Spring 2009 • Issue No. 6

Good Shepherd Catholic Churchloving as Christ loves, serving as Christ serves

Father Chuck McCoart

Each parish has its own charisma. Some parishes have outstanding schools, others excel at reaching out to form communities of minority groups such as Ko-

rean or Vietnamese parishes. Good Shepherd, too, has its own unique charisma – diverse and far reaching.

Inclusivity. Most importantly we are passionate about diversity, inclusion and participation. We value the input and leadership of our parish in two languages, Spanish and English. Over thirty years ago we were set apart by the clergy and parishioners who made a conscious decision to welcome Spanish speaking people into our midst, encour-aging them to worship in our church, enjoy and celebrate the liturgy in their own culture, and join with us as a part of a unified community. Our blended English and Spanish liturgies are a special blessing to our parish.

Leadership. Throughout the history of our parish, we have been blessed by individual men and women and fami-lies who came forward to serve the parish in multiple ways, through liturgy, education, facilities, financial and adminis-trative activities to list just a few of their accomplishments. We still have leaders stepping forward, perhaps a different generation, but still filled with the love of God and an ener-getic willingness to serve.

I encourage even greater participation. I dream of the day when each parishioner serves one day a week and gives one week of service every year so that the parish advances toward achieving our mission, “loving as Christ loves, serv-ing as Christ serves.”

Outreach. Good Shepherd has a long history of serving others, the homeless, the hungry and the poor. We support Good Shepherd Housing, United Christian Ministries and other community agencies who support individuals in dif-ficult times with money, food and clothing.

Our youth have led the way in recent times, reach-ing out to local communi-ties as well as areas in other parts of the world, helping them build churches, par-ishes and homes. Half the parishes in our diocese have no affiliation with the Work Camp movement, but Good Shepherd has four Work Camp groups. I envision a time when each youth in our parish participates in parish activities and is passionate about giving service to others.

Future Planning. Good Shepherd is among a small minority of parishes who have thoughtfully gathered input from parishioners, analyzed their contributions and devel-oped a Parish Pastoral Plan that identifies and prioritizes future activities and programs. It was a parish effort, led by the Parish Pastoral Council that is now seeing the beginning of implementation.

Programs. Our programs have grown exponentially – we have over 100 service, educational and prayer groups that add to the vibrancy of Good Shepherd. I dream of the day when we have over 200 groups, all directed at achiev-ing our mission.

Good Shepherd shines, but let’s all work together so our light becomes even brighter!

Good Shepherd Shines

2 The Shepherd’s Watch

Good Shepherd is blessed by the numbers and quality of visiting clergy who come to minister to us, providing as-sistance to Fr. Chuck. We will present short biographies of these generous priests and clergy so that we can all know something about their interesting histories.

A Gift from Newfoundland: Father Mike Hann

When we hear at the begin-ning of Mass that “our presider is Father Mike

Hann,” we know we will leave church that day with better knowl-edge and understanding of Scripture from Father Mike’s gift for putting each reading in its historical context and its current day applica-tion. Father Mike, who has served the Church and the Mission-hurst Congregation for many years, says Mass frequently at Good Shepherd.

Early Faith Formation.The son of a fisherman, Father Mike grew up on Port Royal, an island off the coast of Newfoundland, where his community saw a priest only twice a year. Daily reci-tation of the Rosary served as his faith formation in his youth. When he attended college in New York, he discovered his call-ing when he read a pamphlet entitled Invitation to Greatness, a series of letters between the vocation director of Missionhurst and a young man discerning his future.

Formation as a Priest. In 1973, he was ordained a Mission-hurst priest and served for the next 20 years in Haiti, with brief assignments in Mexico and Rome. From 1993-2000, Father Mike served in Rome on a team that directed the Missionhurst Congre-gation. This assignment gave him the opportunity to visit mis-sions in Africa. From Rome, Father Mike returned to Haiti before being named Rector at Missionhurst in Arlington, VA.

