The First Thanksgiving Day

Some thing not well known by most folks, interesing, and surprising. So where did you say the first Thanksgiving took place..?

Here is a more in depth article on the same subject that appeared in the 2002 edition of my Diocese magazine The St. Augustine Catholic - http://www.staugcatholic.org/feature1.shtml

When on September 8, 1565 Pedro Menéndez de Avilés and his 800 Spanish settlers founded the settlement of St. Augustine
in La Florida, the landing party celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving, and, afterward, Menéndez laid out a meal to which he invited as guests the native Seloy tribe who occupied the site. The celebrant of the Mass was St. Augustine’s first pastor, Father Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales, and the feast day in the church calendar was that of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. What exactly the Seloy natives thought of those strange liturgical proceedings we do not know, except that, in his personal chronicle, Father Lopez wrote that “the Indians imitated all they saw done.” What was the meal that followed? Again we do not know. But, from our knowledge of what the Spaniards had on board their five ships, we can surmise that it was cocido, a stew made from salted pork and garbanzo beans, laced with garlic seasoning, and accompanied by hard sea biscuits and red wine. If it happened that the Seloy contributed to the meal from their own food stores, fresh or smoked, then the menu could have included as well: turkey, venison, and gopher tortoise; seafood such as mullet, drum, and sea catfish; maize (corn), beans and squash. What is important historically about that liturgy and meal was stated by me in a 1965 book entitled The Cross in the Sand: “It was the first community act of religion and thanksgiving in the first permanent [European] settlement in the land.” The key word in that sentence was “permanent.” Numerous thanksgivings for a safe voyage and landing had been made before in Florida, by such explorers as Juan Ponce de León, in 1513 and 1521, Pánfilo de Narváez in 1528, Hernando de Soto in 1529, Father Luis Cáncer de Barbastro in 1549, and Tristán de Luna in 1559. Indeed French Calvinists [Huguenots) who came to the St. Johns River with Jean Ribault in 1562 and René de Laudonnière in 1564 similarly offered prayers of thanksgiving for their safe arrivals. But all of those ventures, Catholic and Calvinist, failed to put down permanent roots. St. Augustine’s ceremonies were important historically in that they took place in what
would develop into a permanently occupied European city, North America’s first. They were important culturally as well in that the religious observance was accompanied by a
communal meal, to which Spaniards and natives alike were invited. The thanksgiving at St. Augustine, celebrated 56 years before the Puritan-Pilgrim thanksgiving at Plymouth
Plantation (Massachusetts), did not, however, become the origin of a national annual tradition, as Plymouth would. The reason is that, as the maxim holds, it is the victors
who write the histories. During the 18th and 19th centuries British forces won out over those of Spain and France for mastery over the continent. Thus, British observances, such as the annual reenactment of the Pilgrims’ harvest festival
in 1621, became a national practice and holiday in the new United States, and over time obliteated knowledge of the prior Spanish experiences in Florida, particularly at St. Augustine. Indeed, as the Pilgrims’ legend grew, people of Anglo-American descent in New England came to believe that Plymouth was the first European settlement in the country and that no other Europeans were here before the arrival of the Mayflower – beliefs that are still widespread in that region. In recent years, Jamestown, Virginia has
enjoyed some success in persuading its Anglo-American cousins in Plymouth that it was founded in 1607, thirteen years before the Pilgrims’ arrival, and that there were
regular ship schedules from England to Jamestown before the Mayflower’s voyage of 1620. Furthermore, Berkeley Plantation near Charles City, Virginia, has convincingly demonstrated that it conducted a thanksgiving ceremony on December 4, 1619, nearly two years before the festival at Plymouth. Thought to have been on Berkeley’s menu were oysters, shad, rockfish, and perch. Along the old Spanish borderlands
provinces from Florida to California an occasional voice is heard asserting that this site or that was the first permanent Spanish settlement in the United States – a claim
often made in Santa Fe, New Mexico which was founded in 1610 – or that it was the place where the first thanksgiving took place. An example of the latter claim appeared last year in the New York Times, which, while recounting the colonizing expedition of Juan de Oñate from Mexico City into what became New Mexico, stated that celebrations of Oñate’s party in 1598 “are considered [the Times did not say by whom] the United States’ first Thanksgiving.” The historical fact remains that St. Augustine’s thanksgiving not only came earlier; it was the first to take place in a permanent settlement. The Ancient City deserves national notice for that distinction. Perhaps most of New England is now willing to concede as much, though that was not the case in November 1985, when an Associated Press reporter built a short Thanksgiving Day story around my aforesaid sentence of 20 years before in The Cross in the Sand. When his story appeared in Boston and other papers, New England went into shock. WBZ-TV in Boston interviewed me live by satellite for its 6:00 p.m. regional news program. The newsman told me that all of Massachusetts was “freaked out,” and that,
as he spoke, “the Selectmen of Plymouth are holding an emergency meeting to contend with this new information that there were Spaniards in Florida before there were Englishmen in Massachusetts.” I replied, “Fine. And you can tell them for me that, by the time the Pilgrims came to Plymouth, St. Augustine was up for urban renewal.” The somewhat rattled chairman of the Selectmen was quoted as saying: “I hate to
take the wind out of the professor’s sails, but there were no turkeys running around in Florida in the 1500s. But there may be a few loose ones down there now at the University
of Florida.” So there! Within a few days of the tempest a reporter from the Boston Globe called to tell me that throughout Massachusetts I had become known as “The Grinch Who Stole Thanksgiving.” Well, let’s hope that everyone up north has settled down now. And let’s enjoy all our Thanksgivings whenever and wherever they first began.

Dr. Michael V. Gannon is a Distinguished Service Professor of History at the University of Florida. He has had a long interest in the early Spanish missions of Florida about which he has written extensively. Two of his books, Rebel Bishop (1964) and The Cross in the Sand (1965) treat of
the early history of this state.
St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002 9
Charles de la Ronciere’s painting
depicts the Timucuan Indians
welcoming French explorers to their
Florida homeland.
Built on land once used as a
Spanish fortress, Bishop Kenny
High School stands as a
stronghold of excellence and a reminder
of the diligence of the many Catholic
men and women who for five decades,
instilled the importance of a faith-based
education in more than 11,000 graduates.
“Bishop Kenny High School is a faithdriven,
college preparatory school,” said
Father Michael Houle, current president
and alumnus, who also served as a
teacher at the school for seven years.
“Our mission and goals have grown
over the years, but our Christiancentered,
educational values have
remained the same.”
It was Archbishop Joseph P. Hurley,
the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Saint
Augustine, who paved the way for
future growth of the diocese by
purchasing tracts of land for churches
and schools. One such tract, on the
banks of the St. Johns River, was the 55-
10 St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002
By Joy Batteh-Freiha
“Our mission and goals have grown
over the years, but our Christiancentered,
educational values have
remained the same.”
Class of 1953 – Mary Ellen Tischer, Nellie Owens, Amo Baldwin, Bill Sabbag, Lorraine Purnell,
Paul Wolfe, Joyce Sallas and Joyce Bertheaud are striving for the maximum “words per minute.”
acre site of Bishop Kenny High School. The school opened its
doors to 300 young men and women in 1952.
Bishop Kenny High School was initially named Central
Catholic High School. It was formed as a result
of the consolidation of three Catholic
secondary schools in Jacksonville: St.
Paul’s in Riverside, St. Joseph Academy
at Seventh and Market Street and
Immaculate Conception. In 1953, it
was rededicated and renamed in
honor of Bishop William J. Kenny, the
third bishop of the Diocese of Saint
Augustine and the first American-born.
Bishop Kenny served as pastor of
Immaculate Conception Parish in
Jacksonville in the late 1890s and was a
fervent supporter of Catholic education. He
was also instrumental in establishing
Assumption Parish in Jacksonville and
seven elementary schools within the diocese
before his death in 1913. From the
beginning, Bishop Kenny High School was
established to bring a Christ-centered
education to all students regardless of race
and religion – an ideal that Bishop Kenny worked tirelessly to
provide.
In fact, in the early 1960s, Bishop Kenny High School was
one of the first schools in Northeast Florida to accept and
encourage students of other races.
The president of Bishop Kenny High School from 1956 to
1967 was Msgr. Mortimer Danaher. Under his guidance, Bishop
Kenny began to strengthen its academic offerings and provide
more facilities.
“Bishop Kenny High School has provided a great service to
the citizens of North Florida for 50 years and with God’s
blessing will continue to do so,” said Msgr. Danaher. “From
preparing young people for their future educational needs to
serving as a landmark of success to the early leaders of our
diocese, Bishop Kenny High School is solid in its education and
faculty.”
Msgr. Daniel Logan, who taught Latin and Religion classes at
Bishop Kenny in 1965 and later became president in 1971 for
18 years, agrees. “Bishop Kenny is not just another private
school, it’s a Catholic school steeped in proud traditions
and Catholic values – that’s been the core mission of
the school since the very beginning – to nurture the
faith of the students,” he said.
The surging demand for faith-based education in the
1980s and 1990s sparked an extensive growth spurt at
the school.
As enrollment increased so did the need for an expanded
curriculum.
“I remember such an outpouring of support from Catholics
and non-Catholics alike for our efforts to improve the quality
of education at Bishop Kenny,” said Msgr. Logan. “One such
fundraising effort, which included the assistance of former
Governors Rueben Askew and Bob Graham, proved to be very
beneficial to our efforts.”
