The Georgia Bulletin

Atlanta Media Reports on Controversial Federal Birth Control Mandate

2012-02-03T13:00:00.000-05:00

I've put together a collection of Atlanta media coverage about the federal Health & Human Services mandate that would require employers to provide some birth control services in its health benefits to employees.

Atlanta Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory and other church leaders have vowed to fight the mandate. They believe it violates the constitutional principle of freedom of conscience. They object to having to pay for services that are contrary to church teaching. If they don't pay, the church would be fined.

The federal government provided a religious exemption. However, church leaders object that the exemption are too narrow and would still require Catholic affiliated organizations to pay for services they find morally objectionable.

--Andrew

Georgia Bulletin: www.georgiabulletin.org

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: http://tinyurl.com/7ftzrpj

WABE 90.1 FM: http://tinyurl.com/89myzg2

11 Alive TV:

Fox 5 TV

Catholic Leaders Oppose Health Care Mandate: MyFoxATLANTA.com

WSBTV Channel 2 TV

Feeling Humbled and Loved By Jesus At the Same Time

2012-02-02T09:57:00.002-05:00

I enjoy beinga Catholic press photojournalist and covering the news of the church, but Iwould be telling a lie if I said I approached every assignment with the sameenthusiasm and zeal. On Tuesday night when I was asked to attend the secondnight of a three-night parish mission at All Saints Church, Dunwoody, featuringSister of St. Clare Sister Briege McKenna and Vincentian Father KevinScallon, I saw it as aroutine assignment. In my mind I was going to be there for the end of Mass andthe beginning of the healing service. That way I could take my shots and be outof there. But it didn’t happen that way. Jesus had different plans for me.

God has away to humbling us and loving us at the same time. I arrived at the church at 7:30p.m., Mass concluded at 8:30 p.m., and the healing service started immediatelyafterwards. I was getting a little antsy. I thought I should have been finishedat that point.

I moveddown to the front to get a photo of Sister Briege as she was praying, and atthe same time I tried to get a photo of Father Kevin as he was carrying themonstrance up and down the aisles and around the church. I only took a fewphotos because I was trying to be selective, waiting for those moments whenFather Kevin would walk out of the shadows and into the momentary pockets oflight. Once I took my shots, I retreated to very back, left corner side of thechurch – out of the way I thought.

But FatherKevin made a left turn and began heading toward me and my corner. I waskneeling down with the camera at my side. He stopped right in front of me and heldthe monstrance above my head for a few seconds. I think Jesus knew what was onmy heart before I walked in the church that evening. I felt embarrassed andguilty for having approached the evening with such a cavalier attitude.

With thereal presence of Jesus in front of me, all I could think to say was a silentprayer: “You know what I’ve been thinking tonight, but while you’re here, wouldyou bless and anoint my work tonight?” Needless to say, I stuck around for theentire healing service and benediction.

I confessthat’s not the first time I had planned to “go in and get out,” but ended upstaying You’d think I would know by now. Whenever Jesus is the main attractionand headliner, you can’t leave. Why would you? As in Mark’s Gospel I had read earlier that day, the works and love ofJesus leave us “utterly astounded.”

MichaelAlexander, Staff Photographer

Photos for Catholic Schools Week 2012

2012-02-01T11:43:00.001-05:00

Award-winning photographer Michael Alexander can be found in the schools of the Atlanta archdiocese, where he captures student life and classroom activities for readers of the Georgia Bulletin.

The national celebration of Catholic Schools Week takes place in the last week of January.

These photos are to be displayed at a banquet to honor Catholic educators. We are happy to share them with everyone here. And in the future, the prints will hang in the education hallway at the archdiocese chancery. (Please see more of his work at the Georgia Bulletin's Smugmug page.)

'A matter of grave moral concern.'

2012-01-30T10:50:00.002-05:00

Atlanta Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory signed a letter that called the recent health care mandate from the federal government "a matter of grave moral concern."

You can read the letter below.

Letter from Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory To Be Read at all Masses in Parishes in the Archdiocese of Atlanta During the Weekend of January 28 – 29, 2012

My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I am writing to you on a matter of grave moral concern -- freedom of religion and freedom of conscience. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced last week that almost all employers, including Catholic employers, will be forced to offer their employees health coverage that includes sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs, and contraception. Almost all health insurers will be forced to include those “services” in the health policies they write. And almost all individuals will be forced to buy that coverage as a part of their policies.

In so ruling, the Administration has cast aside the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, denying to Catholics our Nation’s first and most fundamental freedom, that of religious liberty. And as a result, unless the rule is overturned, we Catholics will be compelled either to violate our consciences, or to drop health coverage for our employees (and suffer the penalties for doing so). The Administration’s sole concession was to give our institutions one year to comply.

I stand in unity with Catholic bishops throughout the United States and other religious leaders vowing to fight this mandate.

Along with my brother bishops and other religious leaders, I insist that this is a direct attack on our religious freedom and our First Amendment rights. I will work with the bishops, other religious leaders and our fellow Americans to remove this unjust regulation.

If the administration will not rescind this violation of our First Amendment rights, we must call on our elected leaders to do so. I ask you to pray that wisdom and justice may prevail, and work together to restore our religious liberty.

Please join me in continuing to follow the development of this important issue and contacting our elected representatives to seek a just resolution.

Through our Georgia Bulletin, archdiocesan and Georgia Catholic Conference websites and other media, I will keep you up to date on the progress of this important issue.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

╬ Wilton D. Gregory

Archbishop of Atlanta

Word Cloud of Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory's homily at the Mass for the Unborn

2012-01-24T10:52:00.001-05:00

This is a word cloud of Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory's homily at the Mass for the Unborn, given on Monday, Jan. 23, at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Atlanta.

The complete homily is on the Archdiocese of Atlanta website.

2012 Father Bruce Wilkinson Founders Award

2012-01-15T14:26:00.000-05:00

An interview with Beatrice Soublet. (mp3)

I attended the 2012 Atlanta Archdiocese celebration of the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on Saturday, Jan. 14.I interviewed Beatrice Soublet, who with her husband, Lawrence, earned The Father Bruce Wilkinson Award for their efforts at Our Lady of Lourdes Church.

The couple do many things at the parish, which they joined after fleeing the damage in New Orleans left by Hurricane Katrina. They facilitate an anti-racism program, serve with the Simon's Call HIV/AIDS ministry, act as the cleanup crew for the Lourdes Lunch Program, just to name a few.

Head over to the AudioBoo website to see a photo of the couple.

The story about the King celebration Mass will be printed in the upcoming issue of the Georgia Bulletin.

--Andrew

St. Joseph's Hospital Joins With Emory Healthcare

2012-01-03T18:25:00.002-05:00

ATLANTA—Saint Joseph’s Hospital has formed a new venturewith Emory Healthcare. As of Jan. 1, it is now part of a joint operating company,which combines Saint Joseph’s with the Emory Johns Creek Hospital, under theEmory Healthcare umbrella.

Emory Healthcare is the majority stakeholder. However, SaintJoseph’s will remain sponsored by itsfounders, the Sisters of Mercy, “to insure continuation of the Catholic missionand identity,” said a hospital official.

View Atlanta Hospitals Form New Venture in a larger map

Hospital leaders said the partnership puts the two medical facilitiesin good standing for the future. Emory and Saint Joseph’s have been working outthe details of the joint operating agreement since March 2011.

Learn more details in this week's Georgia Bulletin.

Read the press release.

Photos From 2011

2011-12-31T09:00:00.000-05:00

Photojournalist Michael Alexander selected these photos to look back at some of the events that took place in the Atlanta Archdiocese in 2011.

Looking Back at 2011

2011-12-30T10:28:00.000-05:00

A Championship Gesture On 11-11-11

2011-11-22T18:08:00.001-05:00

The night of November 11 I was downon the sidelines covering the Glory For Christ Football League Championshipgame between Holy Spirit Preparatory School and Christian Heritage School.

I couldn’t help but notice that a HolySpirit student (Ricky Walker) was pushing one of the players, Peter Nagle,around in a wheelchair. Nagle, a freshman and first-year defensive tackle onthe varsity team, broke his leg in three places during the semifinal game againstAugusta Prep.

With the help of Walker, Nagle wasfully engaged in the game. He rolled through the banner at the beginning of thegame with the team, he rolled along the sideline following the action and healso joined the team huddle during the timeouts. “Although it was extremely disappointing for Peter, he is no stranger topain and inconvenience. Peter has cerebral palsy, but he refuses to use‘handicap’ as an excuse not to play football,” said assistant coach and schoolchaplain Father Jason Brooks.

“He (Peter)is a tremendous asset and a great inspiration. He has two desires - one isto be treated like everyone else and the other is to play football,” said headcoach James Falcetti. “We rally around Peter. He is a tough kid. He's awarrior.”

Well, Holy Spirit was victorious inthe title game. When the clock on the scoreboard reached zero, the fans rushedthe field in jubilation. They yelled and screamed and jumped for joy. Theplayers passed the trophy around and kissed it like it was the NFL’s LombardiTrophy. In the middle of all the hoopla was Nagle.

There was a single moment in themidst of all the celebration that caught my attention. A momentary hush came overthe players when nose tackle William Oppermann and defensive line coach Jesse Garcia extendedthe trophy to Nagle. As soon as Nagle touched and held it, the players and thecrowd erupted once again, but this time they were chanting Peter Nagle’s name.

Peter Nagle, in wheelchair right, is the recipient of a

championship gesture during a championship moment.

All season Father Brooks prayedwith the players and coaches. They attempted to teach and shape the young meninto good players on the field and students of character and followers ofChrist off the field. That gesture, a championship gesture, validated theeffort and work of the coaches and chaplain over the 12-week season.

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

Check out how Holy Spirit won their firstfootball championship in the Nov. 24 issue of The Georgia Bulletin.

A Brief slideshow

2011-11-21T17:16:00.001-05:00

The newspaper, which is being edited as I type, has powerful photos and stories that capture the ceremonies surrounding the death of Archbishop-emeritus John F. Donoghue. We also have a centerfold of photos taken of happier times during his 11 years as the spiritual leader for Atlanta's Catholics.

I've put together a brief slideshow of some of the photos. But believe me you'll want to hold on to the next issue of the Georgia Bulletin because the photo journalism if very strong. - Andrew

Try our video maker at Animoto.

At Sacred Heart Basilica

2011-11-16T13:41:00.001-05:00

ATLANTA - The remains of retired Archbishop John F. Donoghue Wednesday morning entered the Basilica of Sacred Heart allowing people to come and pray.

Olga Myers, of All Saints, like some 30 others came early to pay respects and “to say farewell to my dear friend of many years.”

An honor guard of knights of Columbus and St. Peter Claver in plumed hats and swords stood beside the open wooden casket. Six lit candles are beside the casket. A kneeler for people to pay their respects is at the foot of the casket.

Archbishop Donoghue died on Friday, Nov. 11. He was 83.

There will be much more about retired Archbishop John F. Donoghue in the next "Georgia Bulletin." Please be on the look out for it.

If you are on Twitter, follow #+Donoghue to get reports throughout the day.

Timeline of Archbishop-emeritus John F. Donoghue

2011-11-14T18:27:00.001-05:00

fArchbishop John F. Donoghue served as the spiritual leader for Catholics in and around Atlanta from August 1993 to December 2004. He encouraged the expansion of Catholic schools and instituted the annual Eucharistic Congress.

This timeline is just a brief survey of the milestones of his time as the archbishop.

Atlanta Catholics To Remember Archbishop Donoghue

2011-11-14T10:19:00.000-05:00

Here is the schedule for the funeral rites for Archbishop-emeritus John F. Donoghue which begin on Wednesday at the Sacred Heart Basilica, on Peachtree Street.

View Funeral Rites for retired Archbishop John F. Donoghue in a larger mapClergy and parishioners are invited to participate in all of the ceremonies at the Basilica.

The Sacred Heart Basilica is located at 353 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta. As you may know parking is extremely limited, so visitors are strongly encouraged park in the parking lot at 680 W. Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta (the old chancery building) and ride a free shuttle buse.

It will leave every 30 minutes from 9:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. On Thursday morning, November 17, shuttle buses will be provided from 8:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Reflecting On An Old Soul During All Souls Day

2011-11-02T11:26:00.001-04:00

On October16, Nettie Singleton, the oldest living member of Our Lady of Lourdes Church,Atlanta, passed away at the age of 102 years old. “Ms. Nettie,” as she wasaffectionately known by her fellow parishioners, was born in Eatonton, Ga., in 1909.

Nettie Singleton attends a 1997 rosary rally.

Singleton enrolled in Our Lady ofLourdes School in 1915, where she attended up through her graduation from eighthgrade. She would recall over the years how she met St. Katharine Drexel as astudent. Drexel, the founder of the Blessed Sacrament Sisters, helpedestablish Our Lady of Lourdes School and would make visits from time to time.

Singleton grew up in a family withan African Methodist Episcopal Church background, but she converted toCatholicism in 1933. In his October 22 eulogy, former Our Lady ofLourdes pastor Father John Adamski indicated that the church’s baptism registercontains many references to Nettie Singleton as a godmother for others. “Indeed,Nettie constantly sought to help others and share her faith,” said Adamski. For many years she served in anumber of church related organizations. Singleton was the first secretary ofthe Our Lady of Lourdes School PTA.

I photographed Ms. Singleton forthe first time in 1997 during an October rosary rally at St. Thomas MoreChurch, Decatur. She was just four score and eight at that time. Altogether Iprobably photographed her on three different occasions. She would always say,“Baby, I’m going to break your camera.” Well, she never broke my camera, but wewould both break out in a laugh.

The last time I photographed Ms.Singleton was for a series of photos that accompanied Andrew Nelson’s 2009story (Centenarians’ Serving Spirit Hailed On Birthdays). She reached thecentury mark that year. Her family presented her with anhonorary “Doctorate of Evangelism” on her 100^th birthday.

Nettie Singleton, right, celebrates her

100th birthday at Our Lady of Lourdes Church

The funny thing about Ms. Singletonis I believe she stopped aging at a certain point. Her physical appearance in2009 was not much different from that initial encounter in 1997. “Ms. Nettie”was well preserved and immensely blessed by God. That’s probably why she’s inthe All Souls Class of 2011.

May the soul of Nettie Singletonand all the souls of the faithfully departed rest in peace.

Amen!