Enjoying Good Shepherd. Father Mike enjoys serving at Good Shepherd and particularly likes the way Father Chuck suc-cessfully delegates authority and responsibility to the staff and parishioners for the well-being and growth of the parish. He con-siders it a blessing to be part of the community at Good Shepherd. We, in turn, are blessed by his services and educational talents.

Anticipating Ordination: Deacon Tony Mazurkiewicz

For the past year, Good Shepherd has been blessed with the services of Deacon Tony Ma-zurkiewicz, who has shared

his faith and talents with our parish during his final year of preparation for ordination as a priest of the Car-melite Order.

Early Faith Formation. Dea-con Tony was born in Chicago. He has a married sister who has three children; Tony is godfather to all of them. He attended Mount Carmel High School where his mother now serves as Administrative Assistant and where he first became interested in the Carmelite commu-nity. His father is a Vietnam Veteran and co-owner of a storage company. Deacon Tony graduated from Yale University, where he played football for four years, acting as captain in his senior year. After graduation, he worked for four years in Boston and Chicago as a teacher and consultant with Edison Schools.

Formation in the Carmelite Order. When Deacon Tony returned to Chicago, he lived in a Carmelite community for a year, after which he joined the Carmelite formation program. He has lived and ministered in Carmelite communities in several US cities – Hous-ton, Phoenix, and Washington, DC to name a few. Deacon Tony’s hobbies include sports, hiking, reading, skiing, and quilting.

Enjoying Good Shepherd. During his time at Good Shep-herd, Deacon Tony especially appreciated the warm welcome he received from all he met and enjoyed the parishioners’ active par-ticipation in our parish’s diverse ministries. He will be ordained a Carmelite priest in Chicago on May 30, 2009 and is thankful to serve God and His people. All who have come to know Deacon Tony wish him blessings and success in his future life.

The Shepherd’s WatchPublisher: Rev. Charles C. McCoart, Jr.Editor: Peg MastalEditorial Staff: Mary Ciske, Alice Outerbridge,

Joan Peterschmidt, Rosalie TargonskiTranslators: Ana Pilato, Jennifer Miller, Clara Campos,

Rosie Driscoll, Mauricio Hernandez, Maria Isabel Diaz Restrepo, Essy O’Connor, Sarah Grubb

Design/Layout: Sue De AngelE-mail: newsletter@gs-cc.org

Good Shepherd CatholiC ChurCh8710 Mount Vernon Highway • Alexandria, VA 22309Telephone: (703) 780-4055 • Fax: (703) 360-5385E-mail: office@gs-cc.org • Internet: www.gs-cc.org

Spiritual Helpers: Visiting Clergy

Springis here!

Spring 2009 • Issue No. 6 3

Barbara Cotter

If you missed the 14th Annual Martin Luther King Choir Fes-tival, an ecumenical event sponsored by Ventures in Commu-nity (VIC) and held at Good Shepherd on Sunday, January

18, mark your calendar right now for the 15th Annual Concert on Sunday, January 17, 2010 at Bethlehem Baptist Church. These two churches alternate hosting the event because they have the only sanctuaries large enough to hold the combined choirs that come to-gether at the end of the evening. This year’s event was one of song, dance, bell ringing, prayer, hand clapping, and joyful praise.

Thirteen churches combined to honor Dr. King’s peaceful ef-forts to advance the cause of equal rights for all. Rev. Jeri Fields, pastor of Mt. Vernon Presbyterian Church and coordinator of the evening’s program, welcomed all by sharing important events in Dr. King’s life. Then, Rev. Ketlen Solak, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and cofacilitator of VIC, spoke of VIC’s mission to unite local faith communities and to advocate for and serve those in need. Father Charles McCoart welcomed the choirs and attendees to Good Shepherd Church, read a quote from Coretta Scott King, and lead us in prayer.