When it first opened in 1952, the high school consisted of the
East Building, used for coed student classrooms, the
administration wing and locker room facilities adjacent to the
present gymnasium. In 1953, an addition to the library was
added as well as the cafetorium. In 1960, the first two wings of
the West Building were added. In 1962, the gymnasium was
St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002 11
BKHS Girls in 1953 yearbook.
BK Religion Teacher, Father Daniel Cody,
and seniors (Class of 1966), Jerry
Weedon, Tom Ford and Joe Deihl.
built and in 1964, the third wing of the
West Building was added and served as
the Girl’s High School.
The 1970s and 80s, were pivotal in
bringing more advancements to Bishop
Kenny. During this period, the entire
school was completely air-conditioned, a
football stadium, tennis courts, baseball
field and more parking areas were
added to the campus. Improvements to
the cafetorium included a stage and
more additions to the library also took
place.
In the 1990s the student population
rapidly increased, inviting yet more
expansions and improvements to the
campus.
In 1992, a Fine Arts building was
completed; twelve more classrooms were
added in 1995; the Bishop Paul Tanner
Chapel was constructed in 1997 as well
as a $2 million upgrade to the computer
technology department; more classrooms
in 1998 and a Campus Ministry Center
was built in 2001.
Today, Bishop Kenny High School
remains a competitive leader for students
seeking secondary education with 99
percent of its 2002 graduating class
planning to attend schools of higher
12 St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002
Presidents of Bishop Kenny:
Rev. Joseph H. O’ Shea 1952-1953
Rev. William J. Weinheimer 1953-1954
Rev. Terence J. Farrelly 1954-1956
Rev. Msgr. Mortimer Danaher 1956-1967
Rev. William Joseph 1967-1969
Rev. James Amos 1969-1971
Rev. Msgr. Daniel B. Logan 1971-1989
Rev. Michael R. Houle 1989- present
Principals of Bishop Kenny:
Sister Marie de Lourdes, SSJ 1952-1958
Sister Marie Bernard, SSJ 1958-1959
Sister Francis Joseph, SSJ 1959-1962
Sister Thomas Joseph
McGoldrick, SSJ 1962-1970
Rev. James Amos 1970-1971
Mr. Edward Bristow 1971-1975
Sister Mary Damian, SSJ 1975-1977
Mr. George Gazdick 1977-1989
Sister Thomas Joseph
McGoldrick, SSJ 1989-1992
Miss Jane Marnett 1992-2002
Mr. Todd Orlando 2002- present
The Art Class under the direction of
their instructor, Sister Mary Joseph, have
made an interesting collection of
sculptured figures in plaster. (1966).
Bernadette Flowers describes the
battle of Fort Henry in her U.S. History
Class (1980).
education and earning more than $4
million in scholarships. Furthermore,
Bishop Kenny High School has retained
its accreditation from the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools since
its founding in 1952.
“That’s a credit to the strong
collaboration of our faculty and staff,”
said Father Houle. “When you look back
on the many contributions made by
parents, faculty, priests, the Sisters of St.
Joseph and alumni, it’s rewarding to see
their work succeed for the benefit of our
students.”
According to published reports, the
average teaching experience of the
Bishop Kenny faculty is 14 years, with 53
percent of the 94 full-time faculty
holding a master’s degree. Student
population is approximately 1,600 with
an average class size of 25. And there is
room for more students.
“We’re one of three least expensive
Catholic high schools in the state of
Florida,” said Father Houle. “We offer
our students the opportunity of a costeffective,
Christ-centered, quality
education. As our tradition continues to
grow, Bishop Kenny High School, with
the collaboration of our parents, faculty
and alumni, will remain well situated to
meet the needs of the future.”
“We have much to be thankful for,”
said Msgr. Logan. “Our graduates have
been blessed with significant success
which is a credit to our history.”
St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002 13
Join the 50th Anniversary
celebration, Saturday, November 9,
beginning with a reception and tour
of the campus at 10 a.m., followed
by a Mass at noon at Assumption
Parish. A dinner/dance celebration
will begin at 7 p.m. and will feature
live music from local artists KTB.
Cost is $50 per person. For more
information or to make reservations
for the dinner/dance, call the
Bishop Kenny Development Office
at (904) 398-7545.
The Bishop Paul F. Tanner Chapel was completed in 1997.
Answers
1. John Lanahan. 5 wins: 4 losses.
The year was 1952.
2. Msgr. Mortimer Danaher,
Msgr. Joseph James just to name a few!
3. Jerry
4. Bridge tolls were 25 cents, raised to
35 cents before they were removed.
5. The teacher was the late Frank Zappa’s
father, George Zappa.
There have been significant changes in
our understanding and practice of the
Anointing of the Sick in recent
decades. No longer called “extreme unction”
(“Last anointing”), this sacrament has been
made more widely available to the People of
God and is seen as potentially leading to
physical as well as spiritual healing. To
understand these changes, a look at the
history of this sacrament may be of help.
The New Testament portrays Jesus Christ
as a teacher and as a healer, touching the
sick and restoring them to health through his
divine power. Just as he commissioned his
disciples to continue his teaching mission, so
Jesus also committed his healing mission to
them. In Mark 6:13, the disciples undertake
to heal those who are suffering: “They
expelled many demons, anointed the sick
with oil, and worked many cures.” Later, the
New Testament letter of James 6:14-16
admonishes: “Is anyone among you sick? He
should summon the presbyters of the church
and they should pray over him, and anoint
the seven sacraments of the catholic church part six of a series
Anointing
of the Sick:
“Through this holy
anointing, may the
Lord in his mercy help
you with the grace of
the Holy Spirit.”
By Father Douglas K. Clark
14 St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002
GLENN DANFORTH
him with oil in the name of the Lord,
and the prayer of faith will save the sick
person, and the Lord will raise him up.
If he has committed any sins, he will be
forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to
one another and pray for one another,
that you may be healed.”
This anointing of the sick has two
purposes in James: healing of physical ills
and forgiveness of spiritual sins. In the
sacrament of anointing, the grace of the
Holy Spirit is given, a grace of
“strengthening, peace and courage to
overcome the difficulties that go with the
condition of serious illness or to the
frailty of old age” (Catechism of the
Catholic Church, 1520). This grace “is
meant to lead the sick person to healing
of the soul, but also of the body if such
is God’s will” (CCC 1520).
The emphasis of Latin Church, before
the Second Vatican Council, tended to
fall on the spiritual healing of the sick
person, on the forgiveness of sins. Yet the
liturgy of this sacrament “never failed to
beg the Lord that the sick person may
recover his health if it would be
conducive to his salvation” (CCC 1512).
In the Eastern Churches, the primary
end of the sacrament has always been
physical healing, although not to the
exclusion of the spiritual.
Since Vatican II, the Latin Church has
stressed both the spiritual and physical
aspects. Vatican II adds to the description
of the sacrament given in the decrees of
the Council of Trent, which it quotes at
length, the following words: “’Extreme
unction,’ which may more properly be
called ‘anointing of the sick,’ is not a
sacrament for those only who are at the
point of death. Hence, as soon as any
one of the faithful begins to be in danger
of death from sickness or old age, the
fitting time for that person to receive this
sacrament has already arrived”
(Constitution on the Liturgy, art. 73).
Therefore, when any serious illness
arises or is in prospect (for example,
when a person is facing major surgery),
the sacrament may be conferred. If the
anointed person begins to recover and
then relapses, he or she may be anointed
again. It should be noted, however, that
the sacrament is not to be trivialized by
being conferred on people who are
perfectly healthy or whose illnesses are
minor.
Whenever possible, the Anointing of
the Sick should take place during a
liturgical celebration, after a Penitential
Rite and a Liturgy of the Word. It may
even be followed by the Liturgy of the
Eucharist, especially during communal
celebrations of the sacrament. The priest
lays hands on the sick persons in silence,
a gesture of invoking the Holy Spirit,
and then anoints their foreheads and
hands with the Oil of the Sick. This is
olive oil or another natural oil, blessed
by the bishop at the Mass of Chrism
with a prayer invoking the Holy Spirit,
or, in case of need, blessed by the priest
himself with a similar prayer. During the
anointing of the forehead, the priest
prays, “Through this holy anointing, may
the Lord in his mercy help you with the
grace of the Holy Spirit.” During the
anointing of the hands, he says, “May
the Lord who frees you from sin save
you and raise you up.”
Because of the wording of James, the
conferral of this sacrament is reserved to
priests (sacerdotes), that is, to presbyters
and bishops.
Father Douglas Clark is a priest of the
Diocese of Savannah, Ga. and editor of their
diocesan newspaper, The Southern Cross.
St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002 15
Watch for part seven, the
Sacrament of Marriage in
the February issue.
TELEVISIONMASS
Are you homebound and unable to physically
participate at Mass each week due to illness or age? Stay
connected and join us each week for the TV Mass:
Gainesville - Cox Cable Ch. 21
Saturdays at 6:30 p.m.
Gainesville - WCJB-TV Ch. 20
Sundays at 11:30 a.m.
Jacksonville - WJWB-TV Ch. 17
Saturdays at 6:30 a.m.
Palm Coast - Shaw Cable Ch. 2
Sundays at 9 a.m.
A free weekly missalette to celebrate the Mass is also
available. Call us at 1-800-775-4659, ext. 108.
