February 10, 2013 Volume 17 Number 2 Gospel of Mark Live Comes to Holy Cross By LOU ERBS An exciting opportunity for all parishioners, friends, and members of neighboring churches will be made available here at Holy Cross on March 15 at 7 p.m. Rev. Joseph Morris, a priest of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, will bring to us his dramatization of the entire Gospel of Mark. In two, 50-minute segments, Morris will bring the 15,000 words of the Gospel to a new level of understanding. His one-man drama, using a few simple props and an amazing display of memorization of the text, is an unusual gift. Morris says this of Mark s Gospel: Mark reveals a Jesus with a sense of ironic humor, a quick wit, a profound sensitivity, a calm humility, a magnetic personality, a piercing intuition, a healing touch, who is sometimes annoyed by his followers, yet shows an extraordinary love for them and for total strangers, a Jesus who talks less and does more. Morris has been doing this work for several years, not only locally, but in places across the country, in Canada, and in the United Kingdom. Some years ago, Morris suffered a complex leg fracture that had him confined for four months. What does one do with all this down time? Commit to memory all 16 chapters of Mark s Gospel, of course. From Morris s unfortunate mishap, evolved this solo dramatization. We will be privileged to experience this dramatization here at Holy Cross. There will be no charge for admission. Instead, a free-will offering will be made available. Here we will become as early Christians who met in houses and shared stories as oral traditions. Only later did the good news become recorded on paper. To enter more deeply into the oral experience, we will be able to watch and listen to the performance and let the Gospel escape the gravity of ink and paper. Morris is currently the campus 1 Rev. Joseph Morris brings the Gospel of Mark to life with his one-man drama. Photo from Rev. Joseph Morris. minister at the Catholic Center at Kennesaw State University. He had interest in drama even before he was ordained a priest. Early on he had several additional people, mostly students of drama, involved in this presentation.
Edge and Life Teen Activities Christ Renews His Parish Men s Retreat By PAUL DULION By MARY O CONNOR Both EDGE and Life Teen offer many activities for young people. On Jan. 26, Holy Cross EDGE hosted a bonfire party in the back parking lot. There were s mores, fellowship, relaxing and fun! In February, EDGE will have a food-fast lock-in. The middle schoolers will fast from food for those who struggle to get food. Throughout the night, the teens will learn more about people in this country and abroad that suffer in poverty. This spring, EDGE is also planning a battle of the middle school youth groups. EDGE will invite other youth groups from the archdiocese to compete in team sports and relays. Three teams will be crowned the winners. For this Lenten season, both EDGE and Life Teen will hold penance services. LifeTeen has a busy schedule. In February, there will be a lock-in at Stone Summit, an indoor rockclimbing gym. This spring, the Sunday meetings will focus on social justice topics. Thursday night Bible study will examine the Book of Revelation. Tenth graders in Life Teen will receive the sacrament of Confirmation on April 14 at the 5:30 p.m. Mass. Adults interested in helping EDGE or Life Teen should contact Mary Busbee at 770-939-3501 ext. 232. "Come after me and I will make you fishers of men" With this promise, Jesus called his first disciples. This coming weekend, Feb. 16-17, 2013, the men of Christ Renews His Parish 1 will present a retreat for the men of Holy Cross. The retreat will give you a chance to refocus on your spiritual life through prayer, Scripture study, the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist and fellowship with members of our parish community. You will also begin to see what it is like to be a disciple of Christ. If this retreat is as meaningful to you as it was to me, you will become a member of CRHP 2, the next presenting team. You will continue with your faith formation with prayer, sharing and Scripture study. After about six months, you will be ready when Christ calls the next group to His Renewal Retreat. We need your prayers for us and your participation in the process. Please come to the CRHP retreat. It can change your life. Sign-up forms are available it the gathering area or at the church offices. For information call Stu Stinard 678-371-5942 or Eugene Vigil 470-244-3302. HIV and AIDS Ministry Donation Weekends Please donate hotel-size toiletries, socks, razors, tooth brushes, toothpaste and deodorant to the HIV and AIDS Ministry. The ministry gives these items to an AIDS service organization, Stand Inc., which includes the products in hygiene bags for the homeless in the community. Stand Inc. offers free HIV testing to these folks. 2
Use It or Lose It. Exercise! By KELLY GEORGE When you think about the month of February, you might think about Valentine s Day, love and hearts. But do you actually think about the health of your heart? February is American Heart Month, a time set aside devoted to informing Americans about heart health. The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States; one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, equal to 2,200 deaths per day. Those numbers are shocking. But those numbers can be reduced, even eliminated, if you and your loved ones take precautionary steps. In addition to getting proper medical care, it s important to eat healthy, quit smoking, avoid stress and exercise regularly. For some people that s easier said than done. Finding the time, place or motivation to exercise can be a challenge. But many have found the solution to their exercise needs right here at Holy Cross. Every Monday and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m., Sr. Marilyn