September - St. Augustine Catholic

catholic
St. Augustine
INTRODUCING THE WINNERS OF THE MSGR. JOSEPH JAMES WRITING SCHOLARSHIPS
September 2006 • www.staugcatholic.org
LESSONS FROM THE DISABLED
nothing is too big
to overcome p. 16
PRAYER p. 14
our instant message
to Jesus
INTERNET PREDATORS p. 26
staying safe
on the web
LAST WORD p. 29
to wish, to hope
what’s the difference?
SUICIDE
helping a friend
in trouble p. 8
STEWARDSHIP
twins learn early
how to give back p. 24
Kara’s
Courage
A Story of Strength, Determination and Faith
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A Gift
That Never
Stops Giving
With a charitable gift annuity you can
give and receive... make a perpetual gift
to a diocesan parish, Catholic school or
ministry that never stops giving... and
receive fixed payments for life!
• The transaction is easy to execute.
• It provides immediate tax benefits.
• A portion of your payment is tax free.
• You receive guaranteed payments for
life.
• Most importantly, you are supporting
Christ’s work in the diocese.
GIFT ANNUITY ONE-LIFE RATES
* Rates effective July 1, 2006
Age Rate Age Rate Age Rate
65 74 83
66 75 84
67 76 85
68 77 86
69 78 87
70 79 88
71 80 89
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73 82
Shaping
the Future
This is the story of a
diocesan school already
making good use of
income they receive
annually from their
established Catholic
Foundation endowment
account.
Bishop Kenny High
School has applied the
income from its foundation
account towards the
construction of its Fine
Arts Building. This facility,
dedicated in 1992, houses
Bishop Kenny’s art; instrumental
and vocal music;
and television production
programs thereby
ensuring the best fine arts
education possible for its
1,550 students.
The income is also used
to help fund the school’s
financial aid program that
grants tuition assistance
to 200 of its ninth through
twelfth grade students,
creating an education
legacy where there once
was none.
Thoughtful planning
today can shape the future
of generations to follow.
■ Please send a Charitable Gift Annuity illustration.
■ A one-life agreement: beneficiary birthdate: / /
■ A two-life agreement: beneficiaries’ birthdates:
/ / and / /
Name _________________________ Phone ___________
Address _________________________________________
City ____________________________________________
State ___________________ Zip_____________________
Amount Considered ___________ ($10,000 initial minimum)
Please return to:
Ms. Nancy Geary
Catholic Foundation
11625 St. Augustine Road
Jacksonville, FL 32258
904-262-3200, ext. 166 or
1-800-775-4659, ext. 166.
Email: ngeary@dosafl.com
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catholic
St. Augustine
September 2006 Volume XVI Issue 2
TEEN
T
ISSUE
contents
The St. Augustine Catholic is the official magazine of the Diocese of Saint Augustine,
which embraces 17 counties spanning northeast and north central Florida from the
Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. The diocese covers 11,032 square miles and
serves about 164,000 registered Catholics.
features
MARK UDRY
MARK UDRY
SCOTT SMITH
Msgr. Joseph James Writing Scholarship What do you hope for? That’s what
the St. Augustine Catholic had students from our Catholic high schools and parish
youth programs tackle in the first annual Msgr. Joseph James Writing Scholarship.
10
Hope for our
Future A 2006
graduate of Ridgeview
High School in Orange
Park, Rachelle is a
member of Sacred Heart
Parish Youth Group in
Green Cove Springs.
– Rachelle Andone
16
18
Cover Story: Kara’s Courage
Kara Masson is a bright 19-yearold
sophomore at Flagler College. At the
age of 13 she was diagnosed with a life
threatening brain tumor. She says her
faith helped her cope with her illness. Her
strength and determination has inspired
many who know her. – Mark Udry
26
Double Click Could Mean Double
Trouble A student mentor with Project
SOS in Jacksonville, Jon provides teens a guide to
Internet Safety. – Jon Matyi
SCOTT SMITH
12 Something
to Work For
A 2006 graduate of
Bishop John Snyder
High School in
Jacksonville, Sarah is a
member of St. Patrick
Parish in Jacksonville.
– Sarah Evans
Lessons from the Disabled For the last
three years, Robert Bianco has dedicated
his summers to helping others with special needs.
His disabled buddies at Camp Promise have taught
him that nothing is too big to overcome. – Tom Tracy
24
Twins Learn Early the Gift of Giving
Identical twins Frank and Mike Dawedeit
share a strong sense of stewardship when it
comes to helping the poor and homeless in their
community. – Mark Udry
SCOTT SMITH
what you’ll get
out of this issue
4 editor’s notes
Welcome to our first annual Teen Issue!