Coordination and production of the Television Mass is a ministry
of the Office of Communications, Diocese of Saint Augustine.
By Chelle Delaney
16 St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002
Death
Is Not The End
In the face of death, the
Catholic Church
confidently proclaims that
God has created each
person for eternal life and
that Jesus, by his death
and resurrection, has
broken the chains of sin
and death that bound
humanity. During the
funeral of a Christian, the
church intercedes on behalf
of the deceased because of
its confident belief that
death is not the end nor
does it break the bonds
forged in life.
No matter how strong a person’s faith
in the resurrection, the death of a loved
one, relative, friend, acquaintance, is
painful and difficult. We know by
experience that when one member of the
body of Christ suffers, all the members
suffer with that member. Therefore the
funeral rites of the church also ministers
to the sorrowing and consoles them with
the comforting word of God and the
sacrament of the Eucharist.
The Order of Christian Funerals is
structured to help us express our grief,
say our goodbyes, entrust our loved
ones to the mercy of God, and affirm
our hope that we will see our loved
ones again and enjoy their friendship
when the love of Christ destroys death
itself.
The Order of Christian Funerals
consists of three parts:
1) Vigil and Related Rites and Prayers
2) The Funeral Liturgy and
3) The Rite of Committal
The "Vigil and Related Rites and
Prayers" helps the mourners express
their sorrow, recall the Christian life of
their beloved, and find strength and
consolation through faith in Christ and
His resurrection to eternal life. The rest
of the community supports the mourners
at this time by praying that the one who
has died may have eternal life.
© DANIEL NEVINS/SUPERSTOCK
The "Funeral Liturgy," frequently
celebrated within Mass, but which may
be celebrated outside of Mass, is the
central liturgical celebration of the
Christian community for the deceased.
During this liturgy, the community
gathers with the family to give thanks to
God for Christ’s victory over death, to
commend our loved one to God’s tender
mercy and compassion, to seek strength
in the midst of suffering and trial, and to
proclaim the Easter mystery and Christ's
promise of eternal life for all the elect.
The "Rite of Committal" is our farewell
to our beloved brother or sister in Christ.
As we commit the bodies of the
deceased to their resting place in a
cemetery, they pass from the community
of believers on earth into the welcoming
company of those who need faith no
longer but see God face to face.
“The church has taught for centuries
that our bodies are temples of the Holy
Spirit and we should be respectful of the
body both in life and in death, for on the
last day this body will be raised,” said
Father Tim Lindenfelser, who is the
director of diocesan cemeteries.
From the earliest days of Christianity
cremation was seen as a pagan ritual, a
denial of the resurrection of the body
and therefore contrary to Catholic
teaching and prohibited.
However, in 1963, the Catholic Church
lifted its prohibition forbidding Catholics
to choose cremation. Canon 1176 of the
1983 Code of Canon Law states, "The
Church earnestly recommends the pious
custom of burying the bodies of the dead
be observed, it does not however, forbid
cremation unless it has been chosen for
reasons which are contrary to Christian
teaching."
Result: cremation is on the rise.
People no longer choose cremation to
publicly deny the resurrection of the
body. Cost appears to be the primary
factor. Cremation can be far less
expensive.
“There has been an increase in
cremations, overall and among Catholic
parishes,” said Tephi Halverson,
operations manager and funeral director
for Hardage-Giddens Funeral Homes and
Crematory.
The church strongly prefers that
cremation not take place until after the
full Funeral Liturgy with the body
present in the church. The body may
then be cremated, followed by its burial
in the ground or entombment.
While cremation may take place before
the celebration of the Funeral Liturgy,
when it does, something is lost. If the
cremated remains of our loved one are
brought for the Funeral Liturgy, a revised
prayer formula is chosen which does not
make reference to the honoring or burial
of the body of the deceased. The vessel
with the remains is placed on a table or
stand, in the place normally used for the
coffin. Following the liturgy, the
cremated remains are buried in the
ground or entombed.
Just as the body is buried to await
resurrection, so should the cremated
remains of a loved one. Father
Lindenfelser said, “It is not respectful to
take cremated remains of the deceased
and scatter them around. This person
was and is a child of God who is to be
treated with full dignity.”
Scattering the ashes or keeping an urn
around the house are not practices that
fulfill the reverent disposition that the
Catholic Church requires. The cremated
remains should be buried in the ground
or in a columbarium vault, which may
be above ground or below ground. An
outer container is required with a
nameplate.
Our diocesan cemeteries offer various
ways of burying the cremated remains
from special columbariums to burial in
the ground at the head or feet of a
relative or in a half plot. A number of
parishes have established their own
cemeteries composed only of
columbariums with niches for cremated
remains.
But whatever the disposition of the
deceased’s body, or cremated remains,
the funeral practices should reflect the
beliefs and values that our Catholicism
affirms.
• That all human life is sacred.
• That the dignity of the person should
be recognized.
• That we follow the example of Jesus
Christ, expecting resurrection.
• That death is an occasion to embrace
human mortality.
• That respect should be shown for the
bodies of the dead.
• That it is important to remember the
dead and offer prayers for them.
• That the Catholic Church will provide
a ministry of consolation to those who
mourn.
Truly, death is not the end.
St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002 17
Diocesan Cemeteries
San Lorenzo, St. Augustine
(currently building a columbarium)
St. Mary’s, Korona
Parish Cemeteries
Tolomato, St. Augustine*
Nombre de Dios, St. Augustine*
St. Ambrose Parish, Elkton
St. Monica Parish, Palatka
Our Lady of Good Counsel,
Mill Creek
St. Joseph, Jacksonville
(also has a columbarium)
St. John, Crescent City
(In cemeteries without columbaria, cremated
remains may be buried in full plots at the
foot or head of another relative or a family
may purchase a right to burial in a half plot.)
Columbaria
Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish,
Ponte Vedra Beach
St. Anastasia Parish, St. Augustine
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Palm Coast
St. Joseph Parish, Jacksonville
Sacred Heart Parish,
Green Cove Springs
San Jose Parish, Jacksonville
Queen of Peace Parish, Gainesville
Source: Diocesan Cemeteries Ministry
*No plots are available.
“The church has
taught for centuries
that our bodies are
temples of the Holy
Spirit and we should
be respectful of the
body both in life and
in death.”
What is hospice and how does it work?
Founded in 1979, Community Hospice of
Northeast Florida provides compassionate, quality
end-of-life care for patients and their families.
Experts in pain and symptom management, the
hospice care team focuses on the whole person –
mind, body and spirit – offering practical guidance
and support to loved ones.
There are two requirements for being admitted
into hospice care: a doctor’s referral and a life
expectancy limited to one year or less. Patients are
referred for admission to the Community Hospice
program at the physician’s request. However, a
patient, family member, clergy or long-term care
professional can initiate the referral.
Hospice care is available to anyone with a lifelimiting
illness, not just those with cancer. For
example, Community Hospice also takes care of
patients with conditions such as end-stage
Alzheimer’s, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), AIDS,
diabetes and congestive heart failure.
The patient and family members are at the core
of the Community Hospice team. Supporting the
caregiver in the ongoing care of his/her loved one,
this team is comprised of a medical director, a
nurse, a social worker, home health aides and
physical therapists. A chaplain and specially
trained volunteer can be added at the family’s
request. The program’s unique interdisciplinary
team works with each patient to help manage pain
and control the symptoms associated with their
illness. They assess each patient and design a care
plan based on individual needs.
The Community Hospice staff is on-call 24 hours
a day, seven days a week. The hospice program
comes to the patient, whether in an assisted living
facility, long-term care facility, hospital or at home.
The quality of hospice care is the same no matter
where the services are delivered.
In addition, Community Hospice also has two
inpatient facilities for those who do not have a
caregiver at home or do not qualify for placement
in long-term care facilities. The Hadlow Center, a
40,000-square-foot facility nestled in a quiet,
18 St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002
Hospice:
Focusing On
Quality Of Life
As a Community Hospice staff member, Marge Townsend graciously and
gladly offers tours of the Earl B. Hadlow Center for Caring, a 24-bed
residential and inpatient hospice facility in Jacksonville. She provides
patients and families a closer, more personal look at this peaceful place where
many will spend their final days being cared for by experts in end-of-life care.
Yet her smiling face and gentle words belied her own personal beliefs: “I know
these people do good work by helping families cope with death, but how can this
possibly be a good place?” When Townsend’s 89-year-old father, John LaPorta,
was admitted into the program in 1998, she learned first-hand how Community
Hospice and its philosophy of care can be invaluable to patients and families.
By Andrea Spadafora
beautiful environment, is where
Townsend’s father stayed for 10 days
until he died.
Townsend recalls what her mom said
when her dad came to the Hadlow
Center, “She said, ‘it feels just like home.’
And it did.”
The need and awareness for hospice
services has grown tremendously over
the past two years. Community Hospice
currently has a staff of more than 500
caring for approximately 560 patients in
Duval, Clay, Baker, St. Johns and Nassau
counties. These numbers are only
expected to increase as baby boomers
take care of their parents and they,
themselves, get older.
How are hospice services paid for?
Most patients have Medicare,
Medicaid, private funds or other
insurance to cover the costs. If a patient
is admitted to the Hadlow Center,
however, he or she also is responsible for
a room and board fee.