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

A Coach Who Balances Multiple Roles

2011-10-27T10:59:00.002-04:00

It’s notunheard of for coaches to coach at least one of their children. Marist School’sMike Trapani coached his daughter in softball and his son in baseball. Our Ladyof Mercy’s Tony Caruso also coached his son in basketball.

However, for the last three seasons, Bill Schmitz, athleticdirector and head volleyball coach at Our Lady of Mercy School, Fayetteville,has coached his two eldest children, Olivia, 18, and Mary Katherine, 16, in thesame sport at the same time. Olivia is the team’s senior outside hitter andMary Katherine is a junior setter.

Coach Bill Schmitz sits between his daughters Olivia, left, and Mary Katherine

“It’s beenboth challenging and extremely rewarding. My daughters and I arevery close, but it is very tough on them since they are virtually with theirdad all of the time. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I will cherish ourtime together for years to come,” said Schmitz. He said the best thing aboutcoaching his daughters is he can be a part of their lives, but the toughestpart is the feeling that the three of them are under a magnifying glass.

For Oliviaand Mary Katherine the hardest part about being coached by dad is theoccasional frustration and tension with each other that can arise during games,but in the end they always get through it and they stick together. “The bestthing is my dad comes to every game, so his support is always there,” saidOlivia.

As a coachand a dad Schmitz is proud of his daughters’ accomplishments. Olivia is rankednumber one in the state in kills for all classifications and she is ranked 13in the nation for the same category. Mary Katherine is ranked number one in thestate in aces and holds a number five ranking in the nation.

This yearOur Lady of Mercy’s volleyball team made it to the Sweet 16 of the statetournament. Unfortunately for Schmitz and his squad, they were eliminated byGreater Atlanta Christian School, a very good team competing in this Saturday’sstate championship game.

This isOlivia’s last season on the court with her team, her sister and her coach asshe prepares to head off for college. Oliviasaid she’ll miss her biggest supporter. “Although he is my coach, he has nevermade me feel like I've let him down or disappointed him, even if I miss a serveor need coaching. I can tell that he is always proud of me, even if I'm playinghorribly,” said Olivia.

Bothsiblings said they have learned valuable life lessons from their coach and dadduring these years of volleyball together. Olivia said he's taught her not totake life too seriously. “I'm a very focused and determined person andsometimes I miss out on things, because I let my passion for the sport get inthe way of being a good teammate or a good leader. He is always reminding me tojust breathe and let things be.”

MaryKatherine, who returns for one more season under her dad, said the greatestlesion she has learned is perseverance. “He has shown me that even when thingsget hard I have to push through it and he’s always got my back. This lesson hascarried over into my faith as well as academics.”

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

Seethe volleyball report in the Oct. 27 issue ofThe Georgia Bulletin.

Update: Eagles Landing Christian Academy defeated BlessedTrinity 3-0 (25-20, 25-18,29-27). St. Pius X defeated Woodward Academy 3-1 (25-23, 20-25, 25-16, 25-21)to advance to the state finals against Sandy Creek High School, Tyrone.

Teaching With A Touch Of Grace

2011-10-26T10:31:00.000-04:00

Earlierthis month I covered the dedication of Pinecrest Academy’s new John Paul IILower School Activities Building. During the ribbon cutting ceremony,sandwiched between the Lower School principal and the construction company’sproject manager was a woman named My Thi Huynh. To my surprise she was listedin the press release as “the teacher who has taught in the Lower School thelongest.”

I met MyThi and her husband, Deacon Hung Viet, for the first time back in 1998. I was coveringthe annual Eucharistic celebration of Our Lady of LaVang at Riverdale’s OurLady of Vietnam Church. Even though it was not her official role, My Thi waslike the parish ambassador, and she made me feel very welcome during that initialvisit to the parish.

InAugust of 1998 Pinecrest Academy broke ground on what began as its 53-acre Cumminglocation. I was there as Archbishop emeritus John F. Donoghue presided over theceremony to turn over the dirt, mixed with Georgia red clay, marking thebeginning of its Forsyth County existence. Today it has grown into a sprawlingcampus with 15 buildings, two gymnasiums and three athletic fields.

Through it all My Thi has been a part of the Pinecrest Academygrowth and expansion. Initially she served as a parent volunteer when heryoungest son John attended the school. In 1997 she became a teacher’s assistantat the Lower School. My Thi said it’s a wonderful opportunity to work with theyoung children at Pinecrest Academy. “It’s like a family at Pinecrest andthere’s a love expressed by all at the school,” said My Thi. Before thestudents arrive, the teachers come together in the hallway each morning to praythat the Lord will show them the way to help and guide each child through the day.

My Thi came to the United States from Vietnam in 1975. She isthe seventh of 10 children. My Thi and her husband were married at St. Margaretof Scotland Church, Morristown, N.J., in 1978. In addition to John, they areparents to Peter, 30, and Jason, 29. Both young men are seminarians with the Legionariesof Christ in Rome. In her spare time My Thi said she likes to cook, garden andtake walks so she can meditate and reflect.

I’ve always known My Thi as a kind person who exudes a jovial andpeaceful disposition. I also know her to be a devout and faith-filled Catholic woman.She told me she attends 7 a.m. Mass in the school’s main chapel every morning. Eventhough she resides in Norcross, occasionally I see her at the Cathedral ofChrist the King, Atlanta; yet, until recently I never knew that since 1994, shespends one hour a week praying before the Blessed Sacrament in the adorationchapel.

My Thi said the innocence and pure souls of Pinecrest’s youngeststudents provides an example to her. “The parents give their children to me soI can look after and care for them, so that’s a big responsibility for me andall the teachers. But what a blessing and a gift,” concluded My Thi.

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

See the story and photos surrounding dedication of Pinecrest Academy’s new John Paul IILower School Activities Building in the Oct. 27 issue of The Georgia Bulletin.

50 Years later, here they are, Earl and Barbara Beck

2011-10-10T17:53:00.000-04:00

50 Years of Marriage Begins with Mutual Dislike by GeorgiaBulletin

Please listen to Barbara Beck tell how her marriage of 50 years to her husband, Earl, began with mutual dislike. It's a great story.

You can read my article in the Georgia Bulletin about the annual Mass honoring couples in 2011 who celebrate their 50th and 60th wedding anniversaries. The story appears in the Oct. 13 issue.

On a side note, my own parents - who marked in September the 45th anniversary of their wedding - were set up by their parents. My dad's mother worked at Syracuse University as did my mom. My grandmother suggested my dad take out her co-worker and the rest is history (Although, as my father tells it, at the proposal, my mom tried to talk him out of it. My mom is mum on the subject.) Anyhoo. I wonder if it was common for parents to play the matchmaker back in the day. How'd your parents meet?

-Andrew

Voices of the Nigerian Catholic Community Choir

2011-10-04T11:05:00.000-04:00

I set out for the inaugural Mass of the Pan African Catholic Organization of the Atlanta last weekend.
Wandering around before the service began, I found a choir of women, wearing colorful clothes, practicing for the upcoming Mass. You can hear the choir below.

Here's my lede for the story:

Worshippers recited prayers in five languages as they praised God African-style.

Crowds filled the pews at Stone Mountain’s Corpus Christi Church, with many wearing vibrant African clothes and women in elaborate headdresses.

At the start of Mass, five women danced down the center aisle of Corpus Christi Church to the drum beat of African rhythms, as one carried the book with the day’s Bible readings on her back.

Choirs from the communities of Cameroon, Gambian, Nigeria raised their voices to lead the faithful in song.

The Pan African Catholic Organization of Atlanta in the archdiocese held its inaugural Mass on Saturday, Oct. 1, bringing together nine different immigrant nationalities and ethnic groups.

Some details about the African Catholic community came from a survey done four years ago:

A 2007 survey for the Office of Black Catholic Ministry estimated in the archdiocese there are more than 22,000 black Catholics.

And in the survey, about one in three respondents identified themselves as African. The largest number of people born in Africa came from Nigeria, followed by Eritrea and Ivory Coast. (Cote d’Ivoire).

Finally, the choir. (To enlarge the photo, please hover the cursor over the photo.).

listen to ‘Church choir practice ’ on Audioboo

-Andrew

What I Saw:

2011-09-01T14:49:00.005-04:00

Song at a funeral for an Atlanta Catholic priest by anelson-1

I attended the funeral of Marist Father Larry Schmuhl last week, and I wrote about it in the Sept. 1 "Georgia Bulletin."

There's a custom I first noticed at other funerals for priests. And I don't know if it's part of the funeral rite for priests, or a nice tradition that has been adopted by clergy. (Or perhaps lay people also have this custom, but I am not familiar with it.)

After the prayer of commendation and the conclusion of Mass, priests gather and circle the casket before it's placed in the hearse.

The group chants the prayer "Salve Regina" in Latin. The prayer may date to the 11th century, according to Wikipedia.

In Latin:

Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae,
vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.
ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae,
ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos
misericordes oculos ad nos converte;
et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.

In English:

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
to thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us;
and after this our exile,
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

--Andrew

Sharing A Common Date In August

2011-08-11T16:52:00.005-04:00

Today, August 11, is the feast of Italy’s St. Clare. This young woman left her life of nobility to follow St. Francis of Assisi and give her life over to God. St. Clare is also the founder of the order of nuns known as the Poor Clares. Back on Palm Sunday of this year the Poor Clares commenced a yearlong celebration marking their 800^th anniversary. The celebration will culminate on St. Clare’s feast day a year from now. St. Clare started the order on Palm Sunday in 1212.

A stained glass image of St. Clare inside the Church of San Damiano, Assisi, Italy.

(Georgia Bulletin Photo By Michael Alexander, June 2005)

My first encounter with the Poor Clares took place back in 1993 or 1994 when Mark Zimmermann, my former editor at The Catholic Standard, Washington, DC, assigned writer Richard Szczepanowski to do a story on the nuns who reside in the nearby neighborhood of Brookland. I joined Richard in an effort to provide photographs for the feature piece.

Initially I must have thought it was going to be pretty boring covering a group of cloistered nuns, but was I ever wrong. They were so happy, so full of life and so in love with Christ. We became good friends with the Poor Clares after the story was published, and at least once a week or more I would meet Richard at their chapel for 7 a.m. Mass.

Some mornings I would take our two children before I dropped them off at St. Gabriel School. At the time the youngest was in kindergarten and the oldest was in the fourth grade. We often enjoyed conversing with the Mother Superior Sister Margaret Mary and the other nuns after Mass in the parlor. The biggest treat for the kids was playing with the Poor Clares’ beagle hound name Kyra. To this day we remain friends with the Poor Clares, and we like to stop by their monastery and home at 3900 13^th Street, NE, during visits to D.C. In addition to their friendship, we appreciate their prayers on our behalf.

Today is also the our 27^th wedding anniversary. On this day in 1984 at 1 p.m. Tramell and I were married at St. Anthony of Padua Church, Atlanta. To be perfectly honest, we didn’t know it was the feast of St. Clare. We picked that day because it was a Saturday, the church was available and it was a good weekend for relatives and friends. While St. Francis of Assisi was probably delighted that Clare answered the call to religious life, I’m equally blessed and thankful that Tramell became my soul mate in our matrimonial life.

Wedding Day

(Photo by Julius Alexander, August 11, 1984)

Happy feast day St. Clare.

Happy anniversary Tramell. I love you today and always!

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

A Monk For The Ages

2011-08-05T13:14:00.009-04:00

Last week writer Andrew Nelson and I went out to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Conyers, to interview and photograph Father Luke Kot, someone I would only describe as a real gem and living legend in monastic circles. It was a week before his 100^th birthday.

I arrived about 40 minutes ahead of our scheduled 10 a.m. meeting, so I could set up and scout out the historic barn, which is a central component of the monastery’s new Monastic Heritage Center.

Just a few minutes after the hour Brother Callistus, the monastery’s public relations and development coordinator, was seen approaching the barn, walking beside the 99-year-old monk. Pushing his walker, Father Luke stopped to pose for a photo and talk to a passerby he saw along the way. It was like he was walking the red carpet to the Oscars. “Come on Father Luke, come on Father Luke,” implored Brother Callistus.

As I held the door open Brother Calistus asked, “Do you know who this guy is?” Father Luke stopped in his tracks, formed a camera with his hands and said, “The photographer!” He walked to the center of the barn and sat next to Andrew for the interview. Andrew said he needed about 20 minutes, so I left so they could have their time alone. After Brother Callistus led me on my first tour of the Monastic Heritage Center, we returned to the barn for the photo session.

I decided I wanted to try three different poses within the barn’s interior and I was hoping he would be able to withstand the demands I was placing upon him. On top of that, the air condition was not on in the barn and I’m guessing the temperature must have been in the low to mid 80s. First I took some photos of him in front of a display featuring an image of the Abbey Church. It almost looks like we’re really outdoors in front of it.

From there we moved a few feet over to the front of a display with an old black and white image of three monks. There was one moment of brief laughter among all of us as we were moving from spot to the other. As Father Luke was getting up from his walker, unaware of what he was doing, Brother Callistus just instinctively grabbed the walker and moved it to the front of the black and white display. For a brief moment before Brother Callistus realized what happened, Father Luke was left standing there wondering, ‘Why did he just take my walker? Doesn’t he know I need that?’ It was an unforgettable look.

It was just further indication of what a trooper Father Luke was that day. He was so patient and so giving of himself. For the final shot I posed him in front of the monastic cowls and hats. It was also during these final series of shots that my sync cord started to malfunction and the strobe light would not fire. I had to use available light, in combination with the modeling light.

By the time we finished, nearly an hour later, I was sweating through my shirt. Brother Callistus asked if we wanted some water, but since the 99-year-old monk had made no such request or never asked to stop for a break, neither could I.

Father Luke has a great face, wonderful stories and a beautiful spirit. You can read Andrew’s story about Father Luke turning 100-years-old in the August 4 issue of The Georgia Bulletin.

Happy Birthday Father Luke and thanks for your time.

Oh, by the way, we did stop in the Abbey Gift Shop and Café on the way out and purchased two bottles of water.

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

Happy Birthday to Father Luke!

2011-08-03T14:13:00.005-04:00

Today, Wednesday, Aug. 3, Father Luke Kot, a monk at the Trappist Holy Spirit Monastery in Conyers, turns 100.

You can see the multimedia slide show photographer Michael Alexander and I did when he was a young man at 98. We've done a few of the slideshows and this remains one of my favorites.