– Kathleen Bagg-Morgan
5 saint of the month
St. John Bosco – Elizabeth Johnson
6 bishop’s message
Teens — Jesus is the answer!
– Bishop Victor Galeone
7 from the youth director
Empowering our youth – Anne McGaugh
8 in the know with Father Joe
Dear Fr. Joe: How do I help a friend who is
suicidal? – Father Joseph Krupp
9 teen poll Is there a difference between
hope and wishful thinking? – Students of Bishop
Kenny High School
14 spiritual fitness prayer is our “instant
message” with Jesus – Father Bill Ashbaugh
21 work life What do I want to be
when I grow up? – Tim Ryan
22 youth ministry profile St. Matthew
and St. Philip Neri Youth Ministries – Shannon
Scruby-Henderson
27 around the diocese
29 last word - Father Charles Irvin
30 calendar of events
8
On the Cover: Kara Masson of St. Augustine. Photo by Scott Smith.
St. Augustine Catholic September 2006 3
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catholic
St. Augustine
The Magazine of the Diocese of Saint Augustine
Most Rev. Victor Galeone
PUBLISHER
Kathleen Bagg-Morgan
EDITOR
Susie Nguyen
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT/SUBSCRIPTIONS
Patrick McKinney
ART DIRECTOR/GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Father Bill Ashbaugh
Father Charles Irvin
Elizabeth Johnson
Father Joseph Krupp
Jon Matyi
Anne McGaugh
Tim Ryan
Shannon Scruby Henderson
Tom Tracy
Mark Udry
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Tom Gennara
Scott Smith
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jonathan Sion
ADVERTISING SALES COORDINATOR
InnerWorkings
PRINT MANAGEMENT
St. Augustine Catholic Website
www.staugcatholic.org
Diocese of Saint Augustine Website
www.dosafl.com
The St. Augustine Catholic is a membership publication of the
Diocese of Saint Augustine, 11625 St. Augustine Road, Jacksonville,
FL 32258-2060. Published monthly except January and August.
Subscription rates are $15 per year. Individual issues are $2.50.
Send all subscription information and address changes to: Offi ce
of Communications, 11625 St. Augustine Road, Jacksonville, FL
32258-2060; (904) 262-3200, ext. 108; fax (904) 262-2398
or email snguyen@dosafl .com. ©St. Augustine Catholic, Diocese of
Saint Augustine. ©FAITH Publishing Service. No portion of the St.
Augustine Catholic maybe published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise
reproduced or distributed in whole or in part, without prior written
authority of the Diocese of Saint Augustine and/or Faith Publishing
Service TM . For reprint information or other questions regarding use of
copyright material, contact the St. Augustine Catholic editorial offi ces at
the Diocese of Saint Augustine.
Help Spread the Faith!
Give the gift of the
St. Augustine Catholic Magazine
Order a $15 annual subscription today
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editor’s notes
welcome to our first teen issue!
Beginning this month, our
September issue will be devoted to
the youth of our diocese.
Our theme is “What do you
hope for?” It is also the question we posed to
high school seniors as part of our first annual
Msgr. Joseph James Writing Scholarship
Award. This spring, the St. Augustine Catholic
sponsored an essay contest with our two
finalists announced in July.
The awards include a
$1,000 scholarship for a
senior attending a Catholic
high school and a $1,000
scholarship for a high
school senior active in their
parish youth ministry. I
want to congratulate our
finalists and all the students
who participated in the
essay contest. You can read
the winning essays on pages
10 and 12.
Some of you may be
asking who is Msgr. Joseph
James and why are the
scholarships named in his
honor?
My good friend and
fellow journalist Margo
Pope fondly remembers
Msgr. James as a balancer. “He balanced the
life of a priest with the life of a journalist,”
she said.
Now associate editor of the St. Augustine
Record, Margo met Msgr. James shortly after
going to work for the Florida Times-Union
in 1970. Msgr. James had just launched
Community – a weekly page published in
the Sunday newspapers in Jacksonville,
Tallahassee, Pensacola and Gainesville.
Community was an innovative approach to
sharing the news and views of the Catholic
Church with Catholic and non-Catholic
readers.
Msgr. James got his start in journalism
when he was called in 1963 to be the
assistant editor of The Catholic Week, the
newspaper of the Diocese of Mobile, covering
Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. He
Msgr. Joseph James
1936-2003
by Kathleen Bagg-Morgan
studied journalism at Marquette University
in Milwaukee. He also became a long-time
member of Sigma Delta Chi, The Society of
Professional Journalists. Along with Margo,
Msgr. James was a charter member of the
Jacksonville chapter of Sigma Delta Chi. “For
all the time we had a chapter, we could count
on Joe being active and involved,” she said.