Community Hospice is committed to
serving those who seek hospice care
regardless of insurance coverage or
ability to pay for care. No one is denied
care because of an inability to pay for
services thanks to the efforts of The
Hospice Foundation for Caring.
Community Hospice is about life
A common misconception is that
hospice is about death. Hospice neither
hastens nor postpones death. Instead,
hospice care focuses on quality of life,
providing comfort and support to
patients and families, thereby increasing
the quality of their time together.
Community Hospice is about choice –
providing patients with the opportunity
to choose how they want to spend their
final days.
“We jokingly called my dad Frank
Sinatra,” recalls Townsend. “He wanted
to do everything his way.” Unfortunately,
this meant LaPorta didn’t share his endof-
life wishes with his family.
“Dad took care of everything in the
household and shielded Mom and me
from many important decisions,” she
said. In the end, she had to guess as to
how he would have wanted his funeral
and what other things were important to
him.
In her work with Community Hospice,
Townsend adamantly encourages family
members to sit down and have this
difficult discussion. She promotes the use
of one of the organization’s free
brochures, the Five Wishes document. In
simple, workbook fashion, Five Wishes
guides people through sharing end-of-life
issues with family, as well as how to put
them down in writing. This living will is
considered a legal document in Florida
“So much stress can be alleviated
when families sit down and talk about
end-of-life wishes,” said Townsend.
“Knowledge is what helps you get
through things like this. And, if we can’t
add quantity, we can certainly add
quality to the end of our lives.”
Townsend now is not only an active
volunteer with Community Hospice’s
speakers’ bureau, but fulfills an
important staff role. As a part-time
receptionist, she assists with between 100
to 200 daily phone calls and greets the
staff, families and visitors when they
visit.
“As strange as it might sound,” said
Townsend, “my dad had a ‘good death’
thanks to his care at Community
Hospice. I can now see that this is a
good place.”
For a private consultation with
Community Hospice call (904) 268-5200 or
toll-free (866) 253-6681. To order Five
Wishes in printed form or on video, call
toll-free 1-888-594-7437. Or write to Aging
with Dignity, P.O. Box 1661, Tallahassee, FL
32302-1661.
St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002 19
The Society for the
PROPAGATION OF THE FAITH
...all of us committed to the worldwide mission of Jesus
Father Brian Eburn
Attention Dept. C
P.O. Box 6310
Fernandina Beach, FL 32035-6310
(904) 261-3472
Please remember the Society for the Propagation of the Faith when writing or changing your Will.
. $100 . $50 . $25 . $10
. $____(other) . Please send information on your Gift Annuity
Name_________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________
City __________________________________________________
State ______________________ Zip_______
.
“World Mission Sunday affords us the opportunity to ‘reach
out to the least …’ through missionaries in every part of the world. This is
the task of the Pontificial Mission Societies which have always been at the
service of Christ ’s mission …”
Pope John Paul II,Message for World Mission Sunday 2002
WORLD MISSION SUNDAY • October 20, 2002
THIS WORLD MISSION SUNDAY …
• PRAY FOR THE CHURCH ’S WORLDWIDE
MISSIONARY WORK.
• OFFER GENEROUS FINANCIAL HELP FOR THE
MISSIONS THROUGH THE PROPAGATION OF
THE FAITH,
A PONTIFICALMISSION SOCIETY .
20 St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002
Reaching for his copy of the Book of Blessings, Franciscan Father
Christopher Figuero, turns to the Order for the Blessing of Animals
and reads: “Many animals have a certain role to play in human
existence by helping with work or providing food for clothing.”
But like most in the modern world, the Franciscan priest – a native of
Spain who has written a history of the Franciscan missionaries during the
Spanish discoveries in Florida – has a more personal relationship with
animals.
“It is a beautiful experience to have a dog in the house, and the way in
which they want us to be loved,” said Father Figuero, who keeps two
German shepherd dogs in his home in Seville, Spain. “They don’t require
too many things: Just a little love and a little food and that is it.”
A longtime chaplain to the U.S. Air Force, Father Figuero recalled the
first time he had offered a blessing for animals was in 1984 at Immaculate
Conception Parish in Oklahoma City. People brought pets, dogs, cats, bulls
and cowboys rode in on horses.
“We should give the blessings for God to animals that share our lives in
so many ways, especially cats and dogs,” said the priest, who was
working in South Florida this summer. “We need them to be blessed by
God; God created them as creatures of the Lord. They have some kind of
intelligence and they know our needs in so many ways.” There are a
plethora of animals mentioned in the Bible, but it is the traditions
associated with St. Francis of Assisi with which the church popularized
the blessing of the animals. The annual Feast of St. Francis is Oct. 4, when
churches worldwide hold pet-blessing ceremonies.
Born in Italy in 1182 to a wealthy cloth merchant, Francis rejected his
comfortable upbringing and went on to found a religious order before
dying of disease at the age of 45. St. Francis is considered the founder of
A BLESSING
FOR ANIMALS:
OCT. 4 IS THE
FEAST OF
ST. FRANCIS
OF ASSISI
B Y T O M T R A C Y
A BLESSING
FOR ANIMALS:
OCT. 4 IS THE
FEAST OF
ST. FRANCIS
OF ASSISI
© SUPERSTOCK
all Franciscan orders and the patron
saint of ecologists, merchants and
animals.
Francis’ earliest biographers, some
of who wrote during his lifetime,
mention his preaching to birds and
his encounters with creatures. The
New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia
notes that “the very animals found in
Francis a tender friend and protector;
thus we find him pleading with the
people to feed a fierce wolf that had
ravished their flocks, because
through hunger ‘brother wolf’ had
done this wrong.”
Religious artwork often depicts St.
Francis in an idyllic harmony and
companionship “with beasts and
birds alike susceptible to the charm
of Francis’s gentle ways, entered into
loving companionship with him.”
And several years ago, the
Franciscan publisher St. Anthony
Messenger Press announced St.
Francis of Assisi would be invoked
by email for pet blessings through a
new “e-card” available through
AmericaCatholic.org.
A Christ-like suffering and
empathy may also have been part of
the reason for Francis’ fondness for
animals – even beasts of burden. “St.
Francis, with his disease, felt
something in common with Jesus
because of his hard life and so the
people here identify with that side of
St. Francis,” said Franciscan Father
Sigimundo Feitosa Gomes, a
Brazilian priest on staff at one of the
most popular Franciscan shrines,
located in that country’s northeastern
farm town of Caninde. An
international congress of young
Franciscans was staged there two
years ago.
“In Assisi, it is somewhat touristy,
but here it is different because the
pilgrims come with an immediate
identification with St. Francis’s
suffering and the life of the saint
himself,” Father Gomes said.
In terms of God’s divine plan,
animals may not just be limited to
cameo appearances in the Bible. They
may also play a part in future
revelation. “The Old Testament talks
about all the animals blessing the
Lord when the new creation comes
then also this world; we will see
them in the other life,” Father
Figuero said.
Tom Tracy is a freelance writer based
in West Palm Beach.
St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002 21
Even in our wired world, this is still
the most important connection
• Enrich your life with new
goals and a new vision
• Enhance professional
presentation skills
• Improve business and
personal relationships
• Set & realize personal
and professional goals
• Motivate yourself and
others
• Increase cooperation
• Control stress and worry
• Build confidence
• Improve leadership
abilities
Learn to connect successfully at the Dale Carnegie
Course®. We’ll show you how to win friends,
influence people, speak persuasively and lead
with confidence. And, we’ll teach you all this the
only way that works – by having you interact live
with other real people.
If you’re serious about success in a world still
run by humans, call now to find out how you
can experience the power of this remarkable
program for yourself.
Offered by: Folkner Training Associates, Inc.
8641 Baypine Road, Suite 2
Jacksonville, FL 32256
904.443.2929
www.jacksonville.dalecarnegie.com
buddy_folkner@dalecarnegie.com
Investing can be a challenge, but
finding a financial advisor who
cares about you doesn’t have to be.
At Raymond James Financial Services, each
office is independently owned, right in your
community. That means we have no sales
quotas to meet, and no “investments of the
week” to promote.
I can take the time to get to know you, your
family, your goals, and your dreams — and
give you professional, objective guidance for
your investment needs.
Call me today for a complimentary consultation.
Committed to your financial future.
Ellen O. Middleton
17 years of experience
(904) 730-8900
(800) 860-1095
Ellen@investbest.com
Member: St. Joseph’s Parish
7785 Baymeadows Way, Suite 306
Jacksonville, FL 32256
22 St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002
October
21 GAYLE - Gainesville Area Youth Leaders and
Educators meet at Queen of Peace Parish in
Gainesville. Email Brian Burns for more
information: burnsbt@law.ufl.edu
26 Catechist Formation Day (see Calendar page 30)
26 Make A Difference Day - St. Patrick Parish and
Life Teen at Christ the King and Holy Spirit in
Jacksonville are just a few of the parish youth
groups participating in the event. Check out
www.makeadifferenceday.com or call Brandi Freel
(904) 354-4846, ext. 257.
November
1-3 A Celebration of Catholicism in the South:
Catholic Camporee at Camp Echockotee in Orange
Park. All Catholic Scouts (Girls, Boys and Cubs)
are invited. Join in the Character Trail, Bazaar,
“Time with Fathers” and other activities.
Chaplains: Fathers James Boddie and Ed Murphy.
Call (904) 355-1100. Visit www.nfcbsa.org for a
map to the camp.