Kahl, R.G.S. hosts a free exercise class in the parish hall. The program is geared toward seniors, and movements are designed to be done while sitting in a chair. But don t let that fool you. The participants get an excellent workout. There is a lot you can do in a chair that you don t think about, Sr. Marilyn Kahl, R.G.S., front left, hosts a free exercise class Monday and Wednesday mornings. Though geared toward seniors, pregnant women and people with physical challenges may also enjoy the exercise program. Photo by Kelly George. said Kahl. It keeps the muscles moving, encourages good breathing, flexibility and helps with balance, she said. If you don t use it, you lose it! It s that kind of motivation that brings people into her class. Regina Mona says she participates because she wouldn t do it on her own at home and she likes the camaraderie. My doctor would ask me if I was exercising and I would have to say no. Now I can say yes, Mona said. She s not just impressing her doctor, her friends and family have commented on how fit she looks since joining the class. Virginia Bailey says she also feels more fit and has seen an improvement in her strength, especially in her knee that used to be weak. It keeps you mobile. It s a great 3 support group and it s convenient as it follows 9:15 a.m. Mass, she said. Suzy Miller also likes coming after Mass. I like that it s at church. It s comforting and I feel at home, she said. It s less intimidating than going to a gym. And when it s done, I feel great! Kahl encourages anyone who is interested to come try the class. It s not just for seniors, but also for people who may have some physical challenges, and it s even a great exercise program for pregnant women. The class is held every Monday and Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. in the parish hall. For more information call Sr. Marilyn Kahl at 770-491-6292.
Heavenly Helpers Prepare, Serve Food and Comfort Bereaved Few occurrences in our lives will arouse the same outpouring of care and concern from our neighbors as the death of a loved one. At Holy Cross we have a ministry that channels these natural feelings. After a formal funeral service or Mass, the funeral luncheon ministry prepares and serves a luncheon that offers us, as community, the opportunity to embrace and comfort a family who has experienced a death. It is an environment of joy and celebration to honor life as well as grieve a life s passing. Leslie Carney, coordinator of the funeral luncheon ministry, has been active in the ministry for about 10 years. For the last four years, she had been back-up for the late Norma Matthews and assumed the leadership role last fall. "We are a behind-the-scenes ministry", Carney said. "The people attending the luncheon will probably only notice a few ministry members. It could be as few as six--'heavenly Helpers' as Norma Matthews dubbed us--or depending on the expected crowd, three or four more." The process begins when Carney gets notice from the office about a funeral with a lunch afterwards. She calls the four team coordinators, Delores Hall, Lynn King, Thelma Oswald and Jeanne Culver, and assigns them a dish, such as meat/ casseroles, salad, vegetable or dessert. The team leaders then contact enough volunteers to prepare food for the estimated number of guests. Most teams have 10-15 volunteers and each volunteer is asked to prepare a dish for 10-12 people. Lunches have been prepared for as few as 30 people and as many as 200. In the last four months, the ministry has prepared five luncheons and served approximately 600 people. This ministry could not function without the generosity and dedication of the volunteers. Most of the volunteers are women and many have joined the ministry after experiencing a significant loss in their own lives. At this time, we need more volunteers to cook, serve and assist with coordination. The late Norma Matthews led the funeral luncheon ministry for many years and called the members Heavenly Helpers. It's easy to participate in the ministry and commitment is flexible. Participation provides an opportunity to comfort and care for others in our community. Volunteers who work outside the home often drop off food in the morning of a funeral or the night before, or they make arrangements with their team leader to get the food to church. Carney said, "I have had many opportunities to serve and have also been the recipient of being served. When my Mom died, we were comforted with food and gracious hospitality, she said. It s a gift of love to receive and an easy gift to give." Contact Leslie Carney at 770-908- 9046 or carnestew@aol.com if you would like to join this ministry. 4
Organization Rescues, Offers Hope By JAY MCLENDON The Lenten season begins this week. Each of us is called to prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We strive to deepen our relationship with God and to be grateful for all of God's blessings. Linked to prayer is fasting, which helps us realize that the needs of others are our responsibility, and that we are all the Body of Christ. Almsgiving is not only about our gratitude for God's gifts to us; we are called to live up to our responsibility for others and to perform works of charity and promote social justice. As we prepare to begin our Lenten journey, we consider ways we can intensify our connection and better serve our fellows. We have many such opportunities within our families, our parish and our community. We can educate ourselves about injustices and the needs of our brothers and sisters, even if it makes us uncomfortable. A case in point: In our own state and city, women and girls are the victims of sex trafficking, abuse and exploitation. Just last month, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution ran several columns on child prostitution. One article carried the headline, Twelve indicted in sex trafficking case. Some of these