In the late 1960s, he was brought into the
Diocese of Saint Augustine when he was
assistant pastor of Sacred
Heart Parish in Pensacola.
A change in boundaries
shifted Pensacola from
the Diocese of Mobile
to the Diocese of Saint
Augustine.
He immediately became
a member of the Board
of the Florida Catholic
newspaper and later served
as Chairman of the Board.
In 1970, Msgr. James
became the founding
editor of Community. He
served as editor for eight
years, until 1978.
Msgr. James died May
7, 2003 at the age of 67.
He was pastor of Mary,
Queen of Heaven Parish
in Jacksonville at the time of his death. At his
funeral, retired Bishop John J. Snyder fondly
remembered Msgr. James as having “the gift
of preaching and writing and the ability to
relate to communication professionals. He
touched the lives of so many in so many
ways. We are all better for his involvement in
our lives.”
“Msgr. James was a consummate journalist.
He would love this award because he loved
the written word for getting the message
across,” said Margo.
Listen up class of 2007, if you
are a writer and you plan to go to college,
watch for entry information for the Msgr.
Joseph James Writing Scholarship. Forms
will be available in your parish and Catholic
school soon!
4 St. Augustine Catholic September 2006
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Saint: John Bosco
St. Giovanni Melchior Bosco
Feast Day: Jan. 14
His one-boy show
Giovanni was born to poor
parents in a little cabin in Becchi,
a hillside hamlet in Italy. His father
died when he was only two years
old, and his mother Margaret was
left with three sons to raise on her
own. As soon as Giovanni was old
enough, he learned magic tricks
from performers at carnivals, fairs
and circuses. He gave one-boy
shows to earn money, and then
repeated the priest’s Sunday homily
to his audience of children.
saint
saint of the month
St. John Bosco: by Elizabeth Johnson
why he’s the patron saint of young people
Is God
Calling You?
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St. Joseph
ST. AUGUSTINE FLORIDA
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On deciding what to do with
his life:
Giovanni Bosco also worked
as a shepherd and had little time for
school, but he did receive instruction
from the parish priest. He was drawn
to the priesthood and entered the
seminary at Chieri in 1835, at age 20.
To pay for his schooling, he worked as a
tailor, baker, shoemaker and carpenter.
After six years, he was ordained a priest
by Archbishop Franzoni and acquired
the title, “Don.”
A tragic scene – children in prison:
Don Bosco visited prisons in Turin
and was appalled by the condition
of the children confi ned there. He
decided to devote his life to the rescue
of abandoned and outcast children.
In December 1841, he began
instructing a young street urchin named
Bartolomeo. By March 1842, he had
30 students, and by 1846, 400.
Unfortunately, Giovanni was forced
to give up the rooms he was using for
a school and chapel, and his ministry
was beset with obstacles for a time.
His quiet perseverance and intense
dedication prevailed, however, and
fi nally he was able to open a school
and home, aided by his mother, which
housed more than 700 boys. The
home was known as the Salesian
Home, named in honor of St. Francis
De Sales. In 1868, he – and a group
of priests and teachers who worked
with him – formed a society called the
Salesians of Don Bosco.
Why he’s the patron saint of young
people:
St. John Bosco was known for his
gentleness and patience with children.
He never punished– he instilled a
sense of duty instead. He believed
music was a powerful force for good,
and started a band for his pupils.
Children loved him for his sense of
play, which he recommended as a vital
part of a child’s life. Because of this,
Don Giovanni Bosco is the patron saint
of boys, schoolchildren, students and
young people.
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Jacksonville, FL 32256
St. Augustine Catholic September 2006 5
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from the bishop
Teens – Jesus is the answer!
by Bishop Victor Galeone
“Bishop, what if what we’ve been told about Jesus isn’t true? I mean,
all our life we’re trying to be good and all that – and then suppose
when we die, we learn that it wasn’t true. Why waste our time, if we
can’t be sure?”
This quote is from a letter that I received from a candidate
I confirmed this past year. I can understand this teenager’s
frustration. Underlying his dilemma is the thought: “Why
should I believe in Jesus? I’ve never seen him.”
That’s true. I’ve never seen Abraham Lincoln either. But I
believe that he was president during the Civil War; that he
signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863; and
that John Wilkes Booth assassinated him on Good Friday 1865
in Ford’s Theater.
