And the World Saw White

Meredith Smith is a parishioner who most recently worked at Holy Spirit parish in Annandale, but is now studying at the Angelicum, a Pontifical University in Rome. We asked Meredith to share with us her experience (and photos) of being in St. Peter’s Square when the new Holy Father, Pope Francis, was selected.

Last Wednesday evening, white is exactly what the world saw: white smoke, white lights on the white basilica, and a white cassock. Our new Papa, Francesco, had been elected and was being announced to the world! I was very blessed to have been in St. Peter’s Square when the smoke went up and when Papa Francesco first stepped out onto the balcony.

It was a very miserable evening in Rome; it was raining and had been raining for days. So it was wet, cold, and we were very tired. But I had not seen any smoke live; I did not go to the Square on Tuesday evening and I was in class on Wednesday afternoon, so I was going to stay in that Square until smoke went up! I was with a group of seminarians from the Venerable English College and we all thought that we were going to see black. No one was expecting to see a new Pope that evening, and to be honest I wanted to get back to dry clothes and a warm bed! We were there waiting to see if anything would happen at the 5:30 ballot. 5:30 came and went and by 6 we decided that the ballot must have been inconclusive. So we made a circle with our umbrellas and settled in to wait, as settled as you can get in the rain and cold! And then at about 7:05 smoke went up; at first it looked grey and there was confusion: “Black? White? No? Yes?” But it quickly became clear that it was most definitely white and all the bells began to ring, announcing to all in Rome that a new pope had been elected!

As soon as the smoke went white everyone in the Square began to push/ run toward the front of the Square, towards the Basilica, to try to get the best view of the balcony where the new pope would soon appear. I was lucky enough to end up, or rather to be pushed, directly in front of the balcony, half way between the Obelisk and the Basilica. I had an amazing view. And then it was time to wait some more! Excitement and anticipation built with every minute; the speculation began: “Who would it be? Where would he be from? What name would he take?” The waiting seemed like an eternity and a nanosecond at the same time. People were singing songs from their countries and waving their country’s flags and people were chanting “Viva il Papa”. Words cannot even describe the joy and excitement that could be felt as I stood there with hundreds of thousands of my closest friends. The Square filled, the surrounding streets filled, it seemed that all of Rome came to greet their new Shepherd. And then, just over an hour later, the curtain moved!

“Habemus Papam”. The announcement was hard to understand and again there was confusion, “Who did he say? Where is he from? What name did he take?” Slowly, through the crowd you could hear murmuring of “Argentina… Francesco… Buenos Aries.” And then he appeared, Papa Francesco!

 

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How One Woman Found Help After Abortion

I had an abortion in 1995. The next several years of my life seemed to be a series of one awful thing after the other, it became overwhelming. So many terrible things happened, I felt like I was going to have a nervous breakdown.

At first I wondered if God was punishing me. Then I realized I could blame God, or I could take responsibility for what I did. It was MY DECISION. God had nothing to do with it, nor did He “punish” me for what I had done. I was punishing myself!!

I had no idea I could be forgiven for such a grave sin. Even though I went to church, it seemed like the priest only talked about “respect for life”, and never spoke about being able to be forgiven after having an abortion. The guilt I felt on Mother’s Day and March for Life weekend at church was incredibly painful.

For many years I wanted to confess my sin, but was afraid … I would not even tell my cousin who is a priest.

Then one day (17 years later), I was in a restroom at a church I was visiting when I saw a paper that read “help after abortion.” As I went on reading the piece of paper that was taped to the wall, it said there is healing and forgiveness after abortion. Even after reading it I thought “Forgiveness??? Really???” At the bottom of the page were tabs to pull off and a phone number to call. I pulled one off, and even then, I was hesitant to call.

After a week or so, I called and spoke with Jo at the Diocese of Arlington. She was so supportive and positive. She told me about Rachel’s Vineyard [our diocesan retreat]. It sounded too good to be true. I signed up to attend the upcoming retreat.

That retreat turned my life around!!

I feel so blessed to have experienced the forgiveness of God, and my retreat was on Divine Mercy weekend. It was amazing. The priest we had at our retreat was a Father of Mercy, and he was such an empathetic, kind man. He was not the priest that was scheduled to be at our retreat, but God sent him to us, and he will stay in my heart forever. What a wonderful man.

The women I met there know more about me than friends I’ve known for years. We stay in touch and we all went to Mass together last month and had a luncheon. We are planning a get together around the Christmas holidays and there is a true bond between us. It’s absolutely wonderful.