--Andrew

Photographing Sisters of Distinction

2011-07-28T15:39:00.032-04:00

One of my assignments this month has been tracking down five of the six sister jubilarians celebrating between 25 and 60 years of service with their respective religious orders. I set out to take their portraits with one light in order to capture various moods and expressions.

The first sister I photographed was Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, Sister Esther Ordonez. We met inside St. Lawrence Church, Lawrenceville. I’ve known Sister Esther for a number of years because of her devoted work within the Hispanic community. It was an emotional period for Sister Esther. Just a few weeks earlier her mother had died, and she was also preparing for a move to Paducah, Ky., after 18 years of working in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. The sadness comes across in some of the images. While the side and split lighting evokes emotion, it also hides some of her pain in the shadows. If Sister Esther found it difficult to pose for me, she never let it be known. She was very patient and cordial.

After I finished with Sister Esther I drove over to Divino Nino Jesus Mission, Duluth, to photograph Sister Martha Herrera, a Franciscan Sister of Our Lady of Refuge. Sister Martha was wearing a bright, white habit and she was in a cheerful mood. I tried to capture her jovial demeanor in the photos.

Nearly a week later I went to the residence of Sisters of St. Joseph (Concordia, Kansas), Sister Jodi Creten. It was pouring down raining when I arrived. I had to wait for the rain to subside a bit before I could bring the equipment out of the car. Sister Jodi lives in the community behind Most Blessed Sacrament Church called St. Joseph’s Place. Photographing Sister Jodi was like photographing an old friend. In the late 80s/early 90s our family volunteered at St. Thomas Manor in East Point. It was a small personal care home formerly operated by the Archdiocese of Atlanta. At the time Sister Jodi was the resident services coordinator. I took a couple of different shots in the living room of her small one bedroom apartment, but the shot of here sitting by her window with the strobe light over her right shoulder works the best.

A day after I photographed Sister Jodi, I went to the apartment of Sister Angela Abood, a Sister of St. Joseph (Carondolet, St. Louis). She lives in a senior high rise building in Decatur. In fact, she likes to minister to residents there. Out of the three previously mentioned sisters, Sister Angela is the only Georgia native. She used to teach school and it was just my luck that her building had a library on the first floor. The librarian working at the time, a woman by the name of Dorothy Collins, allowed me to set up in there. The only request Sister Angel made for her photo was that I show the cross around her neck, a jubilee gift from one of the residents. I think Sister Angela enjoyed the photo session as much as I did.

I have one more sister to photograph, Sister Susan Arcaro. She’s celebrating her 50th anniversary with the Congregation of Our Lady of the Retreat in The Cenacle.
You will be able to read the story of the other sisters in upcoming issues of the paper.You can read Stephen O’Kane’s story of Sister Esther, Sister Jodi and Sister Angela in the July 21 issue of The Georgia Bulletin.

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

Trip to Dalton

2011-07-20T12:37:00.012-04:00

Shrine on the campus of St. Joseph Church, Dalton

I drove to Dalton to meet with Father Paul Williams on Friday, July 15. He is the pastor of St. Joseph Church, a parish that is about 90 percent Hispanic. The story focused on the STATE immigration law, HB 87. That evening hundreds of Hispanics gathered in a lively prayer service and I figured I could speak with a few folks about the law. I wrote about it in the July 21 issue of the Georgia Bulletin.

I shot this video and then used the scene as my lede for the story:

I also took this photo of leaders of the prayer group crowded into this small room. I heard this intense sound coming from the room before I could peer in and see the scene. I couldn't understand what they were saying, but it was obviously heart felt.

Also, Father Williams and his community are expected to be profiled in Time Magazine. A writer and a crew of photographers visited Dalton and the parish to take a look it from a national perspective. I'm curious to see what they saw and wrote. --Andrew

Revive! with tweets, photo and video

2011-06-28T12:00:00.002-04:00

Revive! @ Eucharistic Congress 2011

2011-06-27T16:28:00.006-04:00

Here's the remarks by Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory at the Revive! celebration on the first

evening of Eucharistic Celebration 2011.

Adoration Chapel

2011-06-27T15:38:00.004-04:00

There's a constant stream of women, men, and children into the conference room set aside for prayer and eucharistic adoration at the Georgia International Conference Center, long time home for the Eucharistic Congress.

The Atlanta Archdiocese just marked the 16th annual celebration on June 24th and 25th. Estimates are that more than 20,000 people attend.

Below is a photo of adoration chapel with the diversity of people in prayer.

Catholic Chapel Closes on Fort McPherson, Atlanta, Ga.

2011-06-15T14:54:00.002-04:00

Video Interview with Father James Martin

2011-06-02T07:00:00.001-04:00

Father James Martin, a Jesuit priest and best-selling author, visited Atlanta during the last week in May. He did a Q & A with young people at the Ignatius Jesuit Retreat House in Atlanta. Some 60 people came to hear him speak.

After talking for close to two hours, posing for photos and signing his books, Father Martin kindly stood in front of my iPhone for a short interview on video. (I'm a bit of a novice with the video on my phone, so it's a bit wobbly. I need to work on that.)

Here's the video:

Pretty Good Mission Statement

2011-05-31T07:42:00.001-04:00

The great thing about the Web is how way leads on to way. You can forget where the trail started. That's how I stumbled on this essay at a publication called Ekklesia: A New Way of Thinking.

As someone who has hung out with the Religion Newswriters Association (RNA) types for a half century, I’d argue that the problem results not from villainy or bias so much as from the nature of things, and have come up with a formula: if religion is covered as news, the bad stuff will predominate; if it appears as features, the good side gets a chance to show.

News waits for someone to embezzle or kill or seduce another in the name of God. Features allow for creative reporters to get up close to believing and behaving people who use their imagination, faith, energy, and communal spirit to serve others.

(To read the full note at "Bad news and good news in religion reporting.")

The author uses a story in the New York Times to point out how these feature stories tell another side to religious infighting. Here it is: Kim Severson, 'For Some, Helping With Disaster Relief Is Not Just Aid, It’s a Calling,'

That's the goal at the Georgia Bulletin's story telling

What do you think? How do you think we are doing?

The Wall of Scholars

2011-05-27T07:37:00.014-04:00

Newman Scholar portraits hang on the wall at Lyke House.

Before the seniors at the Atlanta University Center marched to the sound of “Pomp and Circumstance” and the underclassmen returned home, Lyke House – the Catholic Center at Atlanta University announced its 2011 Newman Scholar. Since 1992 a Newman Scholar has been named at the end of each school year. The student members of Lyke House recommend three people to the chaplain, Father Edward Branch. Then Father Branch chooses the candidate who best exemplifies the qualities of service, scholarship and spirituality.

This year Christopher Lamb was the center’s twenty-first Newman Scholar. The 21-year-old native of Portsmouth, Va., is a Clark Atlanta University student majoring in film. The honor was bestowed upon him on May 1 following the 10:15 a.m. Mass. “It was humbling to get the honor,” said Lamb. “It shows the love and respect I earned from my peers and Father Branch,”

“He’s constant in his service at the Catholic Center. In terms of leadership and growth development, he’s outstanding,” said Father Branch speaking about his selection of Lamb. “He has developed a confidence when it comes to talking about his faith and defending it around campus, especially in the face of ignorant and false accusations made about Catholics.”

For his or her recognition the Newman Scholar receives a small stipend and a sitting for a hand-drawn charcoal portrait by artist James Adair. Adair has drawn all 21 Newman Scholars. The first seven were done from a photograph, but since then the rest have been live sittings. Adair is an Atlanta native and retired public school art teacher who has also been a professional artist for 50 years. “It’s always a pleasure and a personal test as an artist,” said Adair. “It’s a successful endeavor when I have the opportunity to engage in conversation and talk to the student.” Through conversation with the students he is able to acquire various personality traits, strengths and interests, which he uses beyond their physical appearance, to compose the drawing. Each sitting takes an average of 45 minutes to an hour.

Artist James Adair draws 2011 Newman Scholar Christopher Lamb.

Nineteen framed drawings (two are still in the process of being framed) of Newman Scholars hang on the wall of Lyke House’s Sister Thea Bowman Library. Many of the past Newman Scholars have gone on to earn Master’s and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees like Francis Insaidoo, who earned a doctorate in biochemistry last year at the University of Notre Dame. Alessandra Ennett-Shepard, the very first Newman Scholar, received her Ph.D. in physics and currently works for Eli Lilly and Company.

Others like Desmond Drummer and John Phillips have gone on to pursue religious vocations. Drummer is a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Atlanta and studies at Mundelein Seminary near Chicago. Phillips is known today as Brother John Paul Phillips, an Order of Preachers, Dominican friar who is pursuing a Masters of Divinity and Theology degree at the Aquinas Institute of Theology.

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

Chapel Blessing

2011-05-26T13:31:00.015-04:00

SMYRNA - The Atlanta Archdiocese celebrated the blessing of its new chapel Thursday, May 26, at the Chancery.
Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory was the main celebrant, along with Aux. Bishop Luis R. Zarama and several priests and deacons.

These photos were taken with my iPhone and then filtered through a couple photo apps.

-Andrew

From upper left, the Blessed Sacrament ciborium

before being taken to the tabernacl; prayer card cover;

and Easter Candle and reader

Gathering prayer with altar

before blessing with holy water

Communion

These windows adorn the chapel, dedicated to St. Dominic.

Clockwise from left, Mother and Child Jesus, with on the right St. Joseph, and St. Dominic. He is the patron of astronomers, astronomy and falsely accused people.

You can read and hear about the installation of the stained glass here.

Ordination at Holy Spirit Monastery

2011-05-02T14:09:00.001-04:00

I had the good fortune to spend some time at the Holy Spirit Monastery recently. The assignment was to write about the ordination of a monk.

CONYERS - With prayers and ancient rituals, the monks at Holy Spirit Monastery and friends celebrated the ordination of Brother Augustine Myslinski to the priesthood.
Friends and colleagues crowded the abbey church Saturday, April 30, as streaming light from the stained glass windows made the stone glow blue.

A long faith journey for now Father Augustine Myslinksi came to an end when he kneeled in front of Auxiliary Bishop Luis R. Zarama and the bishop in silent prayer laid his hands on the monk’s head. During that moment, the church teaches that a man receives the Holy Spirit to serve as a priest.

“May God who has begun the good work in you bring it to fulfillment,” said the bishop.

Read the rest of the story and in next week's edition of the Georgia Bulletin. Below is the video of the procession at the end of Mass:

Easter Greetings in Atlanta

2011-04-25T11:16:00.001-04:00

Lent Recipe -- Update

2011-03-28T11:36:00.000-04:00

UPDATE
The dish was a hit. Words like "wow" and "yum" were thrown around.

What I liked is the zip in the food from the red pepper. It gave the meal a bit of a zing. I hadn't been expecting that, even though I made it.

It was a very easy to make and took no time. I am going to be adding this to my cookbook.

The newspaper invited, asked, pleaded with readers to submit Lent recipes to run in the paper. We wanted to find dishes to get out of the It's-Friday-it-must-be-fish-sticks-for-dinner rut. You readers delivered. We received about a dozen recipes to try.

Yours truly made shrimp with orzo. I had most things - olive oil and spices - in my kitchen. But I faced a bit of choice with buying the shrimp and figuring out where to find orzo.

I'll update this post after we taste the meal.

Immigration Rally

2011-03-25T14:39:00.004-04:00

Atlanta - Thousands of rallied against tough illegal immigration bills at the Georgia Statehouse Thursday, March 24.

Opponents of the law say the law will promote racial profiling, hurt the state's economy as law enforcement is given broader powers to enforce immigration laws.

Here's some photos and a video at the end taken with a mobile phone:

US Rep. John Lewis, D- Ga., a civil rights icon, rallied protesters at the immigration rally in Atlanta.

Look for a full report and thoughts about people who attended the rally in next week's Georgia Bulletin.

March Madness is contagious at the high school level too

2011-03-03T13:24:00.010-05:00

**UPDATE**

St. Pius X High School was defeated by Dalton High School in the quarterfinals of the state basketball tournament 50-36. St. Pius finished the season with a record of 25-6.

My high school, DuPont Manual, defeated Mercy Academy 55-52 to win their region championship. Now they advance to the Sweet Sixteen round of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association state basketball tournament. They will take on Crittenden County High School in their first round game, Wednesday, March 9, in Bowling Green, Ky.

*****************************************************************************************

Tuesday night I covered a second round, state playoff basketball game at St. Pius X High School, Atlanta, where the Lady Golden Lions of Pius took on the young women from Troup High School, LaGrange. St. Pius is the only archdiocesan Catholic school still in contention for a state championship this year.

March Madness often refers to the NCAA basketball tournament that begins in March, and concludes in April. The basketball madness of March, however, is not restricted to the collegiate game. The high school “ballers” also provide their brand of excitement.

Responding to what it’s like to try to get to “the big dance” for a coach and his players at the high school level, second year Pius coach Kyle Snipes said, “It is just as exciting as it was when I was coaching at the college level, although at the high school level it is more special, because the season only goes two weeks into March, so to be playing in March for our program is exciting and also a testament to the hard work the young ladies have put in, not only during the season, but in the off-season as well.”

Despite a sizeable height disadvantage in the paint, Pius kept it close in the first half, and they held a one-point lead at halftime (18-17). Troup’s junior center Shamiya Brooks scored the first two points of the second half, but Pius’ defense held Troup scoreless for the remainder of the third quarter, as their offense extended its lead by 12. Troup scored its second basket of the half with 6:40 remaining in the fourth quarter.

St. Pius went on to defeat Troupe 46-21. Pius juniors Anna O’Donnell had 11 first-half points, Dylan Krause finished with 8 points (two shots from three-point land), and Sydni Payne scored 6 points. Sophomore MacKenzie Garrison also chipped in 7 points. Pius (25-5) advances to the Elite 8 on Saturday, March 5, where they will take on Dalton High School (30-0).

St. Pius X sophomore MacKenzie Garrison (#15) puts up a shot as

three Troup High School players collapse around her. Garrison scored

7 points in Pius' 41-26 victory.

After covering the game, I wondered how my own high school, DuPont Manual, Louisville, Ky., was doing this year. As it turned the Manual girls reached the Final Four of their region tournament by beating Assumption High School 85-59, Feb. 28. This evening they play Ballard High at Bellarmine University’s Knights Hall. Manual has an overall record of 28-4 and they are 16-1 in their region.

How did your high school fare this season? Feel free to let us know.

