July 8, 2012 Volume 16 Number 7 Eagle Scout Project Honors Flag By PAUL DULION About three and a half months ago, Harry Andrews, a Life Scout in troop 15 of Holy Cross, started planning his Eagle Scout project. His plan was to collect 50 U.S. flags that had been judged unusable by their owners. Andrews hoped that his project would remind people of the importance of flag etiquette and respect for the flag, the symbol of our country. He realized that it would be easier to just pitch the tri-colored piece of cloth in the trash instead of bringing it to a place of collection. However, Andrews concern was unnecessary. He collected 122 flags. The ceremony, held on Flag Day, June 14, included a celebration of the flag followed by the retirement. The flag chosen to represent all of the flags to be retired was lowered to the melody of "Taps. As the flag was folded, the symbolism of each of the 13 folds was described by Bob Diebold, the Knight of Columbus honor guard commander. Then, a new flag was presented, raised and saluted as onlookers recited the Pledge of Allegiance and sang a verse of the "Star Spangled Banner." The flag retirement ceremony followed. The recently lowered flag was reverently placed in a roaring fire and completely consumed. The remainder of the flags, which had been divided into white and red stripes and the field of stars, was then placed in fires and tended to assure complete destruction. Members of the attending group were encouraged to place parts of the retiring flags into the fires. Andrews said he wanted to thank his parents Bill and Tonya Andrews, the Knights of Columbus, members of troop 15 and the Holy Cross community. As a new flag is raised, Scouts and Knights of Columbus sing the Star- Spangled Banner. Harry Andrews, second from left, Life Scout in troop 15, collected old flags and reverently retired them on Flag Day for his Eagle Scout project. Also pictured are Scouts Nick Young, far left, and Devin Summers, and Knights, left to right, Rodney White, Bob Diebold, Al Smith and Gerry Burns. Photo by Paul Dulion. 1
Parishioner Response at Meeting Unfavorable to Property Purchase Owners of property on Northbrook Drive have offered to sell to Holy Cross. Photo by Jay McLendon. By JAY MCLENDON On Sunday, June 10, the pastoral council, led by Chairman Donovan McGee, held a parish meeting to obtain input from parishioners about an opportunity to expand our campus. The owners of a home with acreage offered to sell their property to Holy Cross for $375,000. In order to make the purchase, the parish would need to raise the necessary funds to cover the cost. The overall response of the parishioners who attended the meeting was not favorable to the purchase. Subsequently, Rev. Richard Tibbetts reported in the parish bulletin of June 23-24, that he decided to continue to accept checks and pledges for the purchase until July 31, so that more parishioners have the opportunity to express their wishes. He said that collection of donations close to $300,000 will indicate consensus in favor of the purchase. Catholic Construction Services Inc. of the Archdiocese of Atlanta completed an initial inspection and indicated that the archdiocese would only approve the purchase if the parish's pastoral and finance councils supported the purchase and if the parish acquired sufficient donations to make the purchase. The archdiocese suggested that the house on the additional property be used as a rectory, the current rectory be used for offices and the current offices be used for ministries. At the meeting, McGee stated the basic needs of the parish based on 2010 data. There are 2552 families registered at Holy Cross, a number being verified by the pastoral council, and 84 ministries and activities that need meeting space. He said that space for staff and clergy offices, religious education classrooms and parking are other areas of concern. McGee said a committee is working to identify the needs of Holy Cross but needs more volunteers to complete the assessment. Rev. Tibbetts said the parish finances are gradually improving and that the current economic conditions are most likely to blame for the slowdown in collections. Office manager Beth Butler said that collections are sufficient to cover current operations without having to draw from the parish's savings, which are currently in excess of $500,000. However, these savings may not be used for the purchase of additional property per archdiocesan policy. The property consists of about two acres with a fivebedroom house that is large enough to serve as a rectory. Only 2 cosmetic changes to the house may be needed. Parishioner's comments varied but were generally negative to the purchase of the property. The purchase seemed inappropriate to some parishioners in the absence of a current assessment of the parish's needs for space. In addition, there would be additional costs, if the property is purchased, to make the house suitable for a rectory, create a path from the back parking lot to the new property and convert the current rectory into offices. Various suggestions were made for the creation of additional space on our current property by building a structure on the soccer field or adding a second story to the religious education building. Rev. Tibbetts said about $10,000 has been donated for the purchase of the property at 3176 Northbrook Drive. The property is listed with Sally English of Realty Associates with an asking price of $409,900, currently $399,000. English's web site is www.englishteam.com. The minutes of the meeting are available on the Holy Cross web site under Announcements. The pastor, Rev. Richard Tibbetts, right, and parishioners discussed an opportunity to purchase property to expand the parish campus at a June 10 meeting. Photo by Jay McLendon.
