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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New “Emergency Contraceptive” to be Approved in the U.S.

 

This contraceptive can potentially cause abortions.

 By: Therese Bermpohl  

This week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will decide whether or not to approve the use of a controversial drug – Ulipristal Acetate – that has already been distributed in the European Union under the name ellaOne for use as an “emergency contraception.” This pill is being hailed by its advocates for its ability to prevent pregnancy for up to five days after sexual relations, compared with the Plan B contraceptive which was approved several years ago and must be taken within 72 hours after sexual relations to “prevent pregnancy.”   

What the advocates of ellaOne (and Plan B) don’t want people to know is that, in addition to preventing fertilization, the drug can also cause abortions. Dr. Donna Harrison, president of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, spoke with ABC News. From their report:  

“Because fertilization of egg and sperm can only be prevented within 24 hours of intercourse if the woman has just ovulated, Harrison says, any emergency contraceptive that is effective five days after sex most likely works by preventing the fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus. If one believes pregnancy begins with fertilization, that action would be considered abortion.”  

People deserve to know the truth about the effects of ellaOne and pro-life groups are hoping that the drug will carry a warning label correctly identifying it as a substance capable of causing an abortion.  

In addition, the damage done by drugs like ellaOne and Plan B goes beyond the abortive sphere. The drugs encourage promiscuity and make it easy for people to walk away from the responsibility that comes with their actions. These drugs communicate a message to young and old alike that sexual relations are easily separated from marriage and its life-giving potential.  These drugs do not encourage us to find solutions to tough problems – what do we do for members of our community who are faced with crisis pregnancies? One thing is for certain, if Ulipristial Acetate is approved, it will be a lose-lose for our culture.

UPDATE: The FDA has approved use of ellaOne in the United States and the Pro-life Chair of the USCCB has voiced ‘Grave Concern’  to the FDA.

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Bishop Loverde: Expressing the love of Christ on the digital continent

By: Bishop Paul S. Loverde 

In the midst of World War II, Saint Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Franciscan priest, wrote, “No one in the world can change Truth. What we can do and should do is to seek truth and to serve it when we have found it.”  

Saint Maximilian Kolbe

 

Saint Maximilian Kolbe was martyred in a concentration camp when he volunteered to take the place of a man to be executed. Pope John Paul II canonized him in 1982. Saint Maximilian Kolbe’s resolute faith and resolve to communicate that faith even in the most desperate of circumstances gives us an example of hope for our own lives. While we do not face the same unimaginable trials, we ask for his intercession that we too may be given the grace to communicate the truth despite the presence of many obstacles in our society. 

For example, today, some media provide us with stumbling blocks to holiness. At times it may seem that we have nowhere to turn when looking for family-friendly resources. We are bombarded every day with immoral messages in the music to which we listen, the books we read, the television we watch and the advertising on the Web sites we visit. 

And yet, we are not to hide from the world, are we? No, we must make prudent choices about the media we consume and also play a role in producing quality content. It is vital for every Christian to take seriously his or her role in combating immoral messages with the antidote of truth through evangelization. In his message on the occasion of the 44^th World Communications Day, our Holy Father tells us: “God’s loving care for all people in Christ must be expressed in the digital world … as something concrete, present and engaging.” 

Here in the Diocese of Arlington we strive to carry out the Holy Father’s directive through communicating the Good News of the Gospel and of the Church to parishioners and to secular society. This is accomplished via our Web site and on this blog, as well as on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and iTunes. We produce podcasts, videos, photo galleries and press releases. This past Lent, in partnership with the Archdiocese of Washington, many of you participated in The Light is On For You, a Lenten initiative which offered forgiveness and encouragement through the Sacrament of Penance to each of us who has been separated from God by sin. 

We have steadily seen the concrete fruits of our efforts in engaging the virtual world. Our Web site receives over 36,000 visits a month. Our Facebook page boasts more than 1,800 fans. Almost 1,000 people follow the Diocese on Twitter. As snowstorms pummeled Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. this past winter, many of you who were stranded in your homes by the inclement weather were able to tune into our televised mass. 

To maintain our presence in both the virtual and physical world, your support is needed. This weekend, June 12-13, as part of the nationwide Catholic Communications Campaign, we ask you to consider prayerfully your calling to financial stewardship. Your generous contributions will fund the local initiatives discussed above and national projects as well (such as Catholic radio and television), to ensure that Christ’s Word will be, as our Holy Father asks, “concrete, present and engaging” to all. 