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

2011-03-01T12:41:00.009-05:00

I am having a hard time gearing up for Lent, which begins Ash Wednesday, March 9th.

It’s easy to get into the introspective mood that the holy season demands. Scratch that. It’s easy when it’s cold, overcast and just plain icky to get into the introspective mood that the holy season demands . The weather enhances the season of penance.

But not when trees are blooming. And the green shoots of my perennials are poking through the brown earth in my garden. Not so much.

Lent demands prayer, penitence, alms giving and self-denial. Dreary days and trees with bare limbs are perfect backdrops for meditative walks as I review choices made and pledge, once again, to do better.

Forty days later, Easter arrives as the earth awakens. And the first pitch of opening day – with suds and dogs at the ballpark - isn’t far behind.

But the spirit of penitence is hard to muster find when the South shows off with its flowering trees and yellow daffodils and the mercury climbs to the comfortable 70s.

Help me out. How will you keep the spirit of Lent during the beautiful days of spring?

-Andrew
--
Photo: Some rights reserved by jezobeljones

Your light must shine, even in the darkness

2011-02-07T14:58:00.001-05:00

Yesterday my wife and I decided to go to the later Mass (11:30 a.m.) at St. Anthony of Padua Church, Atlanta, and it turned out that the Gospel reading, the homily and God’s sense of humor brought it all home to us in a practical fashion.

In yesterday’s Gospel from Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus challenged us to be “the salt of the earth and the light of the world.” Our actions as Christians must demonstrate to those around us that we follow Jesus Christ and we strive to model him in our words and deeds.

In his homily Deacon Levi Jelks said we must be the salt in a world that has gone on a salt-free diet. “Like salt we as Christians are called to be of special flavor within society, within our church, within our families and on our jobs or on our college campuses,” said Jelks. “We are called to be a beacon of light for those who are spiritually lost and stumbling in moral darkness,” said Jelks.

It’s no small challenge to live up to, but with the help of the Eucharist and reflection upon the sacred Scriptures, it’s possible.

After an enlightening message the liturgy unfolded in a normal fashion until it was time for holy Communion. Just as the priests, deacons and extraordinary ministers of holy Communion were coming off the altar and the ushers were leading people to the foot of the altar, the lights went out in the entire church. The only light in the church was the candlelight on the altar and the ambient light from outdoors penetrating the ornate stained glass windows of the 87-year-old structure.

When the power failed, the instruments accompanying the choir also stopped, so the choir sang, an a cappella version of Reuben Morgan’s “I Give You My Heart.” It was a powerful moment and a compelling visual to go up to receive the body and blood of Christ in a darkened sanctuary after hearing the word of God on the topic of salt and light.

We later found out that the surrounding neighborhood had lost its power as well. It was further indication that our light must shine beyond the boundaries of our church and spill out into the community around us.

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

2011-02-02T15:23:00.004-05:00

Scenes from Our Move

2011-01-20T17:24:00.005-05:00

We put the paper to bed on Tuesday, Jan. 18, and movers showed up on Wednesday.

I took some time to capture photos with my iPhone as people packed up offices and the community areas, gathered photos for archives and discarded the garage door openers that opened up the parking lot gate. You can see the slideshow below.

I'm a short-timer here. Some folks have been there close to 15 years or longer. Leaving for the last time gave some pause. So with the paper's deadline pressing down, a handful gathered for reading a short prayer printed in the National Catholic Reporter. It is written by Servants of Mary Sr. Joyce Rupp.

Psalm 121
Yahweh guards you from harm,
He guards your lives.
He guards your leaving, coming back,
now and for always (Ps 121:7, 8)

Prayer:

Guardian, guide, no pillar of cloud by day nor fire by night,
Yet I sense your presence with me, God of the journey.
You are walking with me into a new land.
You are guarding me in my vulnerable moment.
You are dwelling within me as I depart from here.
You are promising to be my peace as I face the struggles
of distance from friends and security,
the planting of feet and heart in a strange place.

Renew in me a deep trust in you. Calm my anxiousness.
As I reflect on my life I can clearly see
how you have been there in all of my comings.
You will always be with me in everything.
I do not know how I am being resettled,
but I place my life into the welcoming arms of your love.

Encircle my heart with your peace.
May your powerful presence run like a strong thread
through the fibers of my being. Amen.

-Andrew

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

His gifts of beauty surround us

2010-12-14T13:00:00.006-05:00

Sometimes in our busy and hurried schedules we fail to stop and take in the beauty of God around us. Recently I was on my way to an assignment when I noticed the December evening sky below.

I've never taken a photograph that God didn't

see first, because it was his creation.

Ordinarily I would have gone about my business, but it was like God was trying to get my attention. ‘Hey Michael, take a look at this!’ It’s the kind of aerial fanfare God often provides, but can go unnoticed. During this season of Advent as we wait for the greatest of all gifts, the birth of our savior Jesus Christ, slow down and take in a full breath of God’s beauty that surrounds us.

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

Award Winners Announced

2010-12-03T12:07:00.005-05:00

The Office of Black Catholic Ministry recently announced the winners for the January celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

And here they are:

A crayon drawing of a dove with its open wings hovering over people of many colors was the first place winner in the Fourth Annual Chancery’s Choice Poster Contest in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Workers in the archdiocesan downtown office judged the entries. The theme for this year’s January celebration is “Your Kindness Should Be Known to All.”

The 1st Place prize went to Gilliane Conklin, who attends St. Catherine of Siena School, Kennesaw. Olivia House, a student at St. Thomas More School, Decatur, earned 2nd place and Carmela Pagsisihan, Our Lady of Victory School, Tyrone, took home 3rd place.

The winners will be recognized during the Youth Celebration on Sunday, Jan. 16, at St. Peter Claver Regional Catholic School, Decatur.

'With The Blessings Of Fruitful Fields And Healthful Skies'

2010-11-23T12:22:00.017-05:00

Saint Michael the Archangel Church, Woodstock, Thanksgiving, 2009.

This week’s Georgia Bulletin hits the streets as many families are gathering together to celebrate Thanksgiving. In this issue, we turn our attention to Catholics who find themselves with much to be thankful for: from an adoptive family to a living donor who gave a kidney to a fellow parishioner.

What many may not realize is the contemporary American holiday was forged in days of war. President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 is credited with establishing it as a national holiday.

Sadly, in 2010, the country finds itself engaged in two wars. So, say a prayer for the safe keeping for people in harms way and those that keep the peace.

From Lincoln’s proclamation:

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

… The country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. ...

You can read the complete proclamation here at the National Park Service website.

A very blessed holiday to you and your loved ones.

Andrew

Staff Writer

Photo by Michael Alexander.

A community honors Our Lady of Divine Providence

2010-11-19T11:43:00.024-05:00

On Sunday, November 14, I attended the Spanish Mass at St. Philip Benizi Church, where the liturgy was devoted to the celebration of Our Lady of Divine Providence.

Our Lady of Divine Providence Mass

Since 1989 the Puerto Rican community at the Jonesboro parish has annually honored the Blessed Virgin, who was declared the patroness of Puerto Rico by Pope Paul VI back on November 19, 1969.

Franciscan Father Abelardo Huanca, St. Philip Benizi parochial vicar, was the main celebrant and homilist for the Mass. He was also joined by fellow Franciscans Father John Koziol, pastor, and parochial vicar Father Michael Kolodziej. Deacons Joseph Anzalone, Peter Swan, Etienne Rodriguez and Julio Martinez were also on hand. Rodriguez and Martinez are Puerto Rican natives.

This year’s Our Lady of Divine Providence Mass and celebration was coordinated through the efforts of Father Huanca, Hispanic pastoral assistant Maria Torres and parishioner Haydee Santiago. It was also dedicated to the memory of Deacon Martinez’s late wife Minerva (affectionately know as Minnie). Minerva died on Oct. 16. She was a member of the Our Lady of Divine Providence planning committee, as well as a singer in the Spanish choir.

Choir members sing during the Nov. 14 liturgy.

Speaking of the Spanish choir, they were great. There were 10 vocalists and 11 instrumentalists and percussionists. Choir members wore stoles with an image of the Puerto Rican flag and buttons bearing the face of Minerva Martinez. If music can be described as both spiritual and festive, that’s how the sound added to the liturgy.

The music continued at the reception that followed the Mass, and while the people listened, they shared a meal that consisted of roast pork, rice and pigeon peas, green bananas (marinated in olive oil, with onion and a tad of garlic), salad, flan, and cake.

I covered my first Our Lady of Providence Mass at St. Philip Benizi in November 1997. Bishop Enrique Hernández Rivera, the bishop of the Diocese of Caguas, Puerto Rico at the time, was the main celebrant and homilist.

As history points out, the Marian devotion to Our Lady of Divine Providence originated in Italy, spread to France and Spain and was introduced to Puerto Rico in the early 1850s.

I had an opportunity to kneel before the shrine of Our Lady of Divine Providence in San Juan’s cathedral in 2009, so last Sunday’s Mass brought it full circle for me.

Our Lady of Divine Providence shrine, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Today, November 19, marks the feast day of Our Lady of Divine Providence. “Dios te salve Maria, llena eres de gracia” (Hail Mary Full Of Grace).

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

The Candy Shop

2010-11-10T12:30:00.004-05:00

After seeing the trailer for a new short film entitled The Candy Shop (see link below), I wasn’t really sure what to expect at the recent screening for the movie. A “fairy tale” about sex trafficking?

The Candy Shop, a visually stunning 30 minutes of work, follows the story of a young newspaper boy who discovers the dark secret behind a shop right across the street from where he sells papers—a machine transforms young girls into candy, which is then sold to gentlemen customers in the town. The subtle imagery of the film presents trafficking in an accessible way, and gives hope that people can eliminate these “shops” and help to restore the lives of the young children affected by this crime.

The movie is the brainchild of Brandon McCormick, a young local filmmaker who was shocked when he learned of the growing problem of child sex trafficking here in his hometown of Atlanta. He began work on an allegorical tale about the foul underground scene in hopes of raising awareness and rallying his fellow citizens to fight back.

Photograph by Bryan Scott, courtesy of Whitestone Motion Pictures.

The evening at the Fox was a call to action as viewers were encouraged to get involved by lobbying supportive legislation, mentoring affected children and volunteering with non-profits that are already working to eliminate trafficking in the area. According to Street GRACE, an organization formed last year to help fight the problem locally, there are nearly 500 girls are trafficked in Georgia each month. A very disturbing statistic to be sure.

Check out the links below to see the trailer for The Candy Shop and to find more information on how you can be a part of this crucial movement.

The Candy Shop trailer
Street GRACE
STOP The Candy Shop

Stephen, Staff Writer

Who would have thought?

2010-11-05T13:30:00.002-04:00

Today when I came cross the story of the School Sisters of Notre Dame selling a Honus Wagner baseball card for more than $260,0o0, I kicked myself for tossing my extensive collection of cards all those years ago. Not that I had any particular card that could compare to an early 1900s item of such value, but maybe in about 40 years some of them would have been worth more than the 50 cents I spent buying those old packs (which were usually complete with a stale, stiff piece of regular chewing gum).

Apparently the rare baseball card was inherited from the deceased brother of one of the nuns and purchased by a collector and card shop owner from Knoxville, Tenn. But what was most intriguing to me about this story was that the Baltimore-based religious order, which has a special focus on teaching, education and mission work, now has over $200,000 to dedicate to their ministries that are present in 30 countries throughout the world.

Who would have thought something like collecting baseball cards, that distracted me from school and homework all those years ago, could actually have a profound impact in education around the world?

Stephen, Staff Writer

To read the full AP story, please click here.

A different kind of Wednesday at St. Peter Chanel

2010-10-29T10:08:00.030-04:00

For the last two months at St. Peter Chanel Church, Roswell, Wednesday has become more than an evening of Parish School of Religion (PSR) sessions. It’s also Wednesday Night Family Supper. The family dinner concept came about to foster community and fellowship among families bringing their children to PSR.

Elementary PSR runs from 4:30p - 5:45p. Middle school and high school goes from 6:30p - 7:45p. The family supper starts at 5:30p and ends at 6:30p. During the elementary session parents have the option of attending parenting class. I stopped in on the Oct. 27 class and there were 15 parents participating in a class called Becoming A Love and Logic Parent. The seven-week course, taught by parishioner Sharon Egan, is designed to give parents practical techniques to help teach their kids discipline and responsibility. Once a month, usually on the first Wednesday of the month, a family rosary is held from 5-5:30p.

Sharon Eagan, far right, leads the parenting class.

Parishioner Maureen Penniman, the owner of Zest and Zing Café, Woodstock, prepares and serves the meals. She also teaches a fifth grade PSR class. Dinners can be ordered and prepaid online. They are $6.00 for adults and $3.50 for children. The supper is served in St. Peter Chanel’s McNamee Hall. There were 100 prepaid families and about 50 walk-ins this week, but they’ve served as many as 200 meals in the past. The meals are normally of a home-style variety and feature entrees like lasagna or chicken enchilada, plus two sides, dessert and a beverage.

The menu for this week’s All Saints celebration included a baked potato bar with items like beef and bean chili, broccoli and cheese, cheddar, bacon bits, sour cream and butter to top load the “tater.” Children who dressed up as saints received a discounted dinner that included a corn dog, chips, applesauce and a dessert treat.

St. Paul (second-grader Ryan Duffy) munches on a corn dog.

Wednesday Night Family Supper regular Stephany White said, “I find the dinners very convenient. I don’t have to cook, which makes it easy since I’m running the kids to various activities. The meals are also good and nourishing – better than fast food.” Her husband Eric also enjoys the family meals, but he equally enjoys his chance to socialize.

Members of The Forever Young ministry, made up of mostly seniors, are some of the most frequent customers to the dinners. Some of them live far away from immediate family and the dinners allow them to mingle and interact with parishioners and their children. When asked why the Forever Young group is so supportive of the Wednesday Night Family Supper, president Barbara Duchene said with a smile, “They contribute a dollar to our treasury for every six Forever Young paying customers we bring. But in addition to that, it’s a good night for all of us to come together.”

Maureen Penniman, left, serves some young dinner patrons.

Thirteen-year-old Jacob Seippel, the oldest quadruplet in his family, said he enjoys all the nice people he gets to hang out with. When it comes to his favorite meal, Seippel said, “I enjoyed the potato bar tonight, but the beef stroganoff was really good last week.”