HIV and AIDS Ministry Donation Weekends Beverly Cash, center, teaches an adult painting class at Holy Cross after the 9:15 Mass on Tuesday mornings. Sr. Anita Kristofco, left, and Carole Kissel share a love of painting and got the class started. Photo by Paul Dulion. The Joy of Painting By PAUL DULION You may have noticed the announcement in the bulletin about a group that meets to paint after the 9:15 a.m. Mass on Tuesdays in the religious education building. The group started less than a year ago when two ladies, who have some experience and love for painting, got together to start a painting class at Holy Cross. Carole Kissel has 40 years experience in crafts. She knew that Sr. Anita Kristofco was taking painting in the life enrichment program. The pair got permission to use a room in the religious education building and invited Beverly Cash to teach them more about painting techniques and practices. Cash has been painting for over 40 years. This adult class, taught by Cash, is open to anyone from beginners to advanced painters. Kissel said that being in a group helps encourage her to paint. Members of the group, which has now grown to seven, share information and help each other. The mediums used are oil, acrylic and watercolor. If you are interested in some creativity and fun after the 9:15 a.m. Mass on Tuesdays, contact Carole Kissel at 770-934-1736 or Sr. Anita Kristofco at 770-491-6292. 3 July 7-8 Aug. 11-12 Sept. 8-9 Oct. 13-14 Nov. 10-11 Dec. 8-9 Please donate hotel-size toiletries, socks, razors, tooth brushes, toothpaste and deodorant. The ministry also accepts monetary donations.
Kaleidoscope s 4th Grade Studies India By MARY O CONNOR Last month, Megan Malvoisin wrote about her experiences with Kaleidoscope. This month, I am writing as a first-time participant in Kaleidoscope, which was held June 11-17. Not only was it my first time attending Kaleidoscope, but I was a teen volunteer! I was assigned to the 4th grade class headed by Art Guilmet and Rachael Pipon. We studied India. It was an eventful week for the country of India during Kaleidoscope. Throughout the week, we did a variety of things. We made needlepoint crosses from plastic canvas and yarn. We learned about Blessed Mother Teresa, who worked most of her life in Calcutta, India, helping the sick and dying. We made place mats with prayers of Mother Teresa. Our class acted out the story of Zacchaeus to show that Jesus calls each and every one of us to him, and we also acted out the story of Jesus calming the storm to show that you must believe and have faith. Every day, we learned sign Kaleidoscope fourth grade teachers Rachael Pipon, left, and Art Guilmet, right, taught campers about India and their Catholic faith. Teens assisted, including Mallory Lever, center. Photo by Mary O Connor. language for different words from Cecilia Forbes, including the words India, eat, drink, tree, sitting in the tree, cook, Mary and Catholic. The activity that I enjoyed the most was cooking foods from India. We made chicken curry and a honey spice cake. That same day, we had a guest speaker, Vinoo Stephenraj, from India who told us about India s currency, religion, language, Kaleidoscope fourth graders enjoyed Indian food, including, left to right, Mark Montello, Jake Vrazel, Christian Turbe and Ridley Moran. Photo by Mary O Connor. 4 marriage and population. She even brought a sari and one of our students got to try it on! A sari is the type of clothing that women wear in India. We made tie dye shirts, to represent a celebration in India called Holi, which commemorates good harvest and fertility of the land. During this holiday, people put colored powder on themselves. Everyone had their picture taken and made picture frames for Father s Day. The last activity for Kaleidoscope was 9:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday. Everyone processed in, led by their country s banner. The Kaleidoscope campers led the singing, served as lectors and read the petitions for the Prayers of the Faithful that each class wrote. At the end of Mass, all of the classes sang Go Ye Out in the language of the country they studied while doing sign language. It was a special gift for all fathers! I can t believe how fast the week went by! I can t wait until next year.