The Trinity Handbell Choir and Brass from Bethany Lutheran Church provided prelude music as well as a beautiful and moving arrangement of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” The Mount Vernon Sacred Dance Choir performed “Down to the River to Pray” followed by the Bethlehem Baptist Church Daughters of Judah, Dance Ministry who presented a dance interpretation of “Sincerity.”

Each of the choirs that provided song for the evening was warmly received. Good Shepherd Catholic, Mt. Vernon Unitarian, St. Mark’s Episcopal, and St. James’ Episcopal choirs; Mt. Vernon Presbyterian, Heritage Presbyterian, and Groveton Baptist Com-bined Choirs; Rising Hope United Methodist Mission Church Choir, Baha’I Faith of Metropolitan Washington Chorale; and Woodlawn United Methodist Church Mass Choir each presented a tribute to Dr. King. Then, the choirs combined under the lead-ership of Dr. James Criswell, Senior Choir Director, Mt. Vernon Presbyterian Church, and ALL were invited to join in the sing-ing of “We Are Marching in the Light of God” while the Trinity Handbell Choir and the dancers performed “We Are Ringing and Dancing in the Light of God.”

A special moment of the evening was provided by Mr. Willie Parker, a member of the Woodlawn United Method-ist Choir, who recited a selec-tion from Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream Speech.”

Cynthia Hull, Executive Director of United Community Ministries (UCM) and VIC cofa-cilitator, spoke of the overwhelm-ing need for food, shelter, cloth-ing, and emergency assistance in

our area of Fairfax County and thanked all who continue to support the various faith and community based organizations serving the neediest among us. She asked those in attendance to share in the work and ministry of VIC through a free will donation. This collec-tion netted $2,128.28 and was shared among UCM, Good Shepherd Housing and New Hope Housing.

After the benediction, given by Rev. Jeri Fields, all were in-vited to a reception in Creedon Hall.

Ventures In CommunityVentures in Community is a volunteer organization of 32

faith based communities representing 16 denominations and 14 nonprofit agencies. Its mission is to promote a diverse and welcoming community that extends adequate resources to all segments of the population. Clergy and lay persons from Good Shepherd were among the founders of VIC in 1974 and many pa-rishioners continue to support VIC through such programs as the Mondloch House Milk Program (Carol Kennedy), the Kennedy Shelter Lunch Program (Eileen Reosti), the Nurturing Parent Pro-gram (Barbara Cotter), the Route One Community Kitchen (Bar-bara Cotter), and the VIC Hypothermia Program (Jerri Pogue). The VIC Hypothermia Program (VICHOP) is a nightly shelter for the homeless which is run from December through March at Rising Hope United Methodist Mission Church and is supported by volunteers from area churches. A total of 55 Good Shepherd volunteers supported VICHOP for 3 nights in December by pro-viding food, drink, and overnight chaperoning. Other parishioners have placed their names on a list to be contacted by the overall VICHOP coordinator should a need arise.

VIC also sponsors a Good Friday “Way of the Cross,” an Easter Sunrise Service at Woodlawn Plantation, and the CROP Walk, which will have its 30th anniversary this year. VIC meet-ings are held at 11:30 am on the first Wednesday of each month at rotating host locations. All meetings of VIC are open to the public and offer challenging opportunities for individuals, children, and families to participate in ongoing projects. If you have any ques-tions, please contact Good Shepherd’s representative to VIC, Jerri Pogue at gbpogue@aol.com or Joan Halford, Good Shepherd’s social justice minister.

Martin Luther King Concert

Combined Choirs.

4 The Shepherd’s Watch

Erin Burke

I traveled to Honduras as part of a team from the Campus Chris-tian Community here at The University of Mary Washington. This group has now been to Honduras five times, and initi-

ated one of the most successful student organizations in the U.S. Students Helping Honduras, with its chairperson, Shin Fujiyama (a UMW alum). The main goal of the Campus Christian Commu-nity Honduras mission trips and the mission of Students Helping Honduras is to help improve the lives of children in urban Hondu-ras by working to build shelter, community, safety, and livelihood for the children and their families.