Why do I believe all that and much more about Mr.
Lincoln, even though I wasn’t there? Because those who
were there – witnesses, namely – told others about what they
had seen. Their accounts were recorded in the newspapers,
and ultimately wound up in our history books. Once I’m
convinced that a history book is reliable, I accept its contents
as true. The same thing applies to Jesus.
We have four reliable history books that tell us about Jesus
– Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Perhaps you may ask, “But how can we be sure that what they
narrate really happened?” When a historian shows a person’s
warts and not just his virtues, you can be almost 100 percent
sure that he’s telling you the truth.
In addition to the apostles’ good points, the gospel writers
report some very embarrassing faults:
•
•
•
•
The apostles come across as slow learners, petty and
jealous.
When Jesus is arrested, they desert him.
Simon Peter curses and swears he doesn’t know who
Jesus is.
On Easter morning, it’s the women who discover the
empty tomb. The apostles are hiding like cowards behind
locked doors! (Talk about warts!)
Coupled with this internal evidence for the reliability of the
gospels, all the apostles, except for John, suffered excruciating
deaths rather than deny what they were preaching. To paraphrase
St. John Chrysostom, an early Church Father: “How do you
account for the fact that these men, who deserted and denied
Christ during his lifetime, set
out to win the whole world for
him after his death? Did they
perhaps say to themselves, ‘He
could not save himself while
he was alive, but now that he is
dead, he will extend a helping hand to us?’…It is evident, then, that
if they had not seen him risen from the dead and had proof of his power,
they would never have risked so much, including their own lives.”
Yes, Jesus is alive. During his time on earth, he claimed
to be God’s eternal Son in the flesh. In addition to the many
miracles he performed, the fact that he rose from the dead
proves that he is who he claimed to be. Would God have
brought an imposter back to life?
Think a moment. Born in a remote corner of the Roman
Empire, Jesus never did any of the things we associate with
greatness, like conquering an empire or writing great books.
Yet today those who did those things – along with everyone else
who ever lived – are all stamped with the date of his birth. He
split history right down the center: BC/AD. You cannot even
write a valid check without acknowledging the year of his reign:
2006! And when was the last time you heard someone on a TV
sitcom swear, “For Buddha’s sake!” Why, then, is Christ’s name
used that way? Obviously, he’s the most hated as well as the
most loved person who ever walked our earth.
When I was asked to prepare my message for this special teen
edition of our magazine, I asked myself, “What could I possibly
say that would prove a challenge to them?”
Teens, Jesus wants to reign – not on the date of a calendar
– but in the fibers of your heart. Fall in love with him! Yes,
surrender your hearts to him.
But remember that Jesus can’t stay in a divided heart. Recall
what he himself once said, “You cannot serve two masters.”
So if your heart is filled with anger or hatred or prejudice,
there’s no room for the Lord. And if you’re dabbling with drugs
or alcohol or illicit sex, you’re really telling Jesus, “Go away
– there’s no room for you here!”
If you’re feeling down and miserable after trying to find
happiness in all the wrong places, isn’t it time that you
surrendered your heart to the Lord? He will never let you down.
And besides, there is no high like the high that comes from
falling in love with the Lord Jesus!
6 St. Augustine Catholic September 2006
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I am grateful for the opportunity
to address the youth, parents, youth
ministers and campus ministers, clergy
and all the faithful readers of the St.
Augustine Catholic magazine. My name
is Anne McGaugh and I serve Bishop
Victor Galeone and the Diocese of Saint
Augustine as director of Youth and Young
Adult Ministry. This includes Catholic
Scouting and Campus Ministry. I began
my job August 1, 2005.
The fi eld of youth ministry has changed
signifi cantly over the years. We have
moved from the CYO mentality of
sports leagues and dances to a more
comprehensive youth ministry approach.
In 1997 the United States Conference
of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) published
a document Renewing The Vision: A
Framework of Catholic Youth Ministry.
This document identifi ed three goals and
eight components of youth ministry.
The following goals should be the focal
point of youth ministry in our parishes.
GOAL #1
Discipleship – Empowering young
people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ
in our world today (RTV 9).
GOAL # 2
Connection – Draw young people
to responsible participation in the life,
mission and work of the Catholic faith
community (RTV 11).
GOAL # 3
Gifts and Growth – To foster the total
personal growth and spiritual growth of
each young person.
Youth Ministry leaders in this millennium
have more experience and benefits from
an increasing number of academic and
ministry formation programs than ever
imagined. The growth in professional youth
ministry has exploded since Vatican II with
the emergence of Lay Ecclesial Ministers.