 In the spirit of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, who triumphed over sin in receiving the crown of martyrdom, let us also resolve to work tirelessly to triumph over the poison of sin and the culture of death.

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Lorena Dorsey Named CBN Teacher of the Year

By: Sr. Bernadette McManigal 

I want to introduce to you another special person, a teacher of the year. Mrs. Lorena Dorsey was one of the four Teachers of the Year, along with Dr. James Potter, who I wrote about previously, named by the Catholic Business Network (CBN). A graduate of James Madison University, Mrs. Dorsey worked in the medical field as a vascular sonographer for ten years. She then decided on a career change and went back to college to become certified in education. 

Mrs. Lorena Dorsey

 

Mrs. Dorsey has been teaching at St. Theresa School, Ashburn, for the past 12 years, and she has taught first through fifth grade. She enjoys the challenge that teaching in a new grade affords and has taught in different grades for more than three years in a row. 

Mrs. Dorsey has always fostered a warm and caring environment for her students. Special occasions, such as birthdays, are heralded by fresh bread baked by a bread machine right in the classroom! 

In his pastoral letter, Growing in Wisdom, Age and Grace, Bishop Loverde writes, “Our Catholic schools nurture our youth by providing daily opportunities to learn about the faith, to grow as the young Jesus did in wisdom, age and grace, and to develop the values and virtues that will enable them to live an authentically Christian life.” 

Teachers such as Mrs. Dorsey certainly give invaluable support and guidance to our students as they mature and learn in our Catholic schools.

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What Is the True Value of Education?

In his most recent column, Bishop Loverde reflects on the martyrdom of Saint Thomas More and the need for a true education to assist us in living a Christian life. The following excerpt is from The Importance of a True Education: 

Saint Thomas More, the patron of the Diocese of Arlington, was martyred because of his refusal to swear an oath of loyalty to King Henry VIII. The king defied the authority of the Pope and declared himself the head of the Church of England because he did not wish to accept the Catholic Church’s teaching on marriage. Saint Thomas More’s principled resolution in refusing to swear the oath was not only the result of much reflection, but also of his keen intellect, which contributed to forming his conscience in order to make wise decisions. His holy example of martyrdom demonstrates the true value of an education: the ability to apply the reality of our faith to concrete life decisions that occur on our path to holiness.

For the complete column, please visit here.

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Finding poverty in Virginia

By Kevin Bohli 

With Diocesan WorkCamp just one month away, the Office of Youth Ministry is in the midst of the final details for the event. One of the more difficult tasks is finding the homes that the young people will be repairing during WorkCamp. While one does not need to look far to find homes in need of repair throughout Virginia, the challenge is finding people who are willing to invite five teenagers to help them in their current situation. 

Bishop Loverde learns about WorkCamp projects

 

The process of finding the homeowners whom we will be assisting this summer began nine months ago, back in September 2009. This process started by establishing relationships with social service agencies in the communities where we will be serving.  

WorkCamp staff members then meet with the agencies and explain that we are looking to make homes “warmer, safer, and drier.” While cosmetic repairs are appreciated by the homeowner, our goal is to make more substantial repairs to their homes, and thus have a greater impact on their lives. WorkCamp does not have a “means test” for any of its homeowners, meaning that they do not need to pass a minimum income level or meet any other requirement for us to serve them. If a homeowner is willing to open his or her door to our teenagers and request our assistance, then we feel blessed to have the opportunity to help. 

The “ideal” WorkCamp projects include building wheelchair ramps, replacing leaky roofs, inefficient windows and broken gutters and repairing flooring that has been damaged by water. Additionally, WorkCamp volunteers will install wheelchair-accessible showers, repair and replace trailer skirting, widen door frames for wheelchair access, install handicap-accessible toilets and complete painting projects. 

Repairing Decks is just one of many ways which teens serve others at WorkCamp

 

Agencies are asked to submit “project proposal” forms to WorkCamp staff, and site visits follow after the proposals have been reviewed. Every project site is visited by WorkCamp staff with a representative from the agency to facilitate the introduction of WorkCamp. WorkCamp staff members then walk through the home to find repairs within our expertise to complete and to insure that the crew will be working in a safe environment. 

Now that we have located our 140 homes to repair this coming summer, WorkCamp staff members are in the process of completing all of the necessary permits and preparing the volunteer contractors who will be overseeing and teaching the teens to make the professional-quality repairs. 