We stayed in El Progreso, which is a small urban area outside the capital city, Tecucigalpa (don’t ask me to pronounce that!). The bugs and the hot Honduran sun were our worst enemies. We started our week with a visit to Siete de Abril, the village that the Campus Christian Community and Students Helping Honduras have been working with due to its dire needs of shelter, sanitation and em-ployment. We got to cook tortillas with the villagers, and were able to learn about their history and see their excitement at moving to the new village we would spend the week helping to build.

We worked hard for 4 grueling days in Villa Soleada (the new village that is being built for the villagers of Siete de Abril) making cement and filling in foundations that had been dug. They were long days, but there was a lot going on, and making cement actually turned out to be kind of fun! I had learned how to mix cement in the Dominican Republic 2 years ago with my brother, Neil, and the Good Shepherd Youth Group, so I felt like an expert by the end of this trip. I think Patrick, and the rest of the Youth Group would have been proud to see how much of my cement-making skills were retained. Overall, we did finish 3 foundations and dug 2 more, as well as worked on the flooring for 2 houses and the masonry for 1. This was the most that had been accom-plished by any other group that had come through Villa Soleada in the past month! We did have some help...my group had 40 people in it from the University of Mary Washington (the Cam-pus Christian Community and an Economics class working on a micro-finance project with the women of Siete de Abril) as well

as a few people from Western Illinois University. A large group from Boston College and some individuals from Old Dominion University (in Newport News, VA) and Virginia Tech. joined us. In all, 35 houses have been completed – only 10 more to go!

Other than doing manual labor, we took some time to play with and learn about the children of El Progreso. We visited 2 orphanages, one a private organization and one run by the gov-ernment. The 2 places were polar opposites of each other, to a heartbreaking level. It was easy to see that the children at the private orphanage are well cared for and are learning skills to help them succeed in life, while the children at the state orphanage are treated more like animals, are dirty and ill, and neglected. It was fun to play with the kids, even if I could not really communicate with them very well, but it was also hard to leave knowing that they would have to stay in these places long after we got to go home. Those visits helped put things in perspective for me about how well off I am and how lucky we are to live in a country where these atrocities would be prevented and punished.

My favorite experience was spending the afternoon at a nutri-tion center in the heart of the city. It is run by a Catholic Church in Honduras and is sponsored by an-other Catholic Church in Texas. The center takes in young children from the streets, the government orphanage, or from impoverished families, who are malnourished and sick. The center feeds these children on a strict diet and sched-ule and gives them medicine and vitamins in efforts to nurse them back to a health. The goal for each child in the center is to be sent to a private orphanage, to be adopted, or to be returned to his/her family,

Good Shepherd in Honduras

Erin Burke with one of the orphans in the private orphanage.

Finished houses of Villa Soledad. continued on page 7

Spring 2009 • Issue No. 6 5

Kevin Bohli, Director Youth Ministry Catholic Diocese of Arlington

The Excellence in Youth Ministry award is given annu-ally by the diocese to a youth worker who has shown a strong dedication to accompanying young people on their

pilgrimage of Christian discipleship. This person demonstrates an ongoing commitment and availability to young people as they grow in faith.

The diocesan award recipient this year has been involved in youth ministry for over a decade. He began his involvement on a volunteer level during his time as an undergraduate student at the University of Virginia, an institution that many consider to be “God’s greatest gift to the people of Virginia”. After college he signed on for full-time work in campus ministry at George Mason University before moving to South Bend, Indiana temporarily to be with his wife while she completed her graduate work. They returned to northern Virginia in 2004 and shortly after he became the Coordinator of Youth Ministry at Good Shepherd Parish in Alexandria.

His responsibilities at Good Shepherd include junior high & high school youth ministry, confirmation preparation and many service projects relating to the ministries. He has increased the number of annual Workcamp trips for his parish from one to four, including at least one local, national & international trip every summer. This is all indicative of what his wife refers to as his “big heart for service”. But more than this, he is particularly tal-ented in building relationships with others through this service, and modeling what it means to live out your faith in daily life.