18 GAYLE - Gainesville Area Youth Leaders and
Educators meet at Holy Family Parish in
Williston. Email Brian Burns for more
information: burnsbt@law.ufl.edu
December
5-8 Magnify the Lord: 2002 National Conference on
Catholic Youth Ministry, Denver, Colo. For all
adults who minister to youth including youth
ministers, campus ministers, volunteers,
coordinators. Register online at www.nfcym.org
13- Search #78- Retreat for junior and senior high
15 school students and college-age freshmen. Cost
is $50. Weekend begins 7 p.m. Friday with
registration and concludes about 2:30 p.m. on
Sunday. Marywood Retreat Center in
Jacksonville. Call (904) 355-1100 to register.
14 Life Teen Mass celebrated at Resurrection Parish
at 5 p.m. followed by guest speaker Matt Smith
from Real World.
teen voices
Don’t miss the Project W.A.I.T. (With Abstinence Invite
Teens) Conference, Saturday, Nov. 16 from 9 a.m. to 5
p.m. at Bishop Kenny High School, Jacksonville.
Teenagers, parents and educators are encouraged to
attend the day that will feature a number of wellknown
speakers including, Pam Stenzel and Mary Beth
Bonacci. There will be age-appropriate workshops with
resources for junior and senior high school students,
parents and educators. The only cost is $5 for lunch/individual and $15
for a family. For more information call (904) 262-3200, ext. 126.
City center of
World Youth Day.
St. Catherine Parish
youth Ian Carruthers
waves the flags
supported by (l-r) Kory
Kistler, Fernando Ortiz
and Chad Morris.
Florida was there with banners
and T-shirts.
St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002 23
Below are the questions we asked followed by responses from several
teens who are members of the youth group at Mary Queen of Heaven
Parish in Jacksonville.
1. What is the value of waiting to have your first sexual experience with
your wedding partner?
2. What are the obstacles that teenagers face in having a relationship
without indulging in sex?
3. Your goal is to remain chaste. What helps to keep you on track?
4. Peer pressure: If teenagers that you know are having sex, how do you
explain to them that it’s best to wait?
Daniel Mull, 20, Assumption Parish,
Jacksonville
1. Waiting allows you to make yourself a complete gift to your partner
and to live the church’s teachings about the evils of contraception.
And it helps you avoid seeing your partner as merely a means to an
end.
2. Movies, sitcoms, music, soap operas, and just about everything else in
the world tries to force it on us. All greatly devalue sex, making it
seem no different than playing cards or watching a movie.
3. Prayer, parents, friends with a common goal, priests preaching about
the importance of chastity.
4. It’s hard. It’s not a topic many Catholics feel
comfortable discussing. There are books and
tapes that can help: (Pure Love by Jason
Everett, Contraception: Why Not? by Janet
E. Smith)
Jeremy Hardin, 20, Mary
Queen of Heaven Parish,
Jacksonville
1. The value of waiting until
marriage is that you save
the gift God has
given you for the one
person He intended you
to share it with.
2. They face temptations of their
own bodies. They also have the pressures of society to battle. In
schools they hand out contraceptives and tell you it’s “safe sex.”
3. I think of all that God has done for me; then when I’m tempted, I just
remind myself that it’s a sin, it’s selfish and that I love God too much
to give in.
4. I tell them that it isn’t God’s will. Then tell them of Biblical passages
explaining that it is wrong. Also sit them down and try to find out why
they do it. They might not know it’s wrong.
Danielle Hartwell, 16, St. Catherine Parish,
Orange Park
1. The value of saving my entire being, body and soul, for my husband.
2. Society is constantly telling us that sex before marriage is the easy
way out; they also constantly put themselves in highly isolated
situations, which can lead to sex quickly. Also the relationships of
teenagers are way too sensual, way too early.
3. Constant prayers to Mary and the saints for purity, deep prayer life,
constantly seeking the will of God for my life, also, avoiding near
occasions of sin.
4. Mostly by the way I live my life, more actions than words. Also, I
explain the incredible privilege to have your future spouse tell you that
they completely saved themselves for you.
Molly Dennis, 19, Immaculate Conception
Parish, Jacksonville
1. Pope John Paul II talks about sex as ‘the language of the body’ so
when I have sex, I want to be saying, “I give myself to you for always
– not just a couple of months!”
2. Hormones and peer pressure. It’s really tough to stand firm when a
person you like is ridiculing you for being a “prude” or an “ice
princess,” but God will give you the grace if you ask.
3. Regular prayer, good communication with the guys
I date and praying with a guy I’m serious
about. When the
relationship is built
around God, staying
chaste is so much
easier!
4. I just point out to
them what premarital sex
has done to their lives –
fear of pregnancy, emotional pain, and spiritual guilt and
desolation. A few minutes of pleasure is not worth losing heaven!
Barbara Smith, 18, Most Holy Redeemer
Parish, Jacksonville
1. The value of waiting is that you will be giving your full heart to your
wedding partner.
2. Peer pressure from others who are having sex, such as “everybody is
doing it.” Everywhere you look, you see things that say it is okay to
have sex as long as it is “safe sex.”
3. What helps me is to have friends who have the same goals. It is great
to have Catholic friends who want the same thing.
4. I explain that it is not God’s will for you to be having sex before
marriage and that it is not the safe thing to do. There are so many
risks of not waiting.
Several teens from our diocese talked about maintaining their goal
of waiting until marriage to have their first sexual experience.
They say what helps them the most is prayer and friends who have
the same goals.
They offer good suggestions and you’ll hear some powerful
testimonies at the Project W.A.I.T. (With Abstinence Invite Teens)
conference Nov. 16 (see sidebar on page 5).
24 St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002
Sunday, Oct. 6 is Respect Life Sunday.
As well as being the 30th anniversary
of the Respect Life Program, it begins
anew a year of Celebrating Life and calling
attention to the numerous human life
issues. The U.S. bishops call upon all
Catholics to become “a People of Life and a
People for Life” ( The Gospel of Life) by
promoting the dignity and sanctity of
every human
life, no matter
how broken,
unformed,
disabled or
desperate that
life may seem.
For more
information
and to learn
how you can be involved, contact the
Respect Life coordinator in your parish or
call Bonnie Seaver at the diocesan Respect
Life Office (904) 262-3200, ext. 126 or (800)
775-4659, ext. 126.
RESPECT LIFE SUNDAY
Celebrating Life
around the diocese
Astained-glass memorial
recognizing the firefighters,
police officers and Franciscan
Father Mychal Judge who lost their
lives in the attack on the World Trade
Center was unveiled at an evening
prayer service on Sept. 11 at St.
Francis of Assisi Church in
Manhattan. Entitled “Even From A
Dark Night,” the window was
designed by Sister Diane Couture, SSJ,
at the Sisters of St. Joseph
Architectural Stained Glass Studio in
St. Augustine.
Before the stained glass was
transported in mid-August to New
York City, more than 1,000 visitors
saw the glass first hand at a studio
exhibition. In the window, angels are
seen comforting firefighters, a police
officer’s hat is the foreground, and in
the shadows, to the right, is the figure
of Father Judge in his Franciscan robe.
SEPTEMBER 11TH MEMORIAL
Even From A Dark Night
SPECIAL
Acampaign for the
beatification of Mother
Ignacia del Espiritu Santo
began in our diocese on Aug.
17, 2002 at St. Catherine Parish
in Orange Park. Similar
campaigns are being launched
in other dioceses. Ours brought
together the Filipino community
of our diocese and, from distant
states, many sisters of the order
Mother Ignacia had founded,
the Religious of the Virgin Mary
– the first indigenous religious
congregation for women in the Phillipines.
A multi-lingual rosary was followed by Mass concelebrated by Bishop Victor
Galeone and the priests of St. Catherine’s, Father James Boddie, pastor, Father
Jose Kulathinal, CMI, and Father Caesar Russo.
Mother Ignacia was born in 1661 in Binondo, Manila.
At 21, when arrangements were being made for her marriage, she decided
to dedicate her life to God and, in 1684, developed the Congregation of the
Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM).
A humble woman, Mother Ignacia chose to join the ranks of her order
rather than govern the religious community she had founded.
She died in 1748, in her mid-80s, after a lifetime of labors and penances. Her
death came when she was on her knees after receiving Holy Communion.
CAUSE FOR SAINTHOOD LAUNCHED
Campaign for Beatification
SPECIAL
SPECIAL
St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002 25
BLACK CATHOLIC LEADERSHIP
Solidarity In Action
Zareya White, at center, of St. Pius V Parish in Jacksonville was the
youngest delegate from our diocese to attend the National Black
Catholic Congress IX. With her is Bernard Fussell (left), also of St.
Pius, and Deacon James Turner of the Diocese of Louisville.
SPECIAL
In Memoriam
On Nov. 21, 2002,
the many friends of
Father Gerald Vallee
will remember the
4th anniversary of
his entrance into his
Father’s House, as they recall with
great love and appreciation the many
years Father spent in the Diocese of
Saint Augustine serving the Lord’s
people with great compassion, love
and dedication. May he now rejoice
in the Lord’s presence.
Focused on the theme of “Solidarity
in Action: Black Catholic
Leadership in the 21st Century,”
3,000 African-American Catholics met
early last month in Chicago. The
congress called for a new solidarity
between Black American Catholics and
their brothers and sisters in Africa. The
congress provided the Black Catholic
community with an opportunity for
fellowship and dialogue with one
another and the U.S. bishops. This
fellowship will continue to be celebrated
this year since November is recognized
as both National Black Catholic Month
and National Native American Month.