While the homeowners go out of their way to thank WorkCamp for the home repairs, it is truly WorkCamp that is indebted to them. Without the humility and willingness to invite these teens into their homes and their lives, WorkCamp could not exist, and teenagers would miss an amazing opportunity to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to those in need.

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How do you Handle Disagreements? Improve your Relationships

By: Therese Bermpohl    

How do you relate to others in friendships and relationships?

 

 We live in a world full of technological advances, where anybody who is anybody is on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin and has an iPhone and the ability to access the internet from the far recesses of the world. Isn’t it ironic that one of the top reasons cited for divorce is poor communication skills? There is just no way around it: good communication skills make for good marriages.       

Ask yourself these questions:    

• How do I handle or react to conflict? 
• Am I able to express myself clearly and charitably when I disagree with a friend, significant other or spouse? 
• Do I hold grudges? 
• Do I pray before I speak? 
• How would I rate my listening skills? 
• Am I open to compromise? 

According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Web page, Making a Case for Marriage, couples who remain married have the same “types of disagreements as those who divorce. The difference stems from how they handle disagreements. It’s about behaviors – or best practices.”     

Every year, the Office for Family Life hosts a communications series aimed at getting young adults to think about improving their communication skills prior to entering the sacred vocation of marriage.  We want to help couples learn how to navigate the waters of disagreements before they pronounce their vows before God, family and friends so that their marriages will last a lifetime.    

How do you Communicate?

 

 If you are considering marriage, or perhaps you just want to learn better communication techniques, join us on Wednesday, June 9 and Wednesday, June 16 for a two-part series led by licensed psychologist, Lisa Klewicki, founder of Fountain of Life, LLC, and therapist Art Bennett, Director of the Alpha Omega Clinic and author of The Temperament God Gave You: The Classic Key to Knowing Yourself, Getting Along with Others and Growing Closer to the Lord and The Temperament God Gave Your Spouse.     

 The talks will be held each night at 7:30 p.m. at St. Ambrose Catholic Church, Annandale. A wine and cheese reception will begin at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $10 per talk.  For more information, e-mail Kateri Schmidt at yam@arlingtondiocese.org

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Bishop Loverde: Confirmation and the Battle Against Sin

By: Bishop Paul S. Loverde 

Each year, during the fall and spring seasons, I travel throughout the diocese to meet thousands of young men and women and mark them with the seal of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation. For each of them, the sacramental event is their “Pentecost.” 

Bishop Loverde at St. Philip, Falls Church

 

Pope John Paul II told us, “On the first Pentecost our Savior gave the Apostles the power to forgive sins when he poured into their hearts the gift of the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit comes to you today in the Sacrament of Confirmation, to involve you more completely in the Church’s fight against sin and in her mission of fostering holiness.” 

In recent years, I have noticed a growing receptivity among young people toward receiving the Sacrament. The confirmandi (those to be confirmed) recognize the need to “fight against sin” with the help of the Holy Spirit. Through correspondence and conversations, I hear sincere assertions of how the confirmandi wish to live their lives, the challenges that they face and their desire for this particular presence of the Holy Spirit within them.  They also write enthusiastically about their confirmation saints, expressing with clarity the reasons why these holy men and women inspire them. 

Bishop Loverde confirms young people from across the Diocese each year

 

Each era has its own challenges and the 21^st century is no exception.  In my Confirmation homilies, I do not shy away from talking to teens about the realities they face (or will soon face) in society, including peer pressure, the abuse of alcohol, drugs, pornography and sexual temptations.  It is essential that these young people understand that they are not alone. The Church realizes that these very real issues are truly a testing, that is, a temptation. Living virtuously is not always easy. 

However, I point out these very real issues to emphasize an even greater reality – that during the Sacrament of Confirmation, the Holy Spirit enters our souls and strengthens us to overcome these inevitable struggles. It is a common misconception that Confirmation is simply a celebration of young Catholics becoming adult members of their faith. Although it is true that Confirmation completes the process of Christian initiation, we must remember that because we have been confirmed, the Holy Spirit is present within us as we pursue holiness, be it five, twenty or fifty years later.  