One of his former youth groupers notes that:

I was immediately captured by his enthu-siasm for, not only our faith, but life in general. It is obvious that he is very knowledgeable and wise but he has the ability to present it all at a level that a young-er audience can grasp. While he always met me where I was at, he also challenged me to grow in my faith and relationship with God. … I look at where I was entering the youth ministry program in 9th grade and where I am now as a college student and I know for a fact the transformation would not have occurred without Patrick. I reflect often, and can see clearly that God used and continues to use Patrick actively to bring people to know Him.

He also is a teacher to his peers. A coworker feels that he is “also a mentor to adult volunteers and other youth ministers. … I learn from him every time I see him speak or interact with teens.” At diocesan events his lighthearted comments and sense of humor keep us from taking ourselves too seriously. In his years of min-istry, he has certainly given much to the teens of this diocese and the state, and will undoubtedly continue to contribute much for many years to come.

The Excellence in Youth Ministry Award: “Traveling Companion of Young People”

It is the pleasure of the diocese to present Patrick Drury of Good Shepherd Catholic Church with the Excellence in Youth Ministry Award for 2008.

One of Good Shepherd’s youth volunteers also received a diocesan award as Youth Ministry Adult Volunteer of the Year. This award goes to an adult in the Youth Ministry

for contributions over the year. This year our parish selected Kelly Fonseca to receive the award. Kelly said, “I was so surprised and honored.”

Kelly has been an active leader in the youth ministry for years. During high school she was a leader, receiving the Youth Volunteer of the Year award in 2005. Now she continues her participation in Youth activities as a young adult in the Hispanic Youth Ministry.

Kelly currently serves as the Coordinator for Spanish young adults, an active and committed group. They are noted for their monthly service projects, for example the Spanish Advent festi-val, helping with the Hispanic youth group meetings, and partici-pating in larger parish activities such as the International Festival.

The most noted project in which the Spanish young adults engage is coordinat-ing the Via Crucis. This ceremony presents the liv-ing stations of the cross on Good Friday.

Kelly also introduced the young adult group to VOICE (Virginians Orga-nized for Interfaith Com-munity), an organization of different faith groups in the state focusing on social justice activities. Kelly, the honor is Good Shepherd’s to have you working so hard for us and for others. Congratulations!

Good Shepherd’s Second Diocesan Award Recipient

6 The Shepherd’s Watch

Joan Montgomery Halford, Director of Social Justice

Several mornings a month, quietly and without fanfare, small groups of Good Shepherd community members live out the Gospel—in our church kitchen. By preparing and serving

meals for the homeless, these dedicated parishioners are among the hundreds of people each month who participate in the many-facet-ed programs of the Social Justice Ministry at Good Shepherd.

Through more than 50 ongoing programs and special events, community members work within the Social Justice Ministry to

• advocate for justice, especially on behalf of the poor and vul-nerable;

• serve the needy, through many direct and indirect charitable service efforts;

• provide comfort and healing to the seriously ill and bereaved through the integrated programs of the Circle of Caring;

• offer communities of understanding through support-group programs;

• make the environment a priority, through the “Caring for God’s Creation” ministry;

• provide financial assistance and empowerment; and• educate for social justice through a variety of learning op-

portunities for all ages.

At its foundation, the social justice ministry enables parish-ioners to engage their faith through action. The ministry reflects the seven core themes of Catholic social teaching, themes that

Parishioners Engage Their Faith Through Social Justice Ministry

The Church’s social teaching is a rich treasure of wisdom about building a just society and living lives of holiness amidst the challenges of mod-ern society. Here are the key themes that are at the heart of our Catholic social tradition. To learn more, visit http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/projects/socialteaching/excerpt.shtml.