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

A day trip to two north Georgia parishes

2010-10-28T12:35:00.028-04:00

Last Thursday, Oct 21, I struck out on a photography assignment that would take me to two of Georgia’s most northern parishes. My first destination was Blue Ridge in Fannin County. I got a little lost finding St. Anthony Church once I arrived in Blue Ridge, but getting lost is not always so bad. Sometimes you run into points of interest you might have missed if you stayed on course. In this instance I ventured through Blue Ridge’s downtown area and I was able to see all the people preparing to board the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway for their 3.5 to 4 hour excursion to McCaysville.

St. Anthony Church, Blue Ridge

I eventually found my way to St. Anthony Church, which began as a mission of St. Joseph Church, Dalton, in 1967. Back on June 13, 1986, the feast day of St. Anthony, the parish of 60 families at the time, gathered for a Mass as the mission was elevated to a parish and the first pastor Father Steven Yander was installed.

Father John Conway is the current pastor, but Thursday is his day off so he wasn’t around. It was cleaning day at the church. A group of parishioners were working on the inside and another woman was sweeping outside. I took over the task of sweeping for a moment because I had to photograph the church’s exterior, and I was trying to remove some of the leaves from the sidewalk.

After I finished photographing I prepared to head over to Blairsville, my next stop. Blairsville is approximately 28 miles east of Blue Ridge. It was a gorgeous day for such a scenic ride among the Cohuttas and the Blue Ridge Mountains of Fannin County. God’s color palette of fall colors was quite stunning. I arrived at St. Francis of Assisi in Blairsville with no problems. I was greeted by Mary Smith when I got there. I had never met Smith in person, but we had exchanged emails before I drove up. Smith is also the pastoral assistant and director of religious education, and back in 2009 during The Way Of The Cross photo project I was working on for Holy Week she organized a group from the parish Life Teen to write personal reflections on some the Stations of the Cross.

St. Francis of Assisi Church, Blairsville

While the first weekly Masses in the area took place back in the mid 1960s, St. Francis of Assisi did not officially become a parish until March 1982. Father Bob Poandl served as the first resident pastor. Archbishop-emeritus John F. Donoghue presided over the dedication of the existing church in May 1996.

St. Francis of Assisi is nestled in a beautiful setting at the base of the Ivy Log Ridge mountain range. I had not visited the parish in over a decade. A multipurpose building that houses classrooms, a social hall, office space and a new commercial style kitchen are the newest additions to the property. While I was taking photographs of the church, Father Richard Wise, the pastor since 2002, was walking his 14-year-old dog Rusty around the grounds. As the lunch hour approached members of the Union County Rotary Club were arriving for their weekly meeting at the parish.

One of the things I enjoy most in my role as a member of the Catholic press is the people I meet and the friends I make. I was about to drive back toward the Blairsville commercial district when a member of the St. Francis kitchen crew that prepares and servers lunch for the Rotary Club, invited me to have lunch with them in the kitchen. I had a healthy portion of spaghetti and meatballs, corn and a cup of water. It was very nice of them to offer me a meal. The seven-person kitchen crew consisted of Paula Bachman, Chip Clendaniel, Joan Kirkman, Ron Koerber, Cindy Kopec, Bill Rogers and Bob Scoda. Their team leader, Betty Furka, was vacationing in Florida.

St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen Crew

The return drive that would eventually take me back to Georgia 400 South took me up, over and down Blood Mountain. The mountain road is filled with curves. I was reminded of all the twists and turns that can exist in our lives. Sometimes life gets so crazy and we just want God to straighten things out for us. In the same way I finally descended the mountain and the crooked roads became straight, we can always count on God to be nearby and help set us on the right path.

Every valley will be filled and every mountain and hill will be brought low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Luke 3:4-6

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

Amazing Race Recap

2010-10-04T12:43:00.006-04:00

Team Andrea & Jenna were the last to the find their way to the Kaneshie Market in Accra, Ghana, ousting them from the global scavenger hunt.

Andrea DeKroon and her newly found daughter and teammate Jenna Sykes, a University of Georgia student, were done in by the race from London to the west African country of Ghana.

Here Team A & J say goodbye to the race, knowing they won’t be in each others lives as much after the race. Warning: Have a tissue handy.

Arriving at Kotoka International Airport, the teams rode in taxis to Accra's Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. They were instructed to travel to the Makola Market, a bustling shopping area where they had to sell $10 worth of sunglasses. Jenna took on the task.

On one cab ride, Andrea gives a beggar some money, while most of the Amazing Race tried their best to ignore people asking for money.

It was another taxi ride that got lost to the next challenge that put the team in the tight spot.

The task took them to Peace Motor Spare Parts, where teams chose either: Tune In or Check Out. In Tune In, they buy a TV antenna system and install it at a home to the owner’s approval. With a kind of clear picture, the owners handed the next clue. In Check Out, teams have to transport a big coffin - which come shaped like a camera, lion, etc.—to a showroom in town. Andrea and Jenna hustled to move a large fish coffin.

Racers got caught in a traffic jam. A few taxi drivers braved making their own lane between stalled trucks and traffic. Team A & J had a bad break and crossed the finish line last.

Teachable moments on the gridiron

2010-09-29T09:57:00.012-04:00

Coach Brian Moscona, standing, second from right in sun visor, gathers the Holy Spirit Preparatory School football players together following their Sept. 18 game against Griffin Christian. Standing around him are assistant coaches

(l-r) Peter Schoenthaler, Tommy Curtin and Patrick Devine.

I don’t know about you, but I’m sick and tired of athletes at all levels of sports in the news for a number of unlawful activities like sexual assault, armed robbery, D.U.I., drug possession, etc. It’s getting to point where some players are better known for their transgressions off the field or court than for their athletic talents.

Where does it all begin? What can be done to reverse this pattern?

I recently heard about a junior high school football coach, who not only instructs his players about the game, but is also molding them into virtuous young men. The coach is Brian Moscona of Holy Spirit Preparatory School, Atlanta. Moscona, a 2003 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, is also the lower school’s assistant principal.

Moscona arrived at Holy Spirit in 2006 after completing Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) program and one year of seminary formation with the Congregation of Holy Cross, the religious community of brothers and priests who serve and teach at Notre Dame. Moscona started the junior high school football program that same year.

It’s been a steady progression. The first season the team went winless. The second season they finished at .500 (3-3). Last year the team was undefeated at 8-0.

But Moscona is about more than wins, losses or ties. He is teaching his players the important lessons of discipline, humility, selflessness and working hard to be your best. “We emphasize both charity and humility. Yes, we are playing a physical game, but it should never be the intention of any player to hurt or to humiliate another person. Football is a great game and it is an arena in which we can cultivate virtue. We should strive to glorify Christ in all that we do, both on and off the football field. I encourage my players to strive to give God glory with our words and actions. Stepping onto the gridiron is not an excuse to forget about being holy and charitable,” says Moscona.

Two things occur at the end of every Holy Spirit practice. First, they say a prayer thanking God for the gifts in their lives. They also pray for their families, friends, and opponents. Then they implore the Intercession of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and Mary, Our Queen of Victory. Secondly, they recognize "studs of the day." These are players Moscona and his coaches lift up as great models for their efforts that day in practice. It’s often for hard work, positive attitude, virtuous actions, overcoming mistakes, affirming teammates, etc. “This year we have allowed players to recognize one another as studs of the day. This is a powerful way of building up the players and creating a culture of affirmation and positivity,” says Moscona.

“Coach Moscona promotes virtuous character on and off the field. He expects us to avoid trouble in school, keep our grades up and be an example to others,” says eighth grade center and linebacker Andrew Vincent.

Nate Guyton, a second-year player who plays tight end and fullback, commented further about his coach. “He (Moscona) tells us to rise above the trash talk and the unsportsmanlike conduct. He wants us to become the type of Christian football player that ignores it and doesn’t allow such negativity to affect us,” says Guyton.

Tommy Curtin has served as Moscona’s assistant coach for the past three years. Curtin, a Latin and religion teacher who also directs the school’s liturgical choir, was a classmate of Moscona at Notre Dame. He describes his friend and colleague as a great communicator with both parents and students. “He is also very even-tempered, which is an essential quality of both good teachers and good coaches. I think he has developed exceptional instincts about what one can expect from junior high students in terms of execution, attendance, and focus. He also truly understands how football fits into the mission of the school, and that helps him keep everything in perspective,” says Curtin.

“The kids really respond to Coach Moscona. They see that he is a teacher on and off the field and they respect him. They know that his number one priority is forming them into successful young men, not just good football players. The players feel genuinely loved by their coach,” says Curtin.

"Virtue Boys" is an informal name that Moscona and his coaches began using last year when referring to the group of kids on the team who are frequently recognized as "studs of the day" for their virtuous actions during practice. They were seventh-graders at the time. This year the eighth-graders have been playing well, but their greatest contribution to the team is the way they consistently model virtue for the other guys. They play hard and live out the school motto, ‘To Serve, Not To Be Served.’ They set up before practice and clean up after practice. They are polite and respectful. They are good students in the classroom. They are prayerful, frequently attending daily Mass and making chapel visits during the day. They represent Holy Spirit Preparatory well and model what the younger guys should try to emulate.

Currently the team stands at 3-1-1. That puts them second in the divisional standings. The top two teams from each of the two divisions will make the playoffs. They need to win their next two games to be guaranteed a spot. If they lose both games, their season is over.

But win or lose, it’s hail to the virtuous!

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

Amazing Race Review

2010-09-27T13:29:00.017-04:00

An Atlanta area Catholic parishioner and her birth daughter are competing in this season’s “Amazing Race,” so I’ll be watching this fast-paced Sunday show as my journalistic duty.

Read about Andrea DeKroon and birth daughter Jenna Sykes as they attempt to win $1 million on the 17th edition of the series here. And here’s their introductory video.

My posts will be my own biased observations. Of course, all of it is Monday morning quarterbacking, so naturally I’ll be much smarter and wiser than the contestants are in the heat of battle.

My first observation. Booyah. Good for them to agreeing to this endeavor. The duo hadn’t had time to develop a relationship before the series so they will be seeing each other's faults and strengths for the first time in a pressure cooker.

New England Fishing Boats

This season started with the 11 teams arriving by lobster boats to the port of Gloucester, Mass., one of the oldest seaport in the country. It is also the place from which the fishing crews from "The Perfect Storm" sailed, but I digress.

All the teams raced in tiny cars from Gloucester down to Boston’s Logan International Airport to try and make the first flight to England.

The drive can be terrible – I know because I lived the area for several years – so I thought point for Team Andi/Jenna, hereby dubbed Team A/J, who are likely familiar with driving in Atlanta, which as we all know is notorious for traffic snarls.

The team made it on to the second flight to jolly old England from Boston.

Cars became a problem for Team A/J in England. Andi was behind the wheel, which meant she changed gears with her left hand and drove on the left. Ugh.

Not a shining moment for the team. Andi’s gear grinding eventually helped kill the engine in the middle of busy English roadway. But they kept their cool. Point for Team A/J.

They found Stonehenge and then moved on to Eastnor Castle, for a series of challenges, like “storming a castle” up ladders while doused with dirty water and crossing a river on a turtle-looking boat. Jenna took up the challenge to fire a watermelon using a giant slingshot to knock over a suit of armor 50 feet away.

Team A/J arrived at the pit stop in ninth position, despite the car setback. The eliminated team included friends from Los Angeles.

Here's a video of them arriving at the pit stop and talking about working together:

The global scavenger hunt’s second leg sends the remaining 10 teams to Ghana.

Did you think the car breakdown was a sign of grace under pressure? Suggestions for a better team name?

-Andrew
Staff Writer

Social Media on the brain

2010-09-24T09:26:00.009-04:00

It is a social media bonanza here at the Georgia Bulletin.

Thursday night at Taco Mac near the Perimeter Mall, several folks involved with the new media gathered. It was the meeting of the Catholic social media users group in the Big Peach. There were podcasters, 'tweeters,' writers, leaders with Star Quest Production Network and others.

A ring leader was Greg Willets, of Catholics Next Door, who wanted to see if there was interest in sharing ideas, learning from each other and set up a sounding board for the pro and novice alike.

Answer: Yes.

There's a Facebook page to keep up with news.

Today is also a second social media event. It is a Web-inar hosted by the Catholic Press Association about "Using Social Media: Best Practices."

Helen Osman , the secretary for communications for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, is leading the discussion. A bunch of people here at the newspaper and others from communications at the archdiocese are attending.

If I get the green light, I'll share any tip sheets I come across.

-Andrew
Staff Writer

Mercy’s music festival sizzles and that’s not all

2010-09-20T14:12:00.007-04:00

Kevin Wyglad & Chasing Grace perform the Beatles rendition of "Let It Be."

Last Saturday Our Lady of Mercy High School hosted its second annual MusicFest at their outdoor stadium. I missed MusicFest 2009, but from what I’m told this year’s was bigger. They doubled the length of the event (12 noon – 8 pm), the acts and the vendors. They also added a dunk tank, and over a six and a half hour period, 12 different teachers took a seat in the tank, including principal Danny Dorsel and new head football coach Mike Earwood.

MusicFest celebrates God through music and showcases the Fayetteville Catholic school to its surrounding community. The Christian and Gospel artists on hand included the World Changers Church International Youth Choir, Batiste, Kevin Wyglad & Chasing Grace, ManChild, Greg Ferrara, Robert Gould, Canton Jones, Cleveland, John Waller and Run Kid Run. Gould is an actor, recording artist, and a junior at Our Lady of Mercy. The master of ceremonies included Dr. Chris Griffith and WSB Channel 2 anchor Jovita Moore. Griffith is the father of Mercy junior Christian Griffith.

MusicFest was nearly 10 degrees hotter than last year’s too, as temperatures reached 91 degrees. Fortunately the music was a cool diversion to the heat.

A 10-member committee called the Mission Of Many worked tirelessly to coordinate MusicFest 2010. Some 150 parent volunteers shared their time during the day. The artists and major sponsors of the festival were also treated to food under the VIP tent catered by “Your Special Event,” which is owned by the parents of Mercy junior Julian Thomas.

Greg Ferrara and his band perform at

MusicFest 2010, Sept. 18.

As I was walking around MusicFest, I ran into Mercy track and field sprinter and football player Jordan Sartor. “It’s very good to get the community to turn out for MusicFest. They usually come to sporting events like football or softball, but it’s good to enjoy the company of each other at a different type of activity,” said Sartor.

