The Catholic New World - News Digest





		04/29/01 News School vouchers, leadership discussed at NCEA convention More than 12,000 Catholic educators spent their Easter vacation in Milwaukee learning how they could do their jobs better. Chicago DRE receives award Mary Sue Wielgus, director of religious education at St. Benedict Parish in Chicago, received the 2000-2001 Religious Educational Excellence Award for the Midwest Region from the National Association of Parish Catechetical Directors April 20. Papal visit highlights challenges in Greece, Syria Pope John Paul II puts on his pilgrim shoes again in May, traveling a route through Greece, Syria and Malta that evokes the missionary voyages of St. Paul nearly 2,000 years ago. The May 4-9 trip highlights the pope’s conviction that, at the dawn of the third millennium, the church needs to rediscover the evangelizing energy of the Apostles. Causes of two advance in Rome As Armenians remembered their 1.5 million compatriots who were the victims of genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Turks, the Vatican officially recognized one of the victims as a martyr for the faith. The martyrdom decree issued April 24 in the cause of Armenian Archbishop Ignatius Choukrallah Maloyan of Mardin, killed in 1915, clears the way for his beatification. At the same ceremony, the Vatican officially recognized “the heroic virtues’’ of French Father Charles de Foucauld, a hermit and spiritual guide whose teaching led to the foundation of the Little Brothers of Jesus, the Little Sisters of Jesus and several other communities marked by a life of real poverty and by dialogue with non-Christians. Update CCI questions county transfers The Catholic Conference of Illinois is calling for a re-examination of laws that have resulted in an “alarming number” of African-American and Hispanic youth being transferred from juvenile to adult courts. According to an April 25 statement from the conference, all but three of the 393 youths arrested in Cook County and transferred to adult courts were minorities. The statement calls on legislators to pass laws that will fight crime by assisting communities in the fight against poverty, ensuring that all children receive an adequate education and providing support for families and children. A guide to caring for elderly parents “It’s painful seeing Mom fail as she gets older. I feel guilty that I can't do more for her after all she has done for me.” Not a month passes in which I don't hear of someone who is struggling over how to care for elderly parents. Vocations: Cloistered nuns stay connected with Web “We pray the news every day,” explained Carmelite Sister Elizabeth “Betty” Meluch with a smile. That’s why the Discalced Carmelite nuns of the Monastery of the Resurrection in Indianapolis decided to name their new Web site www.PrayTheNews.com. Go to stories St. Beatrice Church, Schiller Park On April 29, the statue of Our Lady of the New Millennium, moves from St. Henry Parish, 6335 N. Hoyne Ave., to St. Hilary, 5600 N. Fairfield Ave., where it will remain through May 6. Other May sites for the statue are: May 6-13: St. Thecla, 6725 W. Devon Ave. May 13-20, St. Eugene, 7958 W. Foster Ave. May 20-27, St. Martha, Morton Grove. Movie Reviews: The U.S. Catholic Conference's Office for Film and Broadcasting judges films according to artistic merit and moral suitability. Go to reviews top Front Page \| Digest \| Cardinal \| Observations Interview \| Classifieds \| About Us \| Write Us Subscribe \| Advertise \| Archive \| Catholic Sites New World Publications \| Católico \| Directory \| Site Map

A weekly
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Wags’ corner — Those Boeing executives picked a good time to check out Chicago. The Bulls and Black Hawks have no more home games.

‘The right stuff— Antonio Maldonado, 24, of St. Gall Parish (S. Kedzie), teaches Spanish at De La Salle Institute (S. Wabash). Last December, Maldonado looked for a way “to keep in shape.” He’d always wanted to train like a boxer so he began working out under the tutelage of William Rodriguez at the West Side’s Windy City Gym. A complete neophyte, Maldonado had the stuff to begin training for Chicago’s Golden Gloves competition. (Maldonado says he just hoped he could last three rounds.) He defeated Rico Rios in the preliminary rounds March 12 and stopped Joe LaBarre 11 days later to advance to the finals. At 156 pounds in the senior novice division, the Spanish teacher took first place in his weight class and defeated Jose Santos by decision at historic St. Andrew’s Gym on the North Side. Maldonado has been featured on Fox Sports Chicago and hopes to start a boxing club at De La Salle next year for students.

‘It takes a celebrity?’ — Maybe it does, to raise $250,000 for two programs at the first-of-its-kind Cancer Institute in Alexian Brothers Medical Center. The Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards and Mary Wilson of The Supremes—should work the magic. The first female rock star in the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame, Wilson is also well known for her charity work. The performers will entertain 1,000 guests for a full 2 hours at the medical center foundation’s annual Garden Ball, May 5 at Drury Lane, Oak Brook. For tickets, call (847) 437-5500, Ext. 4388. Jim Goodwin, CEO of United Airlines, is honorary chairperson.

‘Virtual’ monastic life — Due to popular demand, the famous Trappist-Cistercian Gethsemani Monastery in Trappist, Ky., the Holy Spirit Monastery in Conyers, Ga., and New Melleray Abbey in Peosta, Ia., are hosting three “Live-in Experience” retreats. The dates are May 25-28, June 6-10 or Aug. 1-5. There is no cost. Men, ages 16-60, can live and work with the monks and hear talks given by the members during the weekends. Space is limited. Call toll free at (866) 548-3463.

Idea Exchange — St. Denis Parish (S. St. Louis) will be selling Krispy Kreme donuts on the fourth Sunday of every month after Masses. Donuts are 50 cents each or $5 a dozen to benefit the works of the parish. How sweet it is!

Alleluia — A combined choir, 100-voices strong, closes the William Ferris Chorale’s concert season at 8 a.m. May 11 in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (W. Belmont.) Musical selections based on psalm texts include the Chicago premiere of “This is the Day the Lord Has Made” by the late William Ferris, commissioned by the Village of Naperville to mark the Millennium. Tickets are $16, $18 and $20 at the box office, (773) 325-2000.

Wags’ corner — John J. Lyons of St. Juliana Parish (N. Osceola) says: “It’s definitely spring. I saw a robin on a salt truck the other day.”

Just like old times — Alums of the former St. Gregory High School reunited March 31 and honored Charles Barry ’64, who heads a consulting firm in Maryland focusing on international security; and William Kane, ’61, former star athlete and co-owner of Schmit Kane Pipe and Supply in Chicago. They also honored George Hacker, composer, choral director and teacher at the school for decades. (He was organist for St. Gregory the Great Parish (W. Gregory) until his death last year.) . . . When pupils taught by the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (founded by St. Katharine Drexel) meet May 6 at the Oak Lawn Hilton, they will be from St. Elizabeth’s and St. Anselm, as well as Milwaukee’s St. Benedict and St. Xavier in New Orleans. They should be aware of Ellen Tarry’s delightful little book, “Saint Katharine Drexel, Friend of the Oppressed,” published by Pauline Books & Media, with a foreword by the late Cardinal John O’Connor. Tarry, a teacher, moved from Harlem to help set up Chicago’s Friendship House. She also received a medal from the church for her work with HUD. Her book is $11.95 from (312) 346-5415.

Send your benevolent gossip to Church Clips, 721 N. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL 60610 or via e-mail to: [email protected]

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