Life and Dignity of the Human PersonThe Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that

the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. In our society, human life is under direct attack from abor-tion and euthanasia. The value of human life is being threatened by cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and the use of the death pen-alty. Catholic teaching also calls on us to work to avoid war. Nations must protect the right to life by finding increasingly effective ways to prevent conflicts and to resolve them by peaceful means. We believe that every person is precious, that people are more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is whether it threat-ens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person.

Call to Family, Community, and Participation

The person is not only sacred, but also social. How we organize our society in economics and politics and in law and policy directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in com-

munity. Marriage and the family are the central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking to-gether the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.

Rights and ResponsibilitiesThe Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protect-

ed and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Therefore, every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibili-ties—to one another, to our families, and to the larger society.

Option for the Poor and VulnerableA basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are far-

ing. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.

The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers

The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participa-

The Route One Community Kitchen (ROCK) cooking team (l-r): Carol Kennedy, Sally Batchelder, Chris Baden-Mayer, Mary Beth Rock, Barbara Cotter, Marisa Souza (not pictured are Betty Rice and Jerry Pogue)

The Seven Core Themes of Catholic Social Teaching

continued on page 7

continued on page 7

Spring 2009 • Issue No. 6 7

tion in God’s creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected—the right to produc-tive work, to decent and fair wages, to the organization and joining of unions, to private property, and to economic initiative.

SolidarityWe are one human family, whatever our national, racial, eth-

nic, economic, and ideological differences. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be. Loving our neighbor has global dimensions in a shrinking world. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. Pope Paul VI taught that “if you want peace, work for justice.” The Gospel calls us to be peacemakers. Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict.

Care for God’s CreationWe show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of

creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan; it is also a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored.

Copyright 2005, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Washington, D.C.

for some Catholics remain the Church’s best kept secrets. From our advocacy efforts through Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (VOICE) to our Sharing Sunday food drive to our comprehensive pro-life ministry to our JustFaith and JustMatters groups, all that occurs within the Social Justice Min-istry is an enactment of our baptismal call to live out our social teaching.

Social justice has a long tradition at Good Shepherd. Indeed, in its 43 years, our parish has helped spin off three major separate non-profit agencies that serve the needy in our community: Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services, United Community Min-istries (UCM), and Progreso Hispano. Many traditions and pro-grams with our Social Justice Ministry originated decades ago, including the Circle of Caring for the seriously ill and bereaved.

Why social “justice”? Because our gospel teaches that charity, though important, is only part of our calling. As Saint Augustine wisely taught, “Charity is no substitute for justice withheld.” Jus-tice addresses the systemic problems that perpetuate poverty and social ills. At Good Shepherd, our advocacy efforts complement our strong charitable legacy. Charity gives, but justice changes.

With so many opportunities in the Social Justice Ministry, there’s something for nearly everyone. To learn more about the many social justice programs at Good Shepherd, visit the Social Justice section of our Web site at www.gs-cc.org or contact Joan M. Halford, Director of Social Justice, at joan@gs-cc.org.

A Psalm ofDescriptive PraisePeggy Hecklinger

Rejoice in daily miracles!

Red sunrise above the river fog;Mozart on the clock radio.

Gentle wind rustles autumn leaves;Synchronized green traffic lights.

Vee of geese soaring southward;Redskins three and one.

Purple-orange sunset lingers;Microwave yields Bertolli frozen dinner.

Harvest moon path lights flowing river;Hot water and bubbles fill the tub.

Praise the Lord!

who often do not know how to take care of their children. If this is the case, parents are required to take nutrition and parenting classes, and follow-ups are given weekly once the child is released to their family. The kids were adorable, and while we knew they were sick, they played and laughed just as any other child would. I loved playing with the children and learning their stories of how they arrived in the center’s care, as well as learning about the center and its mission.