children and women are fortunate enough to be found and helped. Wellspring Living is a nonprofit organization dedicated to achieving those goals. Wellspring Living s mission is to confront the issue of childhood sexual abuse and exploitation through awareness, training and treatment programs for women and girls, according to their Web site, www.wellspringliving.org. Wellspring Living was formed to help women in the community who were survivors of childhood sexual abuse and exploitation overcome their pasts and move toward hopeful futures. Their motto is Rescue. Restore. Renew. Jason King, the church relations manager at Wellspring Living, explained by e-mail how girls and women enter their program. Women come through referrals of all kinds -- family, churches, community -- and are assessed at our own assessment center. Girls come through the GA Care Connection, a part of the system of care for girls identified as being sexually exploited in Georgia. Their social workers and others make the assessment that a girl is appropriate for our residential program, he said. King commented on the road ahead for the clients. Our girls and women have endured multiple traumas, sometimes over many years. The situations many come out of are the very homes and neighborhoods that made them vulnerable in the first place," he said. "We try to change these circumstances when we can, but sometimes it is out of our hands. The main goal for our girls is that they not be exploited again. Sometimes their lives are still not what one would describe as normal, but they've had time to heal to a certain degree and have been equipped to continue that hard work. Wellspring Living was founded in Photo provided by Wellspring Living. 5 2001 in Fayette County by Mary Frances Bowley. She has been recognized for her work with the organization and her dedication to confronting and exposing the issues of childhood sexual abuse and exploitation. The funding for Wellspring Living comes from grants, donations, fundraising events and Wellspring Treasures, which are upscale resale stores that specialize in gently used furniture, house wares and clothing. There are four Wellspring Treasures stores in the metro area including Duluth, Kennesaw, Peachtree City and Virginia-Highlands in Atlanta. The stores are staffed primarily by volunteers. If you feel called to perform works of charity on behalf of these children and women, you can volunteer at an event or a Wellspring Treasures store, donate money or goods for resale, or you can shop at a Wellspring Treasures store. If you would like to volunteer, e-mail volunteer@wellspringliving.org. The Georgia Bulletin ran an article in 2012 that reported that the Atlanta archdiocese partners with Continued on Page 6.
Parish Mission Speaker Named Faith Matters Schedule By DORIS BUCHER By KELLY GEORGE Holy Cross parishioners will have the opportunity to meet Rev. Jacques Daley O.S.B., who will be the mission speaker during this Lenten season. Daley will preach at all weekend English Masses at Holy Cross on March 2-3. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, March 4-6, he will do a mini-talk following the 9:15 a.m. Mass for the elderly and Trafficking From Page 5. Street GRACE, a faith-based alliance that works to end sexual exploitation of children. The article described aspects of the partnership and the involvement of some parishes. See www.georgiabulletin.org/ local/2012/08/02/ faithcommunityvstrafficking. The United States Conference of mothers who are unable to come in the evening. The evening sessions will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the church. If time permits, Daley will meet briefly with young people in the Edge and Life Teen programs. Daley is a Benedictine priest and professor of St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pa. He was born and raised in Detroit Michigan. Daley was ordained in May, 1971. He is nationally known for his role as interim host for Eternal World Television Network (EWTN) Live and programs on St. Thérèse. Daley is also Catholic chaplain at Westmoreland Regional Hospital. He is a seminary teacher and received a licentiate in Spiritual Theology and a doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Angelicum University in Rome, Italy. For more information, contact Penny Lampe at plampe@holycrossatlanta.org. Catholic Bishops describes the purpose of the Coalition of Catholic Organizations Against Human Trafficking on its Web site: www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/ human-life-and-dignity/humantrafficking/coalition-of-catholicorganizations-against-humantrafficking.cfm, and lists Catholic organizations working to combat human trafficking. Catholic Charities offers assistance to women and recovery programs in some cities, such as DIGNITY in Phoenix. 6 Feb. 10, Katie Bashor, The Cry of the Poor: Poverty in Atlanta Feb. 17, No classes during Christ Renews His Parish Retreat Feb. 24, Cory Labrecque, Medical Ethics March 3, Cory Labrecque, Medical Ethics March 10, Kathleen O'Connor, Old Testament March 17, Kathleen O Connor, Old Testament When Cory Labrecque was studying for a degree in anatomy and cell biology, an advisor pulled him aside and warned him to stay away from the electives he was taking in ethics and religion, because non-science courses could keep him from being admitted into full-stream medicine. Fortunately, Labrecque was convinced that medicine and religion have much to say to each other. He is the Raymond F. Schinazi Scholar in Bioethics and Religious Thought at Emory University s Center for Ethics. Katie Bashor has invaluable firsthand experience working with the poor in Atlanta. Kathleen O Connor is a retired professor of Old Testament at Columbia Seminary. Faith Matters meets on Sunday mornings from 10:30-11:30 in rooms 7&8 of the religious education building. Coffee and light breakfast snacks are provided. All are welcome.