As I greet the newly-confirmed at the end of the Mass, I hand each of them a card with the following prayer. I invite you to pray this prayer often, even every day, recognizing that with the Holy Spirit, we can win the battle against sin, placing our hope each day in the Lord: 

 

  

Confirmation Prayer Card

 

Spirit of God, grant me the gift of WISDOM to see the world through Your eyes.
The gift of COUNSEL to make difficult decisions.
The gifts of KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING to use my mind to know You and to love You.
The gift of FORTITUDE to have the courage to live in faith despite difficulties and disappointments.
The gift of PIETY to be able express my special love and commitment to You.
And the right kind of AWESOME FEAR that makes me pause to wonder and to revere God’s love.
Amen. 

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New to the Diocese? Finding your Parish

Question: I am new to the Diocese and was wondering what the process is for registering for a parish. Do I have to register for a particular one?  

Our Locator makes it easy to find parishes, schools and Mass times.

 

In the Diocese of Arlington, parishioners are required to register at the parish within whose boundaries they live. Your question goes beyond just an organizational policy. Rather, canon law says that priests are responsible for the spiritual well-being (ensuring the sacraments, etc.) of the people within his “domicile.”  

Here are some easy steps to register for a parish:  

1. Use the ‘Locator’ (found on our homepage or here) to enter your county, city or zip code to locate the closest parish nearest you. Click on the blue church icons to learn the parish’s address, Web site and telephone number. Or you can view the online Diocesan Directory (click here) which gives you details on the parish boundaries for each church within the Diocese. If you aren’t sure how to use these, send us an e-mail at communications@arlingtondiocese.org.  

Bishop Loverde giving the homily at the Catholic Heritage Festival

 

There are also two national parishes in our diocese:  Holy Martyrs of Vietnam, Arlington and Saint Paul Chung, Fairfax. These churches were designated to serve the Vietnamese and Korean communities, respectively. Parishioners do not have to live within the boundaries of these two parishes to attend. Decisions about any exceptions relating to church registration are made per the pastors’ discretion and done on a case-by-case basis.   

2. Call the parish near you to inquire about registration and receive any necessary forms. This is especially important when it comes time to receive the Sacraments!           

Also remember that parents receive the “parish rate” if they send their kids to the parish school where they are registered.   

3. Become involved in parish life! There are also plenty of diocesan ministries in which you can participate (look at www.arlingtondiocese.org for more details).  

Welcome to the Diocese of Arlington!

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College Criteria and SATs

  

From the time they start as freshmen, high school students work hard to learn and to prepare for college.

 

 Question: I am a parent of an eighth grade son and trying to decide where to send him to school next year. Recognizing that colleges will be looking for high SAT scores, how do the Catholic schools in the Diocese compare to national and area averages? Are students given SAT prep to help them excel?   

Response by Sr. Bernadette McManigal   

SAT scores (or ACT scores in some parts of the country), academic grades and curriculum are the three most important college admissions criteria.  Educational Testing Service (ETS), the non-profit institution that administers the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), is clear, however, that the SAT is just that: a measure of student aptitude.    

Students in the diocesan schools have exceptional SAT scores and out-shine their peers by a considerable margin in most of the public school districts in Northern Virginia, as well as on a national level. 

	Critical Reading	Math	Writing	TOTAL
Diocese of Arlington	595	569	594	1758
Arlington County	541	548	521	1610
City of Alexandria	484	474	483	1441
City of Falls Church	568	577	567	1712
Fairfax County	552	569	543	1664
Loudoun County	533	535	525	1593
Fauquier County	517	520	494	1531
Prince William County	507	499	493	1499
Spotsylvania County	497	484	478	1459
Stafford County	506	504	484	1494
State Average	511	512	498	1521
National Average	501	515	493	1509

- As reported by the College Board for 2009   

Grades, on the other hand, depend upon the ability, quality, rigor and expectations of the student’s academic program, and the degree to which a student applies himself or herself to the program.  Each of the four diocesan high schools and the two affiliate high schools of the diocese offer high quality, rigorous programs that have been recognized by colleges and universities across the United States.     

As you look at high schools for your son, from the point of view of college preparation, I would encourage you to look at the quality of a school’s core curriculum, possibilities for honors and Advanced Placement courses, foreign language requirements and electives that will enhance your son’s high school education.   Colleges and universities will be looking at these items, what your son studied and his academic performance.   

For more information about the academic excellence, religious formation and safe environments in our Catholic high schools in the Diocese, check out the Web site and the Annual Report or contact the Office of Catholic schools at catholicschools@arlingtondiocese.org.

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