Initiated in 1889 in Washington by
Ohio newspaperman Daniel Rudd, the
congress has been held every five years
since 1987. Chicago last hosted the event
in 1893, during which discriminatory
actions in Catholic schools were
condemned.
Although much has changed since the
congress was initiated in the 19th
century, the event’s agenda remains
strikingly similar. The 2002 congress
listed spirituality, parish life, youth and
young adults, Catholic education, social
justice, racism, Africa and HIV/AIDS as
issues of greatest concern to African-
American Catholics.
According to Therese Wilson Favors,
Congress IX facilitator and planner of
Congress VIII, the same core issues have
taken on different nuances from
congress to congress.
We Buy Real Estate
WE BUY HOUSES IN ANY CONDITION OR
PRICE RANGE AND CAN CLOSE IN 10 DAYS.
• Divorce?
• Bad tenants?
• Vacant house?
• Facing foreclosure?
Order our free report & find out why your
unsold home is costing you $113a day.
United Homebuyers,Inc.
(904) 551-3204
For almost a year, the Diocesan Center for
Family Life has been offering a new series
of marriage enrichment programs through
its Diocesan Marriage Renewal ministry, said
Joe Payne, director of the diocesan center.
As well as the traditional weekend for
couples to revitalize and renew their marriages,
there is now a “Day Experience” for couples
being offered at parishes throughout the
diocese, Payne said.
George Ramos, a Marriage Renewal
Coordinator, said, “The Marriage Renewal Day
Experience is perfect for those couples who
cannot get away for a whole weekend because
of childcare or job obligations.”
George and his wife, Lucy Anne, and Father
Bernard Ahern are the Diocesan Marriage
Renewal coordinators. Earlier this year, Bishop
Victor Galeone inaugurated the ministry and
commissioned the coordinators and the 14
couples who facilitate the programs in their
new ministry.
In the future, the ministry plans to offer
weekend and one-day programs for Spanishspeaking
couples, as well as a program for
couples married less than seven years,
Ramos said.
The next Diocesan Marriage Renewal
program is Oct. 19 at Most Holy Redeemer
Parish, Jacksonville.
For more information and/or to register for
the weekend program, call Bill and Susan
Shields, the registration couple at (904) 268-4997.
If a group at your parish would like to host
a Marriage Renewal Day Experience call Joe
Payne at (904) 308-7474.
ENRICH YOUR MARRIAGE
New Marriage
Renewal Programs
26 St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002
around the diocese
The Ninth Good Samaritan Awards Dinner, sponsored by Catholic
Charities Bureau of St. Augustine, will be Thursday, Feb. 20, 2003.
This is the agency’s major annual event. It is held each year to
honor individuals for the works of compassion and charity they have
shown to those in need. Over the past years, 47 people have been
recognized, many of whom were not Catholic.
Now is the time to consider people you know who could be candidates
for this award. Submit a letter by Nov. 1, including your nominee’s name,
address, phone number and a description of the good works he or she
have done. Also include your name, address and phone number. Please
send the letter to: Rebecca Stringer, Catholic Charities Bureau - St.
Augustine, P.O. Box 543, St. Augustine, FL 32085
Also, if you would like to assist in sponsoring this event, contact
Rebecca Stringer.
HONORING THOSE WHO CARE
Do You Know a Good Samaritan?
Plans for St. Francis Catholic High School
in Gainesville are underway. Zoning has
been approved by local governmental
agencies. Thanks to the diocesan capital
campaign, “An Opportunity of a Lifetime,”
construction is to begin in early spring. St.
Francis plans to open in August 2004.
Similar to the Bishop John J. Snyder High
School in Jacksonville, which opened in
August 2002, St. Francis will be built in phases. The first phase will
include classrooms, a media center, a technology lab, a gymnasium and
administrative offices. The school site is located at NW 39th Street
between Interstate 75 and NW 143rd Street. Visit the diocesan Office of
Educational Services website at www.dosaedu.org and click on St. Francis
High School to keep updated on the school’s progress.
The continuity of our faith was expressed in the
celebration of Mass by the pastor of the
Cathedral-Basilica Parish, Father D. Terrence
Morgan, on Founder’s Day at Mission Nombre de
Dios in St. Augustine. It was 437 years ago that
Pedro Menendez’ party, including Father Lopez,
landed on Sept. 8 at the mission. More than four
decades ago, the first pastor of the Cathedral
Parish, Father Lopez, also celebrated Mass on
the same Mission grounds. Cathedral Parish is
the oldest continuous parish in the United
States. Part of the day’s festivities included a
re-enactment of the Menendez landing.
MISSION NOMBRE DE DIOS
Founder’s Day Celebrated
ST. FRANCIS HIGH SCHOOL UPDATE
Plans Underway
CHELLE DELANEY
SPECIAL
It’s not that often a
grandfather gets a medal
from his grandson. But
that happened earlier this
year when Boy Scout Ryan
Clark of St. Joseph Parish in
Jacksonville received his
Eagle Scout medal. He then
presented his grandfather,
Jim Nesselbush, with an Ad
Altare Dei medal he had
earned years ago. As a teen,
Nesselbush was not able to be at his awards ceremony and
never received his medal until his grandson Clark made the
presentation. Meanwhile, Catholic Cub Scouts and Girl and
Boy Scouts in the diocese are looking forward to the Catholic
Camporee at Camp Echockotee, Orange Park on Nov. 1-3. See
“What’s Coming Up” on page 22.
St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002 27
DIOCESE HOSTING THE 15TH BIENNIAL MEETING
Florida Catholic Women Meet
At the annual Bishop’s Luncheon, Catholic
Charities officials recognized their generous
volunteers and their newly installed board of
directors. There was much talk, too, about the most
festive event of the year: the 2002 Catholic Charities
Black and White Ball to Prevent Homelessness. Also
recognized was Bishop Victor Galeone, honorary
chairman of the 2002 Black and White Ball Committee,
and committee members (l-r) Kathy Sullivan, bishop,
Lynn Sullivan and Patty DeStephano.
Bishop Galeone installed the following members of the
2002 Catholic Charities Board: Chairman, Mark Allen;
Vice Chair, Jeff Quaritius; Secretary/Treasurer, T. Fitch
King III; Chairwoman Emeritus, Julie Krey; and
members: Maria Aquila, Shirley Anderson, Sandy Barata,
G. John Carey, Mary Ann Christensen, Shirley Fiano,
Kevin H. Gartland, Jeffrey B. Mallot, Mark Miller, Beth
Porkert, Rev. Anthony Sebra, Thomas Stier, Susan
Sulzbacher, Emmett Terrell and Kim M. Wilmoth.
This year’s ball, Una Sera Bella, features an “Accent on
Italy” in honor of the bishop’s heritage. The ball is Nov.
15 at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in Jacksonville. Please call
(904) 354-4846, ext. 227 for tickets.
Each person attending the ball saves one family from
the terror of homelessness in our community.
The Diocese of Saint Augustine is hosting the 15th Biennial meeting of the Florida Council of
Catholic Women, Oct. 26-29. Every 14 years our diocese serves as the host. This year’s
meeting will open with guest speaker Father Alfredo Cioffi, who will discuss “Stem Cell Research
Bioethics” at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27, at the Hilton Jacksonville Riverfront Hotel. Throughout
the meeting there will be opportunities for spiritual renewal, workshops and presentations, including
a Mass concelebrated by Florida bishops at 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 28, at Immaculate Conception
Church in downtown Jacksonville. NCCW President Barbara Garavalia is the closing speaker at the
10:30 a.m. brunch at the Hilton on Tuesday, Oct. 29. For more information call Janie Southerland
at (904) 765-4645 or (904) 389-3600.
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the diocesan Ministry
Formation Program (MFP) by joining in an evening of
fine dining featuring Marywood Chef Alan McCully,
Friday, Nov. 22, at Marywood Retreat Center in
Jacksonville. This celebration is a collaborative effort
between the Ministry Formation Program and Marywood
– demonstrating the relationship between spirituality,
formation and ministry in the diocese.
MFP has been offering a three-year program of
spiritual, academic and pastoral formation for lay leaders
since 1992. In the intervening years 140 people have
completed the program. Many are serving in parish and
diocesan ministries or using their ministry-related skills
in their professions.
A highlight of the evening will be a special recognition
of Father Michael Houle for his invaluable leadership
and generous service to the program.
Also this year, MFP is expected to be fully accredited
by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’
Commission on Certification and Accreditation. On Oct.
11-13, the USCCB site review team will be in Jacksonville
to meet with Bishop Victor Galeone, participants and
graduates, faculty and advisory board members.
Daughter of Wisdom Sister Lucille Clynes, is the program
director and Margaret McCully is the coordinator.
The 10th Anniversary Gala celebration begins with
cocktails at 6:30 p.m. followed by dinner. Tickets for the
dinner are $35 and can be purchased by calling
(904) 287-2679, ext. 12 or email ministry@bellsouth.net.
FUNDRAISER FOR HOMELESS
Una Sera Bella – Catholic
Charities Ball 2002
10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DIOCESAN PROGRAM
Ministry Formation Program
Celebrates 10 Years
GENERATIONAL SCOUTS
Eagle Scouts – A Family Affair
SPECIAL
CHELLE DELANEY
Cocktail Parties • Corporate Functions
Seated Dinners • Formal Affairs
Catering Jacksonville for the last 7 years.