I pray that more people who need healing and forgiveness learn about Project Rachel and attend a retreat. It will be the beginning of the rest of your life. You can be forgiven and you can heal. Just let God in. I realized God never meant for me to hurt for all those years, He never did anything to punish me. He loves us. We are His children. Remember, He said: “Come to me, all who are weary.”

Please go to Him if you are weary and He will give you peace. God Bless You.

Note: There is a Project Rachel retreat occurring in Northern Virginia, November 2-4. There are still open spaces if you or someone you know is in search of healing after an abortion.

Diocesan Post-Abortion Ministry provides referral to specially trained priests and/or professional counselors, healing retreats and written materials. For confidential assistance please call 1-888-456-HOPE (4673) or email info@helpafterabortion.org.

 

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Fr. Allegra, a Saint for the New Evangelization

By: Corinne Monogue

One out of five people on the planet live in the country of China. It is hard for me to even imagine that many souls (1,344,130,000 is the reported number as of 2011). As we all have read or heard, but perhaps cannot fully understand, Catholics have been persecuted in China and the Church and faithful afflicted by considerable political oppression. Yet, here are many millions of men and women longing for the Gospels – for the Truth.

Fr. Allegra

It is for these reasons that the September beatification of Fr. Gabriele Maria Allegra is such a major event for Chinese Catholics all around the world, including right here in our diocese. Fr. Allegra (a Sicilian Franciscan and a Scripture scholar) arrived in China in 1931 and worked for about four decades to provide the Chinese with an accurate, beautiful translation of the Bible.

He is truly a saint of the new evangelization! Almost every Chinese Catholic I know in this diocese has Fr. Allegra’s translation in their home. He helped light the fire of evangelization and love for God within millions and millions of people!

Sadly, relations between the Church and China did not allow him to be beatified until recently. Yet now, we can all recognize a man who embraced the power of God’s Word in his own life and dedicated himself totally to bringing that Word to an entire culture.

We have so many brothers and sisters in the faith in China. I, for one, will pray for Fr. Allegra’s intercession, that the Word of God may continue to bring them joy and love of the faith.

 

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Saint Gabriel: “Do Not Be Afraid”

By Sarah LaPierre, Director of the Gabriel Project in the Diocese of Arlington

A woman, whom I will call “Diana,” was all set and ready to walk in for her scheduled appointment at the abortion facility. It was for her second abortion. As she was about to enter, someone handed her a brochure. It said, “Pregnant, need help?” Inside it read: “Each of us is the result of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary.”

These are the words of Pope Benedict XVI. The brochure also lists a helpline number for confidential support, including prenatal care and other community resources.

In addition, the words of the Archangel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary are printed: “Do not be afraid, for nothing is impossible for God.”

As you know, God the Father sent the Archangel Gabriel to ask Mary to be the Mother of Christ and also to bring the Good News of the Nativity to the shepherds and, therefore, to all of us. Gabriel is a messenger who announces in no uncertain terms that the Lord is here, that there is hope! He still bears this message today – to the afflicted, to the hopeless, to those facing seemingly insurmountable difficulties. 

“Diana” did call one of those numbers, and she got Gabriel Project pregnancy assistance ministry. We were able to financially sponsor her medical care at Tepeyac Family Center. We also matched her with Gabriel “Angels.” These volunteers provide on-going support and encouragement. They gave her rides, supplied her with baby items and food, and made visits just to talk or teach interests such as crochet. Most importantly, these women who are trained Gabriel “Angel” volunteers listened reassuringly with a welcoming presence during this expectant mother’s pregnancy to help alleviate her fears and concerns. They passed along words of wisdom and instilled hope as they walked this journey alongside her.

Our pregnancy ministry is named after the Archangel Gabriel because we believe that all mothers should hear the Good News – that the Lord is there for them and their babies. And, in turn, the name is a reminder that the “Gabriel Angels” and each one of us are called to be messengers of the Good News. We should challenge ourselves to give of our time (the Gabriel Project is always looking for volunteers – in fact, there is a training Saturday!), our compassion and our prayers.

Saint Gabriel, Pray for us!

UPDATE: “Diana” just called today.  It turns out that at the metro a pregnant woman commented on her beautiful baby. “Diana” asked why she was crying. The young woman said that she is being pressured to abort. “Diana” said she didn’t have to – that there is help.  This woman was in the same exact situation, alone and scared.  ”Diana” then proceeded to tell her experience with Gabriel Project.

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Illegal Immigration: A Catholic Perspective on Law, Policy and Pastoral Practice

By: Father Stephen F. McGraw, J.D., and Father Donald J. Planty, J.C.D.