MusicFest was not the only hot topic of discussion this past weekend. Our Lady of Mercy’s football team is 4-0 for the first time in school history. They also defeated cross-town rival Landmark Christian High School 42-35. It was Mercy’s first victory over Landmark Christian in the two teams’ nine meetings.

Landmark Christian had dominated Mercy. Just to put things in perspective, Landmark Christian had averaged just over 50 points per game in its eight previous victories. The largest margin of victory was 66-0 in 2002 and the smallest margin of victory was 33-6 in 2005.

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

Does that face on TV look familiar? You may be sharing a pew with them.

2010-09-15T15:52:00.019-04:00

Two Catholics in the Atlanta Archdiocese are hopefuls in national contests.

The first is Henry Chandler, chef/owner of Henry’s Louisiana Grill, Acworth.

Out of thousands of nominations, he is one of 18 finalists to be named the “People’s Platelist" sponsored by "Nightline." The winner is to be an “authentic and creative chef” with a signature dish and cuisine. Votes are cast online here.
According to the Web site:

Over 1,000 of you wrote in to nominate a local chef for the Nightline People's Platelist contest. 20 finalists were announced on Aug. 2 and 18 submitted short videos. Now you can vote for which of the top 18 you think should win! The chef with the most votes from viewers across America will be featured on national television!

Click here to see the videos of the finalists.

The essay to nominate Chandler reads:

Take one little boy growing up in a Louisiana kitchen at his nanny's elbow. Mix in college in Lafayette, Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Christmas Festivals in Natchitoches. Marinate for three years in European culinary schools. Return to the States for further seasoning. Observe carefully as ingredients ignite. Contain fiery mixture in small town restaurant and present: Chef Henry Chandler!

He attends St. Catherine of Siena Church in Kennesaw.
If you like Chandler’s message, go eat in his restaurant and vote for him. Or vote then go eat. The online voting ends Sept. 26th at 11:59 p.m., ET.

(Disclaimer: The Georgia Bulletin has not gotten any jambalaya for this news items. Laissez les bons temps rouler.)

And the second local face on national TV is Andie DeKroon, a contestant on the “Amazing Race.” DeKroon's brother is Father Paul Willams, pastor of St. Joseph Church, Dalton.

A graduate of Marist School, DeKroon has her birth daughter, Jenna Sykes, 21, as a team mate in the around-the-world scavenger hunt.

The race features 11 teams traveling across four continents and 30 cities with first time visits to Bangladesh, Ghana and the Arctic Circle. It is the 17th season for the CBS show, which premiers on Sunday, Sept. 26.

The mother and daughter recently reunited. When the two stand at the start line it will be only the third time the mother and birth daughter have been together since Sykes was adopted more than 20 years .

“I'm definitely having a midlife crisis,” DeKroon says. On her lifelong to-do list is skydiving, bungee jumping and a diver’s certificate.

“I hope to get to know my birth mother through this incredible opportunity,” 21-year-old Sykes says. “It is my hope that we will be able to spend a lot of time together and become friends.”

See their video

A Small Town Honors 10 Who Died

2010-09-10T20:20:00.008-04:00

I went home.

Home is where you sit down and the place itself speaks to you.

In my small hometown, what’s new always stands out because much stays the same.

As I walked around, I saw a new park with benches and a stone tablet in a semicircle, dappled with sunlight and shade, just off the main street and across from the railroad station where trains come and go into New York City.

The park is a memorial for those in the town of Pelham, N.Y., who were killed on September 11: ten people from a town of 12,000.

Two men, brothers, worked at Cantor Fitzgerald, a global financial services firm which lost over 650 of its employees from their offices at the top of the World Trade Center.

Daniel Shea, 37, and Joseph Shea, 47, were fathers to seven children.

New York Fire Department Lt. Joseph G. Leavey was 46. One of the emergency responders, he reached the 78th floor of one of the twin towers. Radio transmissions identify his voice as one of the last to be heard taking and giving instructions to firefighters rescuing people and putting out fires on the upper floors. Those who’ve heard the tape remark that the firefighters’ voices are professional and calm. It’s meant a lot to their families to know that.

Lt. Leavey and his wife and three children belonged to the parish church of my childhood.

Robert C. McLaughlin, 29, also worked at Cantor Fitzgerald. His son was nine months old. Montgomery Hord also worked at Cantor Fitzgerald. He had three children. Robert Scandole, a graduate of St. Johns University, was 36, and a trader at Cantor Fitzgerald. He was the father of two girls. Michael A. Tamuccio was 37, vice president of equity trading for Fred Alger Management.

Amy O’Doherty, 23, who grew up and went to high school here had just graduated from St. Bonaventure University in upstate New York and was working in her first job after college at Cantor Fitzgerald and living in a fifth-floor walkup apartment in New York City.

Michael Boccardi, 30, an Eagle Scout and Scoutmaster was a vice president for institutional relations at Fred Alger Management.

Thomas Hynes, 28, had graduated from my high school. He was an account manager at Vestek Division of Thomson Financial. He proposed to his wife at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. In September 2001, she was expecting their first child.

I walk from bench to bench where their names are inscribed. The sadness and honor and dignity of this quiet park envelop me.

The park was dedicated in May 2007, six years after the tragedy. It took some time for the plans to come to fruition in this small town and for the funding to come about through grants and donations. A granite memorial stone bears a quotation from Charles de Gaulle. The benches surround an oval area with a single flowering dogwood tree. The tree was chosen “as a symbol of beauty that remains during and after sorrow.”

Each year a remembrance is held there.

As a daughter of this town, I am so grateful for what those who worked for this memorial park have done. Because when I come home the place speaks to me of ordinary people whose lives are cherished, remembered and mourned. Of ordinary people like Lt. Leavey who became heroes when that was unexpectedly asked of them one day when they went to work. Of fathers who took a train to work every day and were the bright light of their families every evening when they came home. And of the children through whom their brightness will still illuminate the world.

Gretchen Keiser, Editor

August's Top 5 local stories

2010-09-08T11:25:00.005-04:00

Writers and editors in August were hard at work showcasing the Catholic events, from back-to-school profiles to a Hispanic 'Encuentro' evangelizing a parish.

Here are the top five local new stories in August that grabbed eyeballs at the Georgia Bulletin Web site.

Georgia Bulletin Photo Slideshows
What I Have Seen And Heard, columns by Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory
Family Generosity Continues With $7 Million Gift
70 Years As A Sister Leave Her ‘Very, Very Blessed’
Father Wilkinson Discovers Blessings In Priesthood

If you missed them the first time, go back and see what others liked about them.

What was your favorite story in August?

Letters of the lawn

2010-09-02T13:23:00.009-04:00

Yesterday I was on my way into Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell, to take some photos for an upcoming story on the school’s 10^th anniversary, when these large, painted letters caught my attention. They were not hard to miss because they were bright yellow. The letters, each spanning 26 feet in height, are cut to precision as they stretch 200 feet along the side of a hill on the backside of the football field’s home bleachers. The letters spell out the school’s mascot name, T-I-T-A-N-S.

Isidro Licon and Roberto Rodriguez first cut the letters into shape. Then it took them a couple of hours and 22.5 gallons of paint to cover the letters with a paint sprayer. I’d call it a titanic undertaking just in time for the school’s football home opener against Grady High School this Friday, Sept. 3.

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

In the most unexpected of places

2010-09-01T12:30:00.002-04:00

Last Sunday, as my wife and I boarded a plane scheduled to leave from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport heading to Atlanta, we arrived at our seats to find an older woman in the row, her head buried in a stack of documents. We did not exchange hello's as not to bother her and so we quietly took our seats, excited to head home after a busy weekend celebrating the marriage of my oldest brother to his lovely new bride.

During the flight, my wife Jacqui and I participated in our usual flying traditions: reading, listening to music, the occasional game of Yahtzee on my phone and general silliness. All the while, the woman next to us remained silent and we never shared a word. This is somewhat unusual for us as both my wife and I are always eager to make new friends.

The woman continued to review her documents throughout the flight and then, as the plane pulled up to the gate and we removed our safety belts, she leaned over to my wife and asked quietly, "¿Hablas español?," ("Do you speak Spanish?") to which Jacqui responded, "Un poquito" ("A little"). Jacqui then asked in Spanish if the woman spoke any English and she replied, "Nada." The woman smiled and we exited the plane, happy to finally be home after an exhausting (but amazing) weekend.

As we entered the terminal, I walked briskly towards the end of the corridor in order to quickly get to the car since we still had another hour or so to drive from the airport. Then I heard Jacqui call my name and I turned around. She said, "I'm a little worried about that woman. Maybe we should see if she needs help." I paused, reluctantly nodded and we returned to the gate to wait for the woman. She eventually emerged with a bewildered look on her face, visibly overwhelmed with the busyness and chaos of the Atlanta airport. We could certainly empathize with this woman, as Jacqui and I are both Atlanta residents, we both speak English, and sometimes we still have trouble getting around that place.

The atrium at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Photo by Michael Alexander.

We approached the woman and watched as a smile spread across her face, happy to see familiar faces. After several failed attempts to find out where she needed to go, we were able to ask for her boarding pass and found out she was traveling to Argentina, presumably from Spain since we both detected a strong Castilian accent. We picked up her bags and escorted her to the tram, which we rode to the other end of the airport, in the meantime picking up small bits of info as she happily spoke to us in a language we could just barely understand. She was heading to Argentina to visit her children and had been traveling non-stop for a while, as was visible by the stack of boarding passes she had and continued to review like she did throughout the flight.

All of us began to cheer as we found the gate and led her to the agent to check in. After everything was taken care of at the counter we led her to a place she could finally sit and relax. Her eyes teared up as she asked us our names and hugged and kissed us saying, "Mis hijos, mis hijos!" ("My children, my children!").

It was then that it hit me that this was not just a random encounter. What was originally seen as an inconvenience by me ended up being a powerful spiritual experience as I suddenly recognized the face of God in this lost, confused and seemingly helpless woman.

A weekend watching my brother enter into that sacred union of marriage with his bride was such an amazing blessing and witness to Love, but God graciously allowed us to have one more encounter with Him and one that was totally unexpected.

It seems that often God is right there with us, much like that woman on the plane, but we completely miss the opportunity to encounter Him as we are usually in our own world doing our own thing. It isn't until we take some initiative that He reveals Himself!

I'm sure many of you have encountered God in the most unexpected of places, and we would love to hear your stories! Please feel free to comment below with your tales!

Stephen, Staff Reporter

Remembering Hurricane Katrina

2010-08-30T17:40:00.010-04:00

While some homes had been demolished in New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward,

nearly a year later others remained topsy-turvy by the force of the water.

Yesterday, August 29, marked the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina making landfall in New Orleans, La. It is an unforgettable natural disaster in the history of our country. Katrina’s fifth anniversary allowed me to reminisce about my last visit to the “Crescent City.” It was the year after Katrina. I made two trips to New Orleans that summer.

The first trip was with two of my former colleagues Erika Anderson and Priscilla Greear. The editors at The Georgia Bulletin allowed us to take a long field trip to the Gulf Coast to do some regional reporting on the area, one year after the Category 3 hurricane left a path of massive destruction from central Florida to Texas. Over five days in July, we travelled to Mississippi cities like Bay St. Louis, Long Beach, Pass Christian and Waveland. We spent our final three and half days in New Orleans.

There are a few things that still stand out about the trip. First, we were graciously assisted and welcomed by so many people during their time of loss. In Mississippi there was Shirley Henderson, editor of the Gulf Pine Catholic. Shirley and her husband allowed us to stay at their home. There was also a man by the name of Bragg Williams, a member of St. Rose Lima Church, who showed us around Bay St. Louis and Waveland. In New Orleans Peter Finney, editor of The Clarion Herald, and his staff went out of their way to help us in our efforts. Peter, an alumnus of Loyola University New Orleans, also made arrangements for us to stay in a dormitory on campus.

Secondly, I was so amazed by the amount of destruction Hurricane Katrina left behind. It was so overwhelming that one year later still looked like one week later. To see the news footage on television was one thing, but to actually see it in person was unbelievable. Whole neighborhoods for several square miles looked like ghost towns and electrical power in many areas had still not been restored. Shopping centers, stores, restaurants and many other commercial and residential buildings stood vacant. I’ll never forget the images.

Lastly, the people we met and wrote about in the two states were so full of faith. When you have nothing else to hold on to, God is there to support you, and they were not hesitant about reaching out to the Father.

I went back a second time for two days in mid August to capture some more images. I was so moved by the experience I took my 20-year-old daughter at the time. I felt someone else had to see what I had witnessed with their own eyes too. I pray that the people and the parish communities directly impacted by Hurricane Katrina are better off five years later than they were one year later. I also pray that some sense of normalcy and stability has returned to their lives.

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

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To read the stories or view more photos in The Georgia Bulletin issue that was produced following those trips, click here.

A competition cheerleading convert

2010-08-26T10:42:00.019-04:00

Blessed Trinity defended its Region 6-AA title with a first place win during the Region Cheerleading Competition last November.

As I worked on my schedule of fall sports coverage last week, I had to include a sport that was not on my list in the past years. When The Georgia Bulletin began including sports stories in the paper in the fall of 2007, I photographed and wrote about more traditional sports like cross country, football, softball and volleyball. If you went down my list, nowhere would you find a date on the schedule for competition cheerleading. I was cheating our readers because of my own prejudice against something I didn’t care to cover. Mind you, I had never witnessed competition cheerleading in my life. I saw it on the “four letter network” (ESPN), but I quickly turned the channel.

Isn’t that the way prejudice works? Until you allow yourself to get to know someone or expose yourself to something different, you are clouded by the bias in your own heart and mind.

Well, last October I received an email from a St. Pius X High School cheerleading parent. She noticed how I was giving attention to the other fall sports, but competition cheerleading was noticeably absent from my coverage. She invited me to the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Northeast Georgia Region Cheerleading Competitions at Loganville High School. I decided to go. After seeing competition cheerleading in person I was convinced cheerleading is a sport worthy of coverage. From my experience I viewed competition cheerleading as a combination of Olympic style floor exercises, gymnastics and intricate tumbling skills.

Last month a U.S. District judge ruled that cheerleading is not an official sport and that Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Conn., could not replace its women’s volleyball team with a competitive cheering squad. In Judge Stefan Underhill’s words competitive cheerleading did not meet the criteria for a collegiate sport because “the activity is still too underdeveloped and disorganized….”

