements of contrition. That is what they are supposed to do. But if the media really wanted to be fair, they would drop the story and perhaps focus on Madonna, who has taken to having herself crucified on a mirrored cross during her show, an act that is sorrowful on so many levels.

But the Gibson story hasn’t been dropped. Reporters and editors continue to dream up new angles in their search for spicy quotes from people who are oblivi-ous to the concept of forgiveness.

At some point the media has a responsibility to simply shut up. As people of faith, we should demand more from the incessant roar that is the media.

As for me, for the next couple of months when I see or hear a story about Mel Gibson’s problem, I’m changing the channel or turning the page.

Hey Mel, “forget about it.”

David Hains is director of communica-

Media, public should practice fairness,

Catholics & the Media

dAVId HAINSgUESt CoLUMNISt

CNS photo by maRy kNiGht

Mel Gibson chats with workers outside the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ headquarters in Washington July 21, 2003. Gibson met privately with then-general secretary Msgr. William Fay to discuss “The Passion of the Christ.”


Star-spangled revolution

What impels us? Life is full of struggles, but believers survive, pope

National anthem should define past and future

Why do we do what we do? What motivates us to do the things that we do? What impels us?

In the first century, the apostle St. Paul answered this fundamental question in his second letter to the Cor-inthians: “The love of Christ impels us ...” (5:14).

Centuries later, a contemporary apostle, Bishop Peter J. Jugis, concurred with St. Paul’s response by accept-ing the apostle’s inspired words as his episcopal motto: “Caritas Christi

Urget Nos.”Those who have become acquainted

with the shepherd of the Diocese of Charlotte have indeed heard these words echoed in his teaching and preaching. But recently, this response has found a new venue: it has become the theme of the Diocese of Charlotte’s second Eucharistic Congress to be held Oct. 6-7 this year.

What relevance does this theme have to the Eucharistic Congress?

Last year, the diocese’s first Eucharistic Congress, which providen-tially occurred during the Year of the Eucharist, took for its theme, “Come, Let Us Adore Him.” The events and talks of the congress focused our attention on the true presence of Jesus Christ in the holy Eucharist and the building up of the Catholic Church by means of the eucharistic sacrifice.

Last year, the congress emphasized the nature of the holy Eucharist and, therefore, highlighted the necessity of praising, worshipping and adoring the Lord, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.

This year, however, the theme focuses our attention not so much on the nature of the holy Eucharist but on

its effects, its missionary appeal. What impels us? The love of Christ, experi-enced profoundly in the holy Eucharist.

The love of Christ urges us to preach and teach the truths of our faith. The love of Christ impels us to receive the sacraments faithfully, to attend Mass and to receive the mercy of God in reconciliation.

The love of Christ motivates us to serve the poor, defend the unborn, promote chastity, work for justice, console the sorrowful, etc. Indeed, the love of Christ received most profoundly in the holy Eucharist impels us toward every missionary effort of the church, bringing the light of Christ to a world darkened by evil, sin and death.

St. Josemaría Escrivá commented, “We are urged on by the charity of Christ to take upon our shoulders a part of this task of saving souls. It is impossible to live according to the heart of Jesus Christ and not know that we are sent, as he was, ‘to save sinners’....”

What impels us? The same thing that impelled St. Paul and, indeed all the saints of the Catholic Church, continues to impel every aspect of life in the church today: the love of Christ.

Father Buettner is pastor of St. Dorothy Church in Lincolnton.

by CAtHoLIC NEWS SERVICE

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy — Life is full of struggles and difficulties, but believers survive and even thrive by always keeping in mind the fact that life on earth is simply a prelude to eternal life, Pope Benedict XVI said.

With only 4,000 people requesting free tickets to the Aug. 16 audience, Pope Benedict was able to hold the gathering in the courtyard of his sum-mer villa at Castel Gandolfo, rather than return to the Vatican for the morning.

The pope told his guests he wanted to continue focusing on the assumption of Mary, celebrated the previous day.

“The assumption evokes a mystery that interests each one of us,” he said, because the fact that Mary lives with God in heaven is a reminder that God created each person for eternal life with him.

Unfortunately, he said, people of-ten are so overwhelmed by the daily events of their lives that they forget “this consoling spiritual reality, which constitutes an important truth of faith.”

“There are those who live today as if they will never die or as if everything will end with death,” the pope said.

“Some behave as if human beings have total control over their destinies, as if God did not exist, sometimes going so far as to deny that there is any space for him in our world,” he said.

However, Pope Benedict said, such thinking leads to a sense of confusion and emptiness, because the meaning of life becomes too limited.

“Only openness to the mystery of God, who is love, can assuage our hearts’ thirst for truth and happiness; only the prospect of eternity can give authentic value to historical events and, especially, to the mystery of human fragility, suffering and death,” the pope said.

Contemplating Mary’s assumption and knowing that we, too, are destined for eternity fills believers with peace and serenity even when life becomes difficult, he said.

KAREN A. EVANSStAFF WRItER

What I am about to write is almost guaranteed to generate some “hate mail,” but I’m going to say it anyway.

The United States should drop “The Star-Spangled Banner” as its national anthem.

It’s hard to sing, especially that high note near the end. It has been butchered so badly and so publicly (think comedian Roseanne Barr a few years back), that it is more interesting to listen for how badly the performer sings it than to listen to the song itself.

How many young baseball fans think the last two words are “Play ball!” or that the last line is “O’er the land of the free and the home of the (Atlanta) Braves”?

After hearing the national anthems of both the U.S. and Canada during hockey’s Stanley Cup playoffs, my 12-year-old nephew noted how violent our anthem is, with its “rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air.”

In its short history, America has fought a lot of wars. Some to ensure the freedom of its citizens, some for the free-dom of people in far-off lands.

But do we need, do we want, a na-

tional anthem — the one song that de-fines who we are to the rest of the world — that speaks only of our flag surviving a battle?

I propose having an anthem that encapsulates all that is America: hard-fought freedom and prosperity, the rich diversity of its peoples and lands, gratitude to God for its many blessings. How about a couple of lines that speak to the future: the nation we want to be, not what we were or even what we are?

The Catholic Church values peace above war, creation above destruction, love above all else.

I hope that all Catholics, and Americans, share similar values. If they do, shouldn’t they have a national anthem to reflect those values?

I heard this quote recently: “What you think, you become.”

What if, at every sporting event, school assembly and political gathering, we sang about peace and unity? Maybe Americans would start valuing those qualities, and strive to instill them in their own lives, and in their world.

If you’re a hard-core Francis Scott Key fan, would you settle for replacing the first verse of the poem with the last?

You didn’t know the original poem has four verses? Me neither.

So you don’t have to look it up, here is that last verse:

O thus be it ever when free-men shall stand

Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation;

Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land

Praise the Pow’r that hath made and preserv’d us a nation!

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: “In God is our trust!”

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Part 2 of a 7-part series on the second annual Eucharistic Congress

Making a

KAREN A. EV-ANS

StAFF WRItER

Guest Column

FAtHER MAttHEW bUEttNER

gUESt CoLUMNISt

Openness to ‘mystery of God’ adds value to life, photo by kaReN e. evaNS

The eucharist is displayed during the eucharistic Conference in Asheville June 24.

The Pope Speaks

PoPE bENEdICt XVI

The Cathol ic News & Hera ld 20 ADVerTISeMeNT

August 18, 2006

Aug. 18, 2006

Documents

Transcript of Aug. 18, 2006