Frs. McGraw and Planty provide a thorough look at the debate over illegal immigration in our country and how we can begin to grapple with the ethical questions involved. The rest of their article may be found by following the link at the end.

In the context of the debate over illegal immigration, most of us are by now familiar with the query, “What is it about ‘illegal’ that you don’t understand?”  This saying may be said to betoken a fair point, inasmuch as it is an arresting way of exposing the tendency to disregard the rule of law, perhaps in favor of sentimentalism, in the context of illegal immigration.  But at the same time this saying, if the truth be told, betrays an oversimplification that begs the question:  Is there something about “illegal”—about law and the violation of law, about how and when and why law binds us—that needs to be better understood, and might such a better understanding be of help in resolving this issue?

From a Catholic perspective, grappling with the ethical questions raised by the current debate over illegal immigration requires an honest scrutiny of the Church’s social teaching on this issue, the main lines of which are traced out in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:  on the one hand, “[t]he more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin”; on the other hand, “[p]olitical authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants’ duties toward their country of adoption” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2241).  There is then a summons to us, as individuals and as a nation, to human and Christian solidarity towards immigrants to our country, although the Catechism significantly notes that this obligation of solidarity is limited according to the extent that a nation is “able”—that is, what a nation is not reasonably able to do, consistent with the common good it is charged with promoting, it is not morally obliged to do.  Moreover, in furtherance of the common good, the right to immigrate may justly be made subject to various laws, and to these laws there corresponds a moral obligation of respect and obedience.  But the duty to uphold the rule of law, to be properly understood, requires an adequate context and the making of some critical distinctions, if we are ever to arrive at a proper resolution of this tension.

This essay doesnot pretend to cover the many aspects—social, political, economic—relating to the question of illegal immigration.  Nor even, although it is concerned with ethics, does it claim to exhaust all the ethical dimensions that bear on this question.  There is no intention to formulate specific policy proposals.  The aim is to provide, in the area of law and ethics, of pastoral practice, and of public policy, some clear principles and a foundation, upon which a reasoned discourse on this issue can be solidly based.

Read more here.

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Welcoming Life with Support from New Friends

The new parish coordinators at St. Francis de Sales and St. John the Apostle recently teamed up to help this mom. Below is just a small snapshot from one of the coordinators of all that they’ve done so far…

As our GPA Mom was about to give birth, Gabriel Project members took shifts staying with her at the hospital all day and late into the night, assisting in any way we could. This included being present to help translate during the labor and delivery, staying with her so her husband could go home to pick up some things and helping her to become comfortable feeding the baby.

She was so appreciative of everyone’s efforts on her family’s part.  I came bearing gifts for her and baby, including a beautiful blanket made by the hands of our prayer shawl ministry at St. John, $100 worth of Giant gift cards collected by St. Francis parishioners, a bear gifted by my daughter Isabel for the baby, and a bouquet of mums in her favorite color courtesy of Sacred Heart Homeschoolers.  In addition, I let her know that many, many people were praying for her and her family.

The GPA Mom talked earnestly to me about feeling loved by our community.  She had been having a sense of anxiety as she prepared to have this baby alone, in a faraway country, without a friend or family nearby.  Although her husband is with her, he works 6 days a week often up to 10 hours a day.  We helped give her a sense of family and friends through our community of Christians, and her fears were shed one by one.

She came last fall to the U.S. from Vietnam to try to establish a better life for her family.  She comes from an impoverished countryside in Vietnam, and has seen her parents and siblings suffer through poverty.  Her father is a rice field farmer in poor health; her mother is a fruit vendor.  She took it upon herself to learn English, in some degree, before coming here.  She is more than willing to work hard, continue to learn English, and apply herself to some position to better her family.

She told me yesterday that she is learning a lesson from us.  She sees wonderful mothers all around her trying to teach her the gentle approach to motherhood.  She quietly observes and patiently listens.  If she is open to learn from any of us, it is the Holy Spirit working in her heart.

I am sharing all this with you to let you know what an amazing testimony the Gabriel Project can be to our Church, as we strive to impart Christ’s love by caring for innocent babes and their mothers.  I thank everyone that helped out.  It was truly needed and appreciated.

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Community and Faith

Since Northern Virginia is a transient area with many young adults moving to the area in pursuit of career opportunities, we asked some of them to talk about the importance of community. Below is one reflection we received:

By: Daniela Zurita

About two years ago, I came back to the Faith after eight years, or perhaps even more. One of the first things my spiritual director suggested I do was to contact the Young Adult Ministry office. And I did. At first, it was strange because I am not that social. I thought that it might not help me at all.