Do you know the seven themes of 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: 1. Life and Dignity of the Human Person 2. Call to Family, Community and Participation 3. Rights and Responsibilities 4. Option for the Poor and Vulnerable 5. Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers 6. Solidarity 7. Care for God s Creation 5
25th Anniversary of Ordinations For 13 Men from Holy Cross By LOU ERBS In May, 1987, the Archdiocese of Atlanta was enriched by the addition of 51 new permanent deacons, perhaps a national record. Because of the large number of candidates, two Saturdays were reserved for ordinations, May 16, during which 27 men were ordained, and May 23, when 24 became deacons. Holy Cross parish was well represented with 13 candidates involved in the May 16 celebration. The 13 men were: Frank Coughlin, Enrique Galvis, Lou Hettel, Bill Jindrich, Mike Jones, Tom McGrane, Sam Mure, Jose Navarez, Cece Reimer, Whitney Robicheaux, John Stroop, Dick Suever and Bill Timme. Some of these men remained for service at Holy Cross, while others were assigned to other parishes. Cece Reimer and Whitney Robicheaux are still active in our parish. During the time that these ordinations were being planned, our then archbishop, Rev. Thomas A. Donnellan, suffered a stroke on May 1 and was confined to St. Joseph's Hospital for a lengthy period. In order that the scheduled ordinations could go forward, Rev. George Lynch retired auxiliary bishop of Raleigh, N.C., was called upon to celebrate the ordinations It is of interest to know that our pastor at the time, Rev. Daniel Shanahan OP had a particular interest in the permanent diaconate, praising it as one of the greatest gifts of Vatican II. He was instrumental in setting up programs in several cities where he was previously assigned. Coincidently, at the same time, Deacon Walt Bedard was in charge of the program of formation for the archdiocese. It was indeed a time rich in vocations. We owe a debt of gratitude to these men and especially to their wives and families whose support enabled these deacons to contribute significant service to the Church. Their lives were forever changed for the good of many. Lou Hettel Whitney Robicheaux Tom McGrane Cece Reimer 6
Frank Coughlin John Stroop Michael Jones Enrique Galvis Sam Mure Dick Suever Bill Timme Bill Jindrich Not pictured, Jose Navarez. 7
TASTE OF LIFE A special event to benefit Living Room Wine Tasting Food Tasting Live Music Raffle and Silent Auction Beer, spirits, coffee and soft drinks Saturday, July 14, 2012 Holy Cross Catholic Church 8 pm 10 pm Living Room is Georgia s largest provider of housing and housing services for people living with HIV/AIDS. Purchase tickets online at www.livingroomatl.org. $45 per person or $80 per couple in advance $50 per person or $90 per couple at the door, if available For more information, contact Pam Dorsett at pgdorsett@aol.com or Carmen Graciaa at graciaafamily@gmail.com. Reaching Out staff: Doris Bucher, Pam Dorsett, Paul Dulion, Lou Erbs, Megan Malvoisin and Mary O Connor. The Reaching Out staff welcome your comments and contributions. To contact the editor, e-mail pgdorsett@aol.com. 8