Overall, this was an amazing and life-altering experience. I arrived home late at night after very little sleep, covered in bug bites and scratches and cement burns, but otherwise very happy. It was a quick 18 hours or so before I had to be back at school, and a return to the daily grind of classes and activities was definitely difficult, especially after I was so inspired to get involved in a project much bigger than my school and myself. I would like to thank all those who aided me on this trip, finan-cially or through prayers and support; I would not have had this opportunity had it not been for your help. I miss Good Shepherd very much, and hope you all are well. God bless.

To learn more about Students Helping Honduras, visit http://www.studentshelpinghonduras.org.

For information about the UMW Campus Christian Com-munity, visit http://www.campuschristiancommunity.com/.

continued from page 4

Good Shepherd in Honduras

Parishioners Engage Their Faith...continued from page 6

The Seven Core Themes...continued from page 6

8 The Shepherd’s Watch

William Zaccagnino

For the second year, Good Shepherd Catholic Church is sponsoring the JustFaith Program. I am 1 of 15 graduates of the 2007-2008 cohort of the Good Shepherd JustFaith

program, and I am 1 of 3 co-facilitators of the two 2008—2009 cohorts at Good Shepherd, each with 8 participants.

What is JustFaith? JustFaith is a national program that mani-fests itself in small groups in parishes and churches around the country. JustFaith Ministries conducts the program in partnership with the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), and Bread for the World. It is a transfor-mative, 30-week program that focuses on poverty through the lens of Catholic social teaching and the social mission of the Church, which are core elements of our faith. Through readings, videos, prayer, speakers, Scripture reading, and discussions, participants explore an array of social issues in some depth. Participants are also afforded the privilege of becoming a community with other participants and sharing a journey of faith and compassion that is both life-giving and challenging.

Those who participated or are participating in the program tell you that “JustFaith night” is their favorite night of the week! These are people who are 20 to 60 years old—mothers and fa-thers of young children and teens; people with day jobs and peo-ple who stay home; people who care for their elderly parents; people who are retired; and even priests—all busy people but all people who want to explore their faith more deeply. JustFaith holds them one night a week as a group but it stitches itself into their lives throughout the week—and continues to weave itself further into their lives.

Program activities. The program provides a lively and chal-lenging format to read, view, discuss, pray, experience and be formed by the Catholic Church’s social justice tradition, which inspires compassion, changes lives, inspires faithful witness, and transforms the world through love and service.

Through JustFaith, participants hear the voices of the poor and oppressed and learn the inspiring stories of people of faith who take action to change the world. The curriculum includes sections on poverty, immigration, racism, the global market, and nonviolence. JustFaith Ministries identifies books, readings, and

videos each year. The facilitators iden-tify the speakers on the various topics and the local border crossing organi-zations; as an example, this year the cohorts invited speakers from Good Shepherd Housing and Family Ser-vices, a Federal government executive on racism, and the coordinator of Op-eration Starfish from Nativity Parish in Burke, and visited Mondloch House,

Progresso Hispano, and the Catholic Worker House. The diocese organizes the day-long Journey to Justice, which

consists of discussions among all JustFaith participants in the dio-cese and a visit to CRS-sponsored organizations. The facilitators conduct the opening and closing retreats based on the JustFaith curriculum.

JustFaith at Good Shepherd offers a wonderful opportunity to explore the Church’s call to justice while becoming part of a meaningful small faith-based group. Participants, to a person, prayerfully enter JustFaith in the fall and emerge in the spring transformed and profoundly changed in their faith.

For further information, you may contact Joan Halford [joan@gs-cc.org] or Bill Zaccagnino [wzaccagnino@cox.net].

JustFaith at Good Shepherd

Through JustFaith, participants hear the voices of the poor and oppressed and learn the inspiring stories of people of faith who take action to change the world.

S A V E T H E D A T E !International Festival

Monday, September 7, 2009

Volunteers needed – only a one-day commitment!Come join the fun and give service to the parish!

Calling All Artists!Poster Contest: Create a Poster for the 2009 International Festival

One winning poster will be selected as the official 2009 International Festival poster.Flyers with entry rules available in the Parish Office.