A recent session of Theology on Tap (photo credit: Bryan McKinney)

The first young adult event I attended was Theology on Tap. That day, there was a talk about forgiveness by Father Dan Leary (listen to his talk here). It was just what I needed to hear at that moment. It was a great talk and I felt that he was speaking directly to me. I was looking for forgiveness and I understood that I had to forgive to move forward with my life. It was one of the days I will never forget because it’s when I stepped out of fear and followed Christ.

Then I attended two different events for young adults at different parishes. I found many good friends who share the Faith and who were there to support me in my struggles. It wasn’t easy at first, but everyone at each event I attended was really friendly and had an interest in knowing me as a person. I made great friendships at different young adult events.

One of the things that struck me was that I could see – in many young adults – love for our Faith and, most importantly, love for God. They are great examples of love, which was something I didn’t think existed. I have to thank the Young Adult Ministry because today I am in love with God and with our Catholic Faith. It truly changed my life. Not only did I learn about my Faith, but I also learned what true love was and what a true friendship was. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to be part of the young adults in the Diocese of Arlington. Some of the greatest people I know are part of this diocese.

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Getting Creative in the Fight against Hunger

By: Art Bennett

President and CEO, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington

The Diocese of Arlington encompasses some of the most influential and prosperous counties in the country. Financially, the Lord has blessed us abundantly and it can be easy to think hunger isn’t such a problem.

But drive just an hour west on I-66 from St. Thomas More Cathedral and people are standing in line at ‘Loaves and Fishes,’ the newest Catholic Charities food pantry in Front Royal, Virginia.

Overcome with gratitude, not only for the food they receive, but also for the dignity with which they are treated, several clients have embraced pantry manager Shelly Cook with tears in their eyes.

Volunteers serve Thanksgiving dinner at Christ House, Alexandria

That reality is that people are hungry in our diocese. In the outermost and rural parts of the diocese especially, the hunger and need is extreme. Closer to our nation’s capital, 10 percent of our neighbors do not have the food they need. Faced with the prospect of feeding a family during the summer without the help of free or reduced school lunches, many parents are desperate.

That is where Catholic Charities comes in. Our goal at Catholic Charities is to bring the love of Christ to everyone, particularly the most disadvantaged and poor. We can only do this with your help.

We are finding new ways of reaching the rural poor, but unfortunately we are running out of food. We have to get creative and work together as a community to get food back on the tables of our brothers and sisters right here in our own diocese.

That is where you come in. No matter where you live or how old you are, you can make a significant contribution by donating funds or food, or organizing a food drive in your community

Here are just a few of our programs your support can help in the fight against hunger:

• Each month, Christ House provides 1,800 free meals to the clients who come for our nightly dinner program. Operating 365 days a year (even during Snowmaggedon!) with the help of parishes and groups from all over the diocese, our staff and volunteers daily feed and welcome the poor.

• Christ House on Wheels (affectionately nicknamed “CHOW”), is a program made up of a regular army of volunteers who collect food from food drives and other sources and deliver it to where it’s needed most: the rural parts of the diocese.

• Supplemented by the fresh produce from their brand-new St. Martin’s Garden, the many seniors at the St. Martin de Porres Senior Center, Alexandria, receive 940 lunches and 370 breakfasts per month. At the senior center, game prizes often include fresh bread and other food items.

• At our Western Regional Office in Leesburg 120 lunches per month are delivered to homeless individuals accessing a local day center.

• Each month, 580 families are provided with nonperishable goods from our three food pantries in Front Royal, Leesburg and Alexandria.

• And much more …

Unfortunately, all of these programs are dangerously under-stocked with food and supplies. I invite you to prayerfully consider how you can help: whether in the form of money or food donations or organizing a food drive in your parish or community. Visit Catholic Charities at www.ccda.net or call 703-841-3830 for information on how you can help the poor in our diocese.

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Solidarity of Men in Christ, a Catalyst for Spiritual Re-Awakening

By: Juan, a participant at the first annual Men’s Conference in March 2010

I never thought of myself as the type of person that would benefit from a men’s conference, probably because of my narcissism.  I also didn’t see myself as fitting in with men who I viewed as “too religious” or even “cheesy.”

I didn’t think I would fit in and, even though I agreed to go, I was a bit guarded. I wanted to get something out of the conference but change is difficult. I could sense that I was changing and that the event was going to be another catalyst for positive change. I am so thankful that I participated because it absolutely was.

This year's conference will take place at St. Joseph, Herndon

It is hard to point at one thing or person that impacted me the most. When I first arrived at the conference I tried to keep to myself but time and again men would say hello and draw me out.  I could feel the positive, accepting and loving attitude of the men at the conference and I soon put my guard down.