Not everyone agrees. Blessed Trinity High School competition cheerleading coaches Chris and Lauren Bordnick feel competitive cheerleading is a sport. “Competition cheerleading exists solely to compete and showcase various levels of physical endurance that comes from years of training in a professional setting with highly skilled coaches,” said the Bordnicks. The coaches pointed out that unlike sideline cheerleading, competition cheerleading requires harsh physical endurance, hours of physical training, weight lifting and gymnastics classes in order to compete at a high level of competition. At Blessed Trinity “only the best of the best, an elite 16,” are eligible to make the team. They must also maintain high academic standards and keep up their skill level in order to hold their spot on the squad. Like other team sports they stated that competition cheerleaders compete with other teams of equal talent for titles at the regional, state and national level. And like other team sports their goal is to train and win. “Our team will practice a minimum of 6 hours per week, which does not include tumbling classes, which may be an additional 3 hours per week, and they take weight training as one of their electives for at least one semester,” said the Bordnicks. That sounds like a sport to me.

St. Pius X cheerleaders perform during the Northeast Georgia Region Cheerleading Competition at Loganville High School Nov. 7, 2009.

St. Pius X High School competition cheerleading coach Kathryn Winland said they practice four to five days a week for a total of about 8-10 hours per week. “Our practices commonly involve a combination of stunting, tumbling and rehearsal of our routine,” said Winland. “We attend a choreography camp each summer and spend the remainder of the season refining the skills incorporated into the routine. In addition to cheer and dance, the routine includes advanced gymnastics/tumbling skills plus stunts that require a great degree of strength, flexibility and control.” While the skill level varies from team to team, many require advanced tumbling/gymnastics, such as a standing back tuck and a round-off back tuck. “At Pius we require a standing back handspring and strongly prefer a round-off back handspring at least,” said Winland. “In addition to tumbling, our routines include partner stunts and pyramids that require a great deal of strength, balance and coordination.” This year the St. Pius X routine also includes "one man" or "single base" stunts, in which one girl lifts another by herself. “Traditionally, this skill has been showcased more in co-ed squads with males lifting, but is becoming more and more common on all-girl squads and is a true testament to their strength and athleticism,” adds Winland.

The next time you question whether competition cheerleading is a sport, consider what these high school athletes go through to compete. Aren’t bass fishing, NASCAR and poker considered sports? Then I’m sorry, but competition cheerleading sounds like a sport to me.

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

My time as a "Knight of the Altar'

2010-08-19T17:07:00.002-04:00

Altar servers have recently been in the Catholic news when for the first time girl servers outnumbered the boys at a celebration at the Vatican.

That spurred some recollection of my own when I served as a ‘Knight of the Altar,’ as we were called.

My first thought was: how cool a ministry name is that? Nothing namby pampy about seeing yourself as a knight for a grade school kid.

In truth, a highlight of my service is a story that makes me chuckle.

I’ll set the stage. It would have been early 1980s. I was either in third or fourth grade. Our church – St. Sebastian Church, in Frankfurt, Germany –hosted Cardinal Terrence Cooke, archbishop of New York. He was touring Catholic facilities used by U.S. military families as part of his duties as military vicar.

Time has erased most of my memory of the visit, except when he celebrated Mass.

The small sanctuary was naturally jammed with priests. A cardinal coming through was not a usual occurrence. The one familiar face in the crowd was 'Father Joe,' who was either the pastor or a parochial vicar of our parish.

Somehow during the liturgy of the Eucharist, I was assigned the all-important task to ring the bells during the consecration. At the appointed time, I swear the one face I recognized – Fr. Joe – smiled at me and I took it as the signal to ring those bells. I rang them so hard that it was like a heavenly court of angels were present. You’d have been hard pressed to find an altar server ringing bells with more zeal.

Pause. A few moments later, again, ringing those bells like never before.

Later I realized I rung the bells at the wrong time! I used the hand bell during the Eucharistic Prayer leading to the consecration of the bread and wine. During the proper bell ringing moment – when the cardinal would have held up the body and blood of Christ - silence. Not a chime escaped from the bells.

I can only imagine what the cardinal was thinking. A “prince of the church” and he couldn’t have an altar boy who knew when to ring the bells correctly.

You may be thinking that surely brought my service to an end. But you’d be wrong. I continued to serve at the altar for years after. As I followed my brother in this service to the church, I was followed by my younger sister who fainted while serving Midnight Mass. But that’s her story to tell.

--Andrew, Staff Writer

Vacation reflections

2010-08-17T12:50:00.026-04:00

St. Vitla Church in Czesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

The wooden kneeler bit into my knees.

Here I was worshiping during a recent vacation to the Czech Republic. My Czech started and ended with ‘dobry den’ (good day) and ‘prosim’ (a catchall phrase for thank you and please.) So at Mass, I knew only when to say amen and to give the sign of peace.

The experience left me with unanswered questions mixed with an admiration for these people of faith.

Outside the Church of Our Lady Victorious in Malá Strana, Prague, home to the famous Infant Jesus of Prague, the 18-year-old tour guide standing on his Segway said the church is a draw for Spanish and Mexican tourists but rarely visited by locals. He said 80 percent of Czechs identify as atheists, a leftover of the 40 plus years of authoritarian rule. (Wikipedia puts the number between 30 percent and 60 percent, but still one of the highest in Europe.)

Earlier on my visit, I shared a lunch with three Czechs, two men, one woman, whose ages ranged from 20-something to nearing retirement. They talked a little about life under the Communist regime and life since the 1989 Velvet Revolution: police screenings before job opportunities; how parents wrestled with whether to join the Communist Party because that ensured a coveted university seat for their children; and how this 20-something uses Facebook as part of her job.

Fast forward a few days. I pulled on a wrinkled Oxford shirt for the 9:30 a.m. Mass at St. Vitla Church in Czesky Krumlov, a medieval town recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

I walked into the 15th century Gothic church as ladies sitting around the pews prayed the rosary. I didn’t know the words but I recognized the rhythm of the prayer as they fingered their beads.

Seats filled as Mass time approached to my surprise. I had expected a small crowd, keeping in mind what the tour guide had said. But slowly the space filled with a few tourists, families, the occasional teen and children resting in strollers cooed over by adults.

The lunch conversation came back to me as I looked around. What was it like back in the 1970 and 1980s? How did people claim their faith during those times? Did they put their livelihoods at risk by entering a church?

I left Mass with these unanswered questions and sorry I couldn't speak with the priest. Something tells me the church and the faith of the Catholic community, which was targeted for repression by government agents, was held together by grandmothers like these during those dreary decades. They held on to a fragment of faith, despite the oppression.

--Andrew, Staff Reporter

The photo was not taken by me. It is copied from the photo-sharing site, Flickr.
Photo credit: Magro_kr, http://bit.ly/9tiAvp

There's an app for that!

2010-08-13T17:00:00.001-04:00

In a world of instant communication and social networking, it is increasingly hard for us (or me, anyway) to find time for prayer and reflection. With so much "noise" going on around us, we need to make an effort to draw our spirituality into our daily life. So whether you are waiting in the doctor's office or for your car to get an oil change, there's a Catholic app for that!

Catholics are now in the game and developers have been releasing various apps for iPhones and the like to meet Catholics where they are and aid them in their daily pursuit of prayer. From your iPhone you can now pray the rosary, read the daily Scriptures or pray the Divine Office. There are also seasonal apps for Catholics so they may pray the Stations of the Cross or follow the Liturgical calendar.

A quick Google search and one will find a growing list of apps for Catholics and Christians and it is just another way we can blend our technology with our faith to make our daily spiritual experience richer.

So the next time you find yourself waiting, maybe instead of opening up a new game of solitaire or backgammon, check our your provider's app store to see what your other options are. Because don't forget, there's an app for that!

Stephen, Staff Reporter

One of the perks

2010-08-09T13:50:00.006-04:00

Health insurance, "inside access" and...organic vegetables?

It wasn't until recently I could add that last one to the list of perks I receive as a reporter for The Georgia Bulletin.

In last week's issue of the paper, we ran an article about the organic garden that was recently started at Marist School in Atlanta. I traveled to the school for an interview with Mike Burns, an English teacher and one of the moderators of the garden. After discussing the history of the project and showing us around that peaceful and serene setting, Mike offered to cut some fresh vegetables for me to take home. I gladly obliged.

Photo courtesy of the Marist School Garden Facebook page. See below for link.

That weekend I enjoyed fresh-steamed okra from the garden with a sautéed chicken breast and a salad topped with sliced cucumber and tomatoes, also from the garden. It was refreshing to have such noticeably fresh food! Quite an amazing sight to see the variety of vegetables, spices and flowers they have growing at Marist, and I can't wait to find out what they have planned next.

I sure hope we follow up with this story again soon!

Stephen, Staff Reporter

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To read The Georgia Bulletin story, please click here. To keep up with the latest news and updates, visit the garden's Facebook page here.

Sent to the principal’s office--UPDATED

2010-08-06T10:00:00.000-04:00

UPDATE:

Here are the links to the stories Michael writes about:

Lauren Schell, the new principal at Holy Redeemer School .

Charles Martin, the new principal at St. Joseph School, Athens.

Pamela Moors, the new principal at St. Peter Claver Regional Catholic School.

I had to go to the principal’s office three times this week, but I managed to escape detention and a call to my parents.

Fortunately my visit was one of a different nature. The 24 archdiocesan and independent Catholic schools are gearing up for the 2010-2011 school year and three of the schools (Holy Redeemer, Johns Creek; St. Joseph, Athens; and St. Peter Claver, Decatur) have new principals.

I went out to their respective schools so I could photograph them for The Georgia Bulletin. Andrew Nelson is providing a profile on each of the principals, which will appear in the paper’s August 5 issue, but here’s a little trivia I found out about the newbies.

Holy Redeemer’s Lauren Schell is also the mother of two Catholic high school students. Her son is a senior and her daughter is a junior at Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell. Schell was born and raised in Queens, N.Y., and she’s “an avid New York Mets fan.”

St. Joseph’s Charles Martin stands at six feet, five inches tall. Martin is from the southwestern Ohio city of Middletown. He attended college at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, and now he is the principal at a Catholic school in Athens, Ga. God’s sense of humor does not stop there. Martin arrives at St. Joseph School, after teaching the last four years at St. Joseph School in Nashville, Tenn. Martin is a fan of the Cincinnati Reds and the Cincinnati Bengals. He believes the Bengals were starting to turn the corner and he hopes the acquisition of T.O. (wide receiver Terrell Owens) works out and it doesn’t have negative repercussions on the team.

St. Peter Claver’s Pamela Moors is a Mobile, Ala. native and she’s returning to the South after stints in Sacramento, Calif., and the U. S. Virgin Islands. This Los Angeles Lakers fan also likes tennis in addition to basketball. In her spare time Moors like to travel, do word puzzles, and play Scrabble.

At 28-years-of-age Martin distinguishes himself as the youngest principal among all the schools and Moors is the only African-American woman to head up one of our Catholic schools.

It sounds like a law firm, but welcome Martin, Moors and Schell. Here’s hoping you and the other 21 principals, staffs and students have a great school year.

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

Social media guidelines - from the bishops

2010-07-27T16:17:00.003-04:00

The U.S. bishops recently issued some "best practice" guidelines for the use of social media by folks in the Catholic Church. In case you were wondering, that means Facebook and Twitter and Youtube and blogs like this one--web-based ways to keep up with others. If you'd like to read more about the guidelines, you can find them here, on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' website - a good site to know.

For the record, here on The Georgia Bulletin blog, we follow the Code of Conduct shown on the USCCB’s Facebook page, as follows: “All posts and comments should be marked by Christian charity and respect for the truth. They should be on topic and presume the good will of other posters. Discussion should take place primarily from a faith perspective. No ads please.”

Our blog is a way to build community, and we welcome you to ours.

--Mary Anne, editor

I write like ... a literary giant.

2010-07-15T13:00:00.007-04:00

I’ve been writing for newspapers since 1993. When I tried out as a cub reporter for a six-day a week newspaper, my first story was about a small village in New York testing a new recycling truck and how residents should separate their trash. (Sadly, I didn’t keep copies of that engrossing story.)

But from such humble roots, great things have come. That is if you believe a website called “I Write Like.”

The site, put together by Coding Robots, takes a sample of writing and by clicking on the ‘analyze’ button and out comes your literary twin. The computer software looks at word choice, writing style, number of words, commas, and semicolons in sentences, number of sentences with quotation marks and then announces what well known author you write like.

I tested three stories: a rough draft of a future story compared me to Kurt Vonnegut; a story from earlier this month about Sudanese bishops visiting Atlanta could have been penned by Kurt Vonnegut and a 2009 story about Aux. Bishop Luis Zarama, James Joyce.

Not too shabby.

I write like
Kurt Vonnegut

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

--Andrew, reporter

Bishops conference issues guidelines on social media

2010-07-12T11:03:00.013-04:00

Social media are the fastest growing form of communication in the United States, especially among youth and young adults. Our Church cannot ignore it, but at the same time we must engage social media in a manner that is safe, responsible, and civil.
--Social Media Guidelines - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Church leaders are taking seriously how social media can be harnessed to advance the gospel message. Last week, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops issued guidelines for using social media.

With everything from a primer on Web 2.0 to how to set up a blog, the guidelines are geared toward parishes, ministries, church offices and even bishops.

It has a lot of good tips to consider so if you are just putting your big toe in the Internet pond, take some time to read it here.

Faith leaders, starting with Pope Benedict XIV, know the importance of communications transformation. (Atlanta Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory does his part when he occasionally tweets at the archdiocese's Twitter account: @archatl)

The guidelines encourage people to read the messages from the pope to mark World Communications Day, including the 43rd message and the most recent 44th World Communications Day Message.

--Andrew, reporter

The art above is a word cloud from the document.

A sneak peek at stories in July 8th edition

2010-07-08T10:58:00.019-04:00

Rev. Mr. Llane Briese, Thang Pham, Carlos Vargas, Thomas Zahuta, Michael Silloway and Mario Lopez, from left, prostrate themselves on the altar during a moment of prayer for the candidates. Photo by Michael Alexander. (More photos here.)

The Georgia Bulletin will be showing up in your mail box in the next couple of days.