Providing full service staff, bartender and
equipment rentals, too!
Call us for a quote on your next special event.
JJ’S CUISINE & WINE
330 A1A North • Ponte Vedra Beach
904.273.7980 • www.jjbistro.com
JJ’s CATERING
The Spirit of
Elegance
UNIQUE CATHOLIC
GIFTS & BOOKS
Browse our great selection of Catholic
books, gifts, videos and music.
“We Special Order”
Our Daily Bread
Catholic Bookstore
Pablo Plaza, Jacksonville Beach
(next to Office Depot & Pablo 9 Theatres)
2010 South Third Street • Jax Beach • 247-0044
Our Daily Bread
Catholic Bookstore
28 St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002
George Weigel,
commentator,
columnist and author
of Witness to Hope: The
Biography of Pope John
Paul II, delivered the third
annual Augustinian Address in St.
Augustine. The event which is celebrated on
Aug. 28, the feast of St. Augustine,
recognizes the patron saint of the diocese
and namesake of the Oldest City.
But, it was also a time for Weigel to meet
old friends. Weigel was a student of Bishop
Victor Galeone at St. Paul Latin High School
in Maryland and while Weigel was doing
research for his books in Rome he would
often meet with Father D. Terrence
Morgan, pastor of the Cathedral-
Basilica. At that time, Father Morgan
was on assignment in Rome.
Weigel compared certain aspects of
the life of St. Augustine of Hippo with
the life of Pope John Paul II to a large,
warm and appreciative crowd at the
Bishop Baker Parish Center.
The author of 14 books and numerous
articles, Weigel’s latest book, Courage to be
Catholic: Crisis, Reform, and the Future of the
Church, was released three days before the
event. Copies were available at the
presentation and it was a sellout.
In short, Weigel said, the
current crisis in the
church and The Courage to
be Catholic offers a
challenge for Catholics to
explore and embark on the
adventure of classic
Catholicism. The Courage to
be Catholic is published by
Basic Books, a division of Perseus Books, Inc.
Other new book offerings include two new
releases by St. Anthony Messenger Press.
The first is Live Letters:
Reflections on the Readings of
the Sunday Lectionary, by
Archbishop of Cincinnati,
Ohio, Daniel E.Pilarczyk.
Appropriate for the
upcoming season, the book
begins with a selection for
Advent and Christmas.
The reflections put the
second reading in context, discuss its
content and the consequences of its
application to us, and provide questions for
discussion or reflection. Live Letters would
be helpful for group discussion or
preparation for Mass.
The second from St. Anthony’s is
Healing Plants of the Bible: History,
Lore and Meditations by Vincenzina
Krymow, with illustrations by A
Joseph Barrish, SM, and
meditations by M. Jean Frisk.
Readers will become acquainted
with 38 of the plants most often appearing
in Scripture. In-depth research provides the
background about, among other plants, the
balm which was used to anoint Jesus’ feet
and the gall that was offered to him on the
cross. Resources for designing your own
Scriptural garden are provided as well as a
listing of biblical gardens in the United
States and overseas.
Noted at the Shrine Gift Shop at Mission
Nombre de Dios in St. Augustine is a
collection of books and a video tape on the
life and works of Saint Padre Pio, who was
canonized by Pope John Paul II on June 16.
Among the collection are: The Holy Souls,
“Viva Padre Pio,” by Father Alessio Parente,
OFM, Cap.; Padre Pio, Man of Hope, by
Renzo Allegri; and Padre Pio, His Life and
Mission, by Mary Ingolds; and other books,
gifts and devotional items.
catholic booknotes
Good Reading for Catholics
Bishop Victor Galeone with
George Weigel, commentator,
columnist and author (l-r).
CHELLE DELANEY
We special order for home
schooling, RCIA, PREP,
CCD instructors
Queen of Angels
Catholic Book Store
11018 St. Augustine Road, Ste. 125
Jacksonville, FL 32257
288-0062
The Sissines
St. Joseph Parishioners
Statues
Books
Gifts
Jewelry
Videos
Stationery
Cards
Art
Music
Rosaries
LARGEST CATHOLIC
STORE IN JACKSONVILLE
10%10%OfOfff
withwithad!ad!
Picture it. Sunday morning. It’s World
Mission Sunday, and the people at the
new parish are ready in mind and heart
for this special day of “prayer and sacrifice”
for the worldwide mission of Jesus.
Posters on the wall depict the church in
other parts of the world. Special prayers have
been prepared. Some of the different ethnic
groups present at Mass will join in offering
the Prayer of the Faithful in their native
languages.
The parish could be in the Diocese of
Brooklyn, couldn’t it? Or Dallas or San Diego or
the Diocese of Saint Augustine. It could be,
but it isn’t. Try the Diocese of Ho in Ghana,
West Africa. It’s World Mission Sunday there
too.
The church is universal. So is its mission.
And so is World Mission Sunday, celebrated
this year on October 20.
Every word of World Mission Sunday counts.
Sunday. It happens on Sunday, the Lord’s
day, when Catholics of the world gather in
churches and chapels, in temporary lean-tos
and even outdoors in the blazing sun, to
praise God, to receive His Body and Blood, and
to go back out into the world of home and
daily work to bring the love of Christ to life
there.
Mission. It calls us to think about our part
in the essential work of the church: our duty
to go – in person or in heart and prayer – to
make disciples of all nations.
World. It involves the whole world. From the
Pacific Islands to Asia, across Africa, Europe
and the Americas, Catholics are praying for
those who serve in mission dioceses and those
who are lifted in spirit by their service.
Parishioners are also offering financial help for
the daily missionary work of the church.
Pope John Paul says that World Mission
Sunday teaches us how to give: “as an
offering made to God in the Eucharist
celebration and for all the missions of the
world.”
Over the years, stories of World Mission
Sunday sacrifice, real sacrifice; have come to
the Propagation of the Faith. In the midst of
terrible strife in Rwanda some years ago, the
people of one parish offered a World Mission
Sunday gift-beyond-measure: the equivalent of
$81 to help others live in the faith that was
holding them up minute by minute. In India, a
man sold his goat and offered the whole
amount in the World Mission Sunday collection.
Always, from our baptism on, we are called
to be Jesus’ witnesses not only in our daily
surroundings but also “to the ends of the
earth.” Especially on World Mission Sunday,
together with millions upon millions of
Catholics in Ho and Harrisburg, in Rwanda
and Rochester, in India and St. Augustine –
all over the world – we reach to the very
ends of the earth. Please give generously
in your parish for World Mission Sunday,
Oct. 19-20.
October 20 • World Mission Sunday
St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002 29
www.carolesumner.catholiccompany.com
(904) 778-4854
$12.95-$39.95
Embroidered golf shirts,
T-shirts, denim, sweatshirts
and baseball caps.
Profitable
Fundraiser
Promote your parish, school
or ministry with “logowear.”
Call me today to order
or visit my secure site.
We Buy Real Estate
WE BUY HOUSES IN ANY CONDITION OR
PRICE RANGE AND CAN CLOSE IN 10 DAYS.
• Divorce?
• Bad tenants?
• Vacant house?
• Facing foreclosure?
Order our free report & find out why your
unsold home is costing you $113a day.
United Homebuyers,Inc.
(904) 551-3204
Witnesses – To The
Ends Of The Earth
World Mission Sunday Around The World
Sister Baptista, a Spanish missionary sister, is seen here after Sunday Mass dancing
with members of the leper colony she founded in India. The joy from the eucharistic
celebration is evident!
Site Design and Development
Land Planning • Drainage
Environmental Permitting
7400 Baymeadows Way,
Suite 106
Jacksonville, FL 32256
(904) 448-5300
fax: (904) 448-0401
Foxwood Center
Suite D
1730 Kingsley Ave.
Orange Park, FL 32073
(904) 264-1377
fax: (904) 278-8469
www.SJMengr.com
SPECIAL
Why bother
with an expensive
funeral home,
when you can work
directly with
the crematory?
$595
Southern Crematory
(800) 752-6349
30 St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002
11- Contemplative Practice to Nourish
13 Spiritual Journey Retreat
Leader: Sister Elizabeth Hillman
Friday, 7:30 p.m.-Sunday 11 a.m.
Marywood Retreat Center,
Jacksonville
To register call (904) 287-2525
or (888) 287-2539
11- Harambee Bakijana Young Adult Retreat
13 “You Have Heard The Call…
Now What Are You Going To Do?”
For young adults ages 19-35
Adam’s Mark Hotel, Jacksonville
To register call (904) 854-8205
12 “In Search of the Truth: Seeking an
Understanding of the Death Penalty”
Saturday, 8:30 a.m-4 p.m.
Edward Waters College
Auditorium, Jacksonville
To register call (904) 358-7409
or email dstephens@ccbjax.org
17 Red Mass
Thursday, 5:30 p.m.
Immaculate Conception,
Jacksonville
Call Paul Consbruck
(904) 268-1695
18- Retrouvaille-Rediscovery
20 Program for troubled marriages
Friday, 7 p.m.-Sunday, 2 p.m.