Then came the speakers: Father Scalia, Congressman Smith and Captain Guy Gruters. These men spoke about family, manly responsibilities, life, death, struggle, and how Jesus Christ could lead us through it all. Their passion and fervor impressed me to tears at times.

Bishop Loverde and diocesan priests celebrate Mass at last year's conference

However, I do often point to the Mass at the end of the conference as the highlight. The event culminated with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Loverde. I have never been in a mass with only men. The power of 400 men, together in worship, singing, praying, in communion together was crucial to my transformation.

The men’s conference was an integral part of my spiritual re-awakening.  I have re-established my relationship with my wife and family. My mental, physical and emotional life is in balance. And I give the glory to God the Almighty!

For more information about this year’s Conference, to take place on March 19, and to register, visit: The Men’s Conference.

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‘How Was Your Trip?’: Reflecting on the Diocesan Mission in the Dominican Republic

By: Mark Herrmann, Chancellor of the Diocese of Arlington

It’s hard to put into words.  But I wish that everyone in the Diocese of Arlington could go where I’ve just been, and experience what I briefly experienced.

 

Students at the parish school welcoming their visitors with a song

Since 1991, our diocese has staffed and supported two mission parishes in the Dominican Republic – San Francisco de Asis in Bánica and San José in Pedro Santana.  These two small towns lie along the Rio Artibonito, a shallow, muddy river that forms the border with neighboring Haiti. Two of our diocesan priests – Father Christopher Murphy and Father Keith O’Hare – oversee the spiritual care of the people, with help from local parish staff and volunteers from the U.S. This past week, I had an opportunity to visit for an all-too-short amount of time.

 

By U.S. standards, life in the two towns is difficult.  Homes are rudimentary; many have outhouses.  Electric service goes out for a portion of most days; the water is impure.  Mosquitoes carry dengue fever; the area’s first cases of cholera have crossed the border from Haiti. The hospital lacks basic supplies; diagnostic equipment doesn’t work.  Weeds grow over partially-completed government projects – a half-built park, an abandoned factory.

But that’s only part of the story of our mission parishes – they include not only the towns of Bánica and Pedro Santana, but also the campos – dozens of tiny villages in the surrounding hill country, some as much as five hours away by motorbike or mule.  The life of the people of the campos is a world apart.

 

A local woman shares a glimpse of her kitchen.

In Cercadillo – one of the closer campos, about an hour by four-wheel drive from Pedro Santana – families live in dirt-floored huts constructed from bits of sheet metal, scraps of wood, and mud.  The kitchen is a shed made from woven branches; food is cooked over an open fire.  Running water is available only because of an “aqueduct” constructed a number of years ago by the Catholic Church and the Peace Corps.  I put “aqueduct” in quotations because it seems a grandiose designation for a thin PVC pipe trailing for miles across the countryside, buried a few inches deep in the stony ground and fed by gravity from a mountaintop spring – a spring which is now beginning to run dry.  Meals consist largely of rice and beans, although Sister Gracia, a Franciscan sister from Brazil, has helped the residents create a community vegetable garden that is tended with the greatest of care.

 

The impoverished surroundings grab your attention, but it’s the people that grab your heart in a way that doesn’t let go. They may have very little materially, but they are proud to show you their homes and their families, and to introduce you to their culture.  They radiate a joy that transcends their surroundings. Upon our arrival, the families in Cercadillo flocked to their tiny chapel, where religious songs were sung with vigorous enthusiasm. Smiles were everywhere.

Upon my return home, by coincidence or design, my daily prayer book the next day pointed me to Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount:  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven….  Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?… Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” (Mt. 5-6). In our world filled with distractions and “stuff,” the poorest of the poor can teach us the importance of simplicity.  And the petty day-to-day frustrations of Northern Virginia life fade into insignificance when we recall those for whom it is a daily challenge to obtain the barest necessities.

Rev. Keith O'Hare, pastor of San Francisco de Asis in Bánica

We have been given so much – probably too much – and much is therefore demanded of us.  The people of our diocese are supporting a wonderful work in the Dominican Republic.  The sacraments are celebrated and the faith is taught with fervor.  And in the absence of basic infrastructure, the Catholic Church works alongside the local residents to build roads, supply water, distribute drugs and medical supplies, provide the only ambulance service, operate a K-8 school … the list goes on and on.

In the past few days, so many people have asked me, “How was your trip?”  For them, and for you, I don’t have the right words to describe it.  I wish you could go where I’ve just been.  I wish we could do even more.

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