Here's some of the stories you can look forward to reading:

Ordination of six new priests:

ATLANTA—Linda Koerner remembers when a young Llane Briese started coming to the youth group at St. John Neumann Church in Lilburn just a few years ago. From the very beginning, she recognized something special in the teen, so it came as no surprise when she heard he was discerning a vocation to the priesthood.
Koerner and her husband, Greg, came to the ordination Mass at the Cathedral of Christ the King on June 26, a celebration that welcomed six new priests into the Archdiocese of Atlanta. “It has been a privilege to watch him grow,” said Koerner as she waited for the Mass to begin. “Llane loves life … and embraces everything in the Catholic faith.”
Along with Rev. Mr. Briese, five other transitional deacons—Mario A. López, Thang Minh Pham, Michael R. Silloway, Carlos E. Vargas and Thomas Zahuta—processed into the Cathedral on the warm Saturday morning to the delight of their teary-eyed families and friends. Smiles quickly appeared on the candidates’ faces as they processed in amidst camera flashes.

Sudanese Catholics celebrate with three bishops from their homeland

STONE MOUNTAIN—Sitting in colorful plastic seats in an indoor basketball court were members of the Lost Boys, the group of then youngsters who walked for hundreds of miles to escape war, minefields and violence that destroyed their Sudanese villages.
Now, the group is entering their 30s. They’ve landed jobs and made lives for themselves here. Among them were Diadi “Lino” Momo, 31, of Atlanta and Duang “Victor” Deng, 31, of Birmingham, Ala.
Despite the wars that drove them from family and into refugee camps and later into exile, they took it to heart when three visiting Catholic bishops from Sudan urged them and other former refugees to contribute to their homeland’s future.
The peril and promise of Sudan were at the forefront of the minds of the estimated 100 women, men and children, as they gathered on Sunday, June 26, in prayer with the bishops, at Corpus Christi Church.
“There is hope and there is fear,” said Momo, who now works in the shipping business.

Catholic artist Salvador Dali at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta

ATLANTA—What to make of Salvador Dali?
A painter. A sculptor. A photographer. A jeweler. Embraced by the public, but once dismissed by art critics.
The interpretation of the work of the late Spanish Catholic artist continues to evolve, much as his paintings challenged people to look at the world anew.
The High Museum of Art hosts a major exhibit, “Salvador Dali: The Late Work,” opening Aug. 7. It will feature more than 100 pieces of work done by the man after he split with the surrealist movement. The exhibit offers pieces rarely seen in the United States, including “Christ of St. John of the Cross,” which has not been on view here in 50 years.

See photos of the events and other features in the newspaper here and here.

Andrew, reporter

Running the race

2010-07-02T17:00:00.001-04:00

As someone who falls famously and often, I marvel at the Peachtree Road Race.

To see that many people of such a wide variety of ages and sizes running en masse—in the heat of July—with, for the most part, big smiles on their faces, and waving at the camera, leaves me wondering if I am from another planet.

It’s one thing to see the gazelle-like strides of the sinewy champions who lead the pack. I imagine the city skyline dropping away and easily see them crossing miles of savannah grasslands somewhere in the world where walking and running are not hobbies, but travel.

It’s another thing for me to watch the thousands of everyday people who clearly don’t have perfect physiques bopping along at their own pace in the race, folks who will be in the grocery store or the mall or bumper to bumper traffic the day after.

I admire them so much. I get cheered up watching them. Every year I think, maybe some year I can walk at the very back of the pack, where, when I trip, I won’t be trampled by thousands of upright people. And then I think, get real! Better stick to mall walking.

This year, something of a rarity, July 4 is on a Sunday, so the race occurs on that day when our thoughts are particularly on God.

It brought to mind a thought I had once while preparing a talk on the commandments. I was studying Psalm 119, which is the longest of all the psalms and which extols the wisdom and beauty of God’s life-giving laws.

The verse that captured my imagination was “Lightly I run in the way of your commands.” And the phrase that follows is translated variously as “for you open my docile heart” or “for you enlarge my heart” or “make broad my heart.”

I thought then, and I think again today, that this is a challenge all people qualify for: even, perhaps especially, the stumbling.

And in my mind’s eye, I think what it would look like if this passion for running was replicated in conforming to God's ways as the psalmist envisioned it thousands of years ago. I imagine wave upon wave of people, as far as the eye can see, of all shapes and sizes and ages, coming down the road, and their faces are covered with joy. All of them are running lightly, because God has done his work enlarging their hearts and trained them in his way.

Gretchen Keiser, Editor

Sudanese Catholics joined together to celebrate Mass

2010-07-02T11:21:00.007-04:00

Sudanese Catholics joined together to celebrate Mass on Sunday, June 27.

Leading the prayers were three bishops from the east African country who visited Atlanta as part of a trip to the United States.

I wrote about what the visit meant to the community, many who escaped their war-torn native lands as refugees. They talked about walking for hundreds of miles to escape burning villages and detouring around vast minefields as if that were normal. Look for the story in next week's Georgia Bulletin.

Meanwhile, here's a short video shot at the Mass with a focus on the choir.

Behind the scenes

2010-06-28T17:18:00.002-04:00

A gift a reporter receives is visiting a wide array of parishes and experiencing the many beautiful ways the liturgy is celebrated across North Georgia.

Last Wednesday night at St. Jude's Church (Sandy Springs), a prayer vigil was celebrated for Msgr. Daniel J. O'Connor the night before his funeral Mass. Many elements went into this very well-attended wake service, but one catching my attention was the music.

Music director Alan Brown later told me that the choir, at his invitation, was made up of singers who came from not only St. Jude's, but also Sacred Heart (Atlanta) and St. Thomas Aquinas (Alpharetta), where Msgr. O'Connor had been pastor over the years.

Alan Brown said, "I knew he was highly regarded at both churches. This would be an opportunity for musicians from both churches to be at the celebration of his life and to pray for him."

The beautiful soprano solo "Pie Jesu" from Faure's "Requiem" had been requested by Msgr. O'Connor. He once asked Brown to be sure that it was sung at his funeral liturgy by Jeanné Brown, a celebrated soloist whom he had heard at the Atlanta Symphony under Robert Shaw as well as on occasion at St. Jude's.

Sam Hagan, also celebrated in Atlanta and familiar to parishioners at St. Jude and other parishes as a soloist, was the cantor.

The night before, when the 40-member combined choir met for the first and only time to rehearse, a violent storm broke out and the church lost all power and air conditioning. "Everyone got out their cell phones to back light their music," Brown said. Not everything was able to be covered in the rehearsal as a result.

But none of this was evident the following evening in the prayer service that honored the pastor who also loved music.

The next Georgia Bulletin will include an article about the prayer service and the funeral the next day at the Cathedral of Christ the King.

Gretchen Keiser, Editor

On the road to South Africa

2010-06-24T17:00:00.000-04:00

My colleague, Michael Alexander, wrote about his changing interest in the "beautiful game" and the young people, including a standout from Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School, heading to South Africa for a global soccer competition.

In the video below, Katelyn Longino talks about what she hopes to learn from the trip.

Godspeed and safe journey to Katelyn and all the young people from around the world traveling to South Africa for this unique event.

--Andrew

PS: Atlanta Magazine profiled Ricardo Clark, a graduate of St. Pius X Catholic High School who plays for the USA soccer team.

Read this week's Georgia Bulletin to learn the rest of the story.

A Return Home

2010-06-23T18:00:00.000-04:00

It doesn’t seem like that long ago when I was a student at St. John Neumann Catholic School in Lilburn, being shuffled in for a schoolwide Mass. All eight grades just barely fit into the sanctuary, even spilling into the choir area for the extra space. Throughout my time growing up the Stone Mountain/Lilburn area, I encountered the SJN community on a regular basis, whether it was playing guitar in the Life Teen music group or joining the casual softball league with some buddies of mine.

The crucifix in the new St. John Neumann sanctuary. Photo compliments of Anthony R. Socci Photo & Graphic Design.

Tomorrow I will return to SJN for the Mass to dedicate its new church building. Most of you know about the struggles the school and church community endured after severe flooding damaged a good portion of the facilities last year. However, construction on the new building continued shortly afterward, with the spirits of the parishioners hardly dampened. Tomorrow they will all come together to celebrate their new worship space, and one that is well deserved.

I am very excited to be able to attend this important moment for the SJN community and encourage all of you to look for the article on the Mass and dedication in the upcoming issue of The Georgia Bulletin!

Stephen, Staff Reporter

So what exactly is "press day"...?

2010-06-21T17:05:00.000-04:00

For several years, whenever I would pick up a newspaper, it never occurred to me the behind-the-scenes work that goes into such a publication. The paper always arrived on my doorstep or in my mailbox fresh and ready to read, looking effortless in its flow and design.

It wasn’t until I started here at The Georgia Bulletin a couple of years ago that I got a taste for what the production process really entails. The detail that goes into the editing, layout and finalization of the paper that is delivered to you every other weekend can be difficult and time consuming.

However, it is a process that is well worth the effort. The hours spent meticulously editing, rearranging or laying out a story at the last minute can be an exciting experience. All of the staff, whether editor, reporter, photographer or design—a team that is usually scattered in their location—come together in a unique way to bring The Georgia Bulletin and news of the archdiocese to you. Now whenever I see a print publication, I find myself noticing little details that I never would have picked up on before my experience with this wonderful paper. I hope now you will take a closer look too!

To be a part of the newspaper which I grew up reading is a special honor. And to experience how it operates behind the scenes has been even more of a treat. In all honesty, I never pictured myself as journalist, though I always loved the written word and my faith. What a blessing to be able to express both with The Georgia Bulletin!

Stephen, Staff Reporter

Bishops from Sudan visit Atlanta

2010-06-21T15:50:00.000-04:00

Three bishops from the Sudan Catholic Bishops Conference will travel to Atlanta as guests of Catholic Relief Services and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

These bishops from the north, south and central regions of Sudan are visiting the U.S. in connection with the Peaceful Transition for Sudan Initiative of CRS and the USCCB.

CRS is spending $4 million to help the people in war-torn Sudan to build better future.

View Larger Map

The bishops will celebrate Mass at Corpus Christi Church, Stone Mountain, on Sunday June 27, at noon.

--Andrew, reporter

Now I Get A Kick Out Of It

2010-06-17T14:56:00.000-04:00

I am not a big fan of soccer or the World Cup for that matter, but I enjoy sports. That means at some point over the course of the World Cup I’ll watch a game or two, especially when it gets down to the semifinals and finals.

Years ago soccer was like the vegetable I didn’t like for no reason. As a kid I didn’t like squash because I just didn’t like it. Mind you I hadn’t tasted it, but I still didn’t like it. Well, one day I was eating at a restaurant and I ordered a side dish of fresh vegetables. I finally tried the squash and I liked it.

It was the same way with soccer. I played it a bit during my P.E. class in junior high school, but it never grew on me, and I most certainly never watched it on television. When my daughter was attending Chamblee High School, she had some friends who played on the varsity team, so I went to a few games with her and I enjoyed watching it live and in person. The same thing was true when I started covering Catholic high school sports for The Georgia Bulletin back in 2007. Once I started photographing and reporting on soccer, it gave me a new appreciation for the game. One of the most exciting soccer games I covered was the 2008 game between the girls of Marist and St. Pius X. It went down to the wire. I’ve also covered some intense games between St. Pius and Woodward Academy.

Earlier this week the World Cup came closer to home when I met and photographed Our Lady of Mercy High School junior soccer player Katelyn Longino. The 16-year-old defensive midfielder also plays soccer for a club team called the AFC Lightning in Fayetteville and she’s involved with an organization called Soccer in the Streets. Longino is one of six Soccer in the Street delegates from Georgia heading off to the World Cup in South Africa on June 26. In addition to participating in a 32-country soccer tournament of five on five, the group will attend some World Cup matches. For more information about Longino and her South African sojourn, see Andrew Nelson’s upcoming article on Longino in the June 24 issue of The Georgia Bulletin.

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

Fifteen and Counting

2010-06-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

One of my most recent assignments involved photographing the 15^th Annual Eucharistic Congress. I covered my first Congress in June 1999. Archdiocese of Atlanta Catholics threw a party celebrating the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and the tradition continues to this day. In 1999 the Congress took place at Holy Spirit Church, Atlanta. Three photographs accompanied the one and half page story in The Georgia Bulletin, written by editor Gretchen Keiser.

The Eucharistic Congress has grown tremendously over the years and so has its coverage. People always ask me, “How many photographs did you take?” Drum roll please. I took 424 photographs this year, beginning with the opening Mass on Friday, ending with the closing Mass on Saturday, and all the things in between. That doesn’t include the photos taken by freelancer Thomas Spink. They used 30 of my images in the June 10 issue of the newspaper. You can see some of the other photographs on our gallery.

The only down side to the Congress is the physical punishment my body takes that day. It’s a workout! Back and forth, up and down, bending, contorting kneeling, scooting, squatting, and standing. You get the picture.

The best thing about the Eucharistic Congress from my perspective is I get to move around between tracks. I get to see multiple aspects of the Congress as it unfolds.

Moving between tracks I get to see lots of people. Some I’ve previously met or photographed over the years. I don’t always have time to stop and talk, but it’s fun to reconnect with people when time permits. The Eucharistic Congress is like a huge family reunion of Catholics. It’s like meeting the cousins you didn’t know you had.

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

Photo Friday

2010-06-11T01:35:00.000-04:00

You can see photos taken at the recently completed Catholic Media Convention.

Happy day

2010-06-10T12:40:00.000-04:00

Here's a photo captured with my iPhone:

Deacon Juan Jose Teran greets a well wisher moments after his ordination on Saturday, May 29th. Learn more about the new deacon, including Deacon Charles Okeke, in this week's Georgia Bulletin. Read it here.
(If the photo looks familiar, it was tweeted that day.)
-Andrew

A happy assault on the senses

2010-06-08T16:16:00.000-04:00

I checked out the celebration of the "KKI" on Sunday, June 6. That'd be the Indonesian Catholic Community that is based at Our Lady of Assumption Church, Atlanta.

The great smells from the grills, the unfamiliar language, seeing traditional arts and crafts really made the day-long event a nice place to spend a few hours.

The community marked 10 years since its founding. But instead of celebrating just themselves, the group invited the whole Indonesian community from Atlanta, Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, to the celebration.
And its purpose wasn't to pat themselves on the pat with an 'attaboy. Proceeds from the day were to aid an orphanage back in the home country. --Andrew

A few photos:

Sofjan Handgjo, the coordinator of the Indonesian community.

Exhibits highlighted native arts, including this puppet which is one of 'the three clowns,' known for their mischief and deep wisdom.

Deacon Antonius Anugerah climbs out of the dunk tank.