HOW CAN WE PRAY BETTER? Part Two By DORIS BUCHER Last October Rev. Mark Thibodeaux, S.J., in his retreat at Ignatius House titled "God, I Have Issues," spoke of four kinds of prayer: with Psalm 139, instead of praying, Even before a word is on my tongue/ behold, O Lord, you know the whole of it, you say, Even before a word is on your tongue/ behold (your name) I know the whole of it. This enhances the feeling of listening to God. being a lot of silence as we go into contemplation. We re trying to get so quiet that we get tuned into the rhythm of God. Then when we turn on the radio of our lives, we see and hear God everywhere. Aren t we supposed to go to prayer for answers? Thibodeaux 1. We talk at God Ready-made Prayers 2. We talk to God Extemporaneous Prayers 3. We listen to God Meditation 4. We learn to be with God Contemplation In January, the first of two articles covered the first two types of prayer. The focus here is on the last two: meditation, listening to God with the aid of Scripture, and contemplation, which entails going deeper than words. Thibodeaux said scriptural passages are like Rorschach tests, those inkblots that reveal aspects of your personality through what you see in them. You bring who you are to sacred Scripture. Read the passage you ve chosen one time. Look for a word or a phrase that strikes you. If nothing strikes you, read the passage a second time and even a third. Zoom in on that one place that speaks to you. Turn it over again and again. You can ask the Lord, why does my heart stop right there? Thibodeaux compared it to looking for a hidden door by knocking on the walls. When you come to the door, that one spot has a different sound. One technique for reading a nonnarrative passage and making it more meaningful for yourself is to turn the words into God s words to you. So, With a narrative passage, ask, How is this being played out in my life? See it again in your imagination, playing that character in the scene that you identify with. If you get an opportunity, just be quiet with the Lord. A favorite expression of Thibodeaux is to lean into being. In other words, if you slip into contemplation--just being with God-- give it priority. You don t need to rush back to words. Stay with one passage for days at a time. Saint Ignatius himself said not to leave a great passage until you ve gotten all the gold out of it. A lot of our prayer time ends up 7 says not necessarily. He quotes C.S. Lewis: I don t pray to change God. I pray to change me. In his book, "Armchair Mystic: Easing Into Contemplative Prayer," Thibodeaux compares the different levels of prayer to a diver who enjoys diving so much that at any given moment it doesn t matter to him how far down he is. Sometimes, at the deepest level, There is only God and I. That s contemplation. Sometimes it feels very shallow, full of distractions and useless thoughts. Thibodeaux reassures us: I ll find the Lord floating among the rubber duckies, too.
Catholic Social Teaching Catholic social teaching is a set of principles and values based upon the gospel and the tradition of the Church. The social teaching of the Church is an essential part of Catholic faith. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops identified seven key themes that are at the heart of the Catholic social tradition. Here is a theme with a quotation from the U.S.C.C.B. s statement Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions. Care for God s Creation: We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God s creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored. Photos by Pam Dorsett. Reaching Out staff: Doris Bucher, Pam Dorsett, Paul Dulion, Lou Erbs, Kelly George, Jay McLendon and Mary O Connor. The staff welcome your comments and contributions. To contact the editor, e-mail pgdorsett@aol.com. 8