Holiday Inn @ Airport,
Jacksonville
Call Trudy or Bill Hehn
(904) 221-8383
18- Statewide Respect Life Conference
20 Friday through Sunday
Radisson Hotel
(downtown Orlando)
To attend call Bonnie Seaver
(904) 262-3200, ext. 126
19 Praying All Ways Retreat
Leader: Sister Caroljean Willie, SC
Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Marywood Retreat Center,
Jacksonville
To register call (904) 287-2525
or (888) 287-2539
20 Concerts with a Cause: Three’s Company
Violinist- Max Huls, Cellist-
Linda Minke and Shannon McKay
Sunday, 3 p.m.
Cathedral-Basilica, St. Augustine
For tickets call (904) 829-8000
calendar of events
O C T O B E R 26 Make a Difference Day
Sponsored by Catholic
Charities Bureau
For all schools and youth groups
This year’s goal is $110,000
To participate call Brandi Freel
(904) 354-4846, ext. 257
26 Catechists Formation Day
Keynoters: Rosemary Bleuher
and Robert McCarty
Saturday, 8:30 a.m. -3:30 p.m.
Bishop Kenny High School,
Jacksonville
Call (904) 262-3200, ext. 117
26 Rosary March in Honor of Our Lady
Sponsored by Hispanic Mininstry
Saturday, 8 p.m.
Sacred Heart Parish, Jacksonville
Call (904) 772-0870
27 Spanish Mass for Senor de los Milagros
Sunday, 1:30-3 p.m.
San Jose Parish, Jacksonville
Call (904) 353-3243
1- Catholic Camporee 2002
3 For all boy and girl scouts
Friday-Sunday
Camp Echockotee, Orange Park
Call Dr. Mary Soha (904) 398-5587
2 Our Pope and His Poetry Workshop
Leader: Sister Andrea Zbiegien, SFCC
Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Marywood Retreat Center,
Jacksonville
To register call (904) 287-2525
or (888) 287-2539
2 Family Mass and Covered Dish Social
For gay and lesbian Catholics,
family and friends
Saturday 3:30 -6:00 p.m.
Call Sister Marlene Payette, SSJ
(904) 354-4846, ext. 229
3 Dedication of Bishop John J. Snyder
High School
Sunday, 4-6 p.m.
5001 Samaritan Way,
Jacksonville
For information call
(904) 771-1029
N O V E M B E R
MARYWOOD
BOOKSTORE
A GREAT SELECTION!
• Gifts • Books • Icons
Find the classics, new arrivals
in Marywood’s bookstore.
1714-5 State Road 13
Jacksonville, FL
32259
(904) 287-2525
Serving Putnam, St. Johns, Clay
and Alachua Counties since 1983.
St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002 31
calendar of events
7 Secrets of a Healthy Life:
Reflections of a Family Therapist
Leader: Sister Carolyn Tucker, SSJ
Thursday, 7-9 p.m.
Marywood Retreat Center,
Jacksonville
To register call (904) 287-2525
or (888) 287-2539
9 50th Anniversary of Bishop Kenny
High School
Day long celebration for all to enjoy
Saturday, 10 a.m. tour/Noon
Mass/7 p.m. dinner-dance
Cost for dinner/dance $50
Call (904) 398-7545 or visit:
www.bishopkenny.org
14 Secrets of a Healthy Life:
Reflections of a Hospital Chaplain
Leader: Father Anthony Palazzolo
Thursday, 7-9 p.m.
Marywood Retreat Center,
Jacksonville
To register call (904) 287-2525
or (888) 287-2539
15 Catholic Charities Black and White Ball
Fundraiser for the Prevention
of Homelessness
Friday, 7 p.m.
Adam’s Mark Hotel, Jacksonville
For tickets call (904) 354-4846,
ext. 227
15- Couples Retreat: Longing for Relationship
17 Leader: Msgr. Vincent J. Haut
Friday, 5:30 p.m.- Sunday, noon
Marywood Retreat Center,
Jacksonville
To register call (904) 287-2525
or (888) 287-2539
16 Project W.A.I.T. Workshops
For 7th and 8th grade students,
educators and parents
Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Bishop Kenny High School,
Jacksonville
Call Family Life Office
(904) 308-7474
16 Diocesan Reparation Day Mass
Open to public
Saturday, 7 p.m.
Christ the King Parish,
Jacksonville
Call Ella Simmons (904) 854-8205
16 Garden Tea Party & Silent Auction
Sponsored by Catholic Charities
Saturday, 2 p.m.
Llambias House Garden,
St. Augustine
Call Jennie (904) 829-6300
17 Our Lady of Providence Spanish Mass
Sunday, 2-3 p.m.
Immaculate Conception,
Jacksonville
For information call (904) 353-3243
21 Secrets of a Healty Life:
Reflections of a Deacon/Physician
Leader: Deacon Jack Baker
Saturday, 7-9 p.m.
Marywood Retreat Center,
Jacksonville
To register call (904) 287-2525
or (888) 287-2539
22 Ministry Formation 10th Anniversary
Celebration
Friday, 6:30 p.m.
Marywood Retreat Center,
Jacksonville
For dinner tickets call
(904) 287-2679, ext. 12
23 Anniversary Mass
For couples married 25 years or more
Saturday, 2:30-5 p.m.
Queen of Peace Parish,
Gainesville
To participate call (904) 308-7474
or register online at www.dcfl.org
23 Faith of Our Mothers:
Women in Our Catholic Tradition Retreat
Leader: Helen McDevitt-Smith
Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Marywood Retreat Center,
Jacksonville
To register call (904) 287-2525
or (888) 287-2539
6- Advent Retreat
8 Out of Darkness – A Great Light
Leader: Rev. Glenn Parker, CSSR
Friday, 6:30 p.m.-Sunday, 10 a.m.
Marywood Retreat Center,
Jacksonville
To register (904) 287-2525 or
(888) 287-2539
7 Our Lady of Guadalupe Spanish Mass
Saturday, 6:30-8 p.m.
Sacred Heart Parish,
Green Cove Springs
Call (904) 353-3243
7 Sub-Regional Encounter
Sponsored by Hispanic Ministry
Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Miami, Florida
To attend call (904) 353-3243
AL ALL D L DON ONATIONS IONS
TAX DE X DEDUCT DUCTIBL IBLE
Celebrate Faith,
Family & Fraternity
Emergency Pregnancy Services,
Jacksonville
Arbor House, Gainesville
Betty Griffin House, St. Augustine
Anglewood, Inc., Jacksonville
St. Gerard House, St. Augustine
Help Catholic Women and Children
Support KC Charities
Make checks payable to:
Florida K of C Charities
Paul Koppie,
KC Charities Director
1550 Wexford Dr., N., Palm Harbor, FL 34683
D E C E M B E R
Caring
and Compassionate
Owned since 1958
by a local Catholic family
Jacksonville
Memory Gardens
Cemetery and Funeral Homes Cemetery and Funeral Homes
111 Blanding Boulevard 111 Blanding Boulevard
Orange Park, Florida 32073 Orange Park, Florida 32073
(904) 272-2435 (904) 272-2435 (24 hours) (24 hours)
Capture the romance! What does it mean? Walking
hand-in-hand with the one you love? A candlelight
dinner and roses? Sexual attraction?
If that’s what you thought, you’re missing the best. I’m
talking about Christian romance – a far cry from what generally
passes for love and romance today. Christian romance rests on
recognition, selflessness, faithfulness and “forever.” Comparing
Christian romance to the everyday, run-of-the-mill variety is like
comparing fine dining to fast food. The real thing is ever so
much more satisfying.
This is because the work of Christ has changed everything.
And each of us is caught up in His love. That includes our
relationships – even our romantic relationships. After all, God is
the author of life and the author of romance. Who else thought
to create “a suitable partner” for His creation?
Physical, social and emotional attraction between a woman
and a man is a start – only a start. When you “recognize” the
one you love, who loves you in return, you begin to understand
Adam’s exclamation: “At last, this is bone of my bone and flesh
of my flesh.” You are aware not only of shared interests, but
shared beliefs and values. You see the whole person, and like
what you see. But more importantly you appreciate all that she
and he are. One another’s strengths and weaknesses fall into
perspective. You are drawn out of your self and direct your
energies toward the other.
True Christian love is giving and offering. The other’s welfare
comes before your own. St. Paul tells us that this is like Christ’s
love for the church – an all-encompassing and generous love.
The kind that shatters the hardened boundaries of the human
heart. It’s a love that also implies sacrifice, and even suffering –
not the “I’m going to be miserable” kind of suffering, but the
“I’m going to go the extra mile for you” kind.
Christian love is generous and inclusive. A generous love is
not limiting but seeks to be shared with children and others.
Some would find a child pictured with a couple in a romantic
setting something of an oxymoron. How sad. As a popular song
says, “you know you love a woman when you can see your
unborn children in her eyes.” Or as Pope John Paul II expresses
it, “There is a deep connection between the mystery of
creation..[and the] truth of communion between two persons.”
Christian love embraces family.
Christian love and romance is part of forever. It accepts the
whole person, it is selfless and generous, and it gives hope to the
future. It is the “I know I can’t get to Heaven without you” kind
of love. As Scripture reminds us: “For this reason a man shall
leave his father and mother and shall cling to his wife, and the
two shall be made into one.”
Anything less is not the real thing.
Theresa Notare is the Assistant Director of the Diocesan
Development Program for Natural Family Planning,
Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities, United States Conference
of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
32 St. Augustine Catholic October/November 2002
reflection
Capture The Romance
By Theresa Notare

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.