Recent studies have found that the
number of Youth Ministers has increased
youth
from the youth director
empowering our
youth by Anne McGaugh
significantly over the years. In 1992 there
were 2,850 paid youth ministers (working
more than 20 hours a week) and in 2002
the number rose to 5,446. In 1992
only 33 percent of youth ministers had a
bachelors’ degree. In 2002, 21 percent
have earned a graduate degree. The roles
of youth ministry leaders have also changed
from a sports coach and dance chaperon
to include early adolescent and high
school ministry, sacramental preparation,
catechesis and sometimes ministry to
young adults.
Our diocese has 51 parishes, nine
mission churches and four Catholic high
schools. But there are only 39 “named”
youth ministers. Very few of our youth
ministers are paid for full time work and
many receive no compensation at all. The
National Directory for Catechesis states,
“Whether coordinators of youth ministry
work full time or part time, they should
be provided compensation and benefits
appropriate to their efforts.”
My hope for our diocese is to increase
our professionally trained youth ministers,
pay them a living wage, increase our
parish-based youth ministry that includes
all the components of youth ministry,
greater collaboration between our scouting
programs and our parishes and campus
ministry programs – and create a sense of
Catholic identity for our youth. Won’t you
help in this dream? Our church needs your
gifts of time and talent to help shape the
youth of the Diocese of Saint Augustine.
For more information on youth ministry
in the diocese and how you
can get involved, please call
me at the Catholic Center in
Jacksonville at (904) 262-
3200, ext. 112 or email:
amcgaugh@dosafl.com.
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fr. joe
in the know with Fr. Joe
Dear Father Joe: What do I do if a
friend is suicidal?
Tough times, obviously – you have
my prayers.
Now, what do you do?
First of all, you have to recognize
that you are in an important position as a
friend. If you know your friend is suicidal,
then one of two things is true: One possibility
is that your friend told you that he is thinking
of suicide. If that is the case, then that means
your friend has trusted you with his secret.
You have earned something great because of
the way you care, and that speaks very well of
you. The second possibility is that you have
watched your friend and picked up on subtle
signs that something is amiss, and that you see
the possibility of her hurting herself. If that is
the case, this also speaks well of you; you are
an observant, sensitive person who is aware
of your friends at a time in your life when it is
hard not to be self-focused. I am telling you
these things, because you need to keep them
in your heart, as things are about to get rough.
The first step is to be sure that you are
talking with your friend about his or her
Recently, at the high
school where I’m chaplain,
one of our students committed
suicide. It was one of the most
difficult times I have experienced
in my six years at the school. I
am writing this column about
suicide in response to a question
mailed to me. The answer comes
from being a part of the slow
and painful healing process that
everyone goes through when
someone chooses to take his or her
life. Please pray today that all of us
will grow in our ability to know our
value in the eyes of God. May Jesus
bless you today.
feelings; “How are you doing today? Is there
anything I can do?” Questions like this are
an invitation to take what is hidden in the
darkness and bring them out into the light.
They are more than questions; they are a
statement of care and concern. As your friend
shares his heart with you, make sure that you
are really listening. Find out what is going on
and what you can do to help. Often, the best
thing you can do to help is to be available and
offer him all your love and prayers.
Now, if in your conversations, you realize
that she is serious about taking her own life,
you need to be sure and be present to her
as much as you can. Get a group of trusted
people to stay close while you take the next
step, which is the difficult one.
See, the next step is that you need to take
this to an adult. The hardest part here will
be your feelings of guilt about breaking a
confidence. It could also be that you are
thinking “Well, I could be wrong and if I am,
I’ll really embarrass my friend.”
I think it’s worth it, don’t you? Suicide is a
permanent condition. There are no second
chances in a situation like this. It is much
better to make an error on the side of caution
than to be at a funeral and wonder what you
could have done.
With that in your heart and mind, then, be
sure and talk to a trusted adult; a good option
would seem to be your friend’s parents,
assuming they are not part of the problem.
If you can’t talk to them, you may
want to talk to your own parents.
In fact, you may want to talk to
your parents first. Sometimes,
they may have suggestions about
who should be told about this
situation. There is also the possibility
of talking to one of your teachers,
or the counselor at school. There
are so many people you can go to in a
situation like this – make sure you take
this step!
Now, if the person is threatening
to kill himself at that moment, don’t
hesitate – pick up the phone and call
9-1-1. Don’t worry about “wasting their
time.” I assure you, the numerous police
officers I have talked to on this issue
would rather respond to a call to prevent a
teen suicide than a call to report one.
Some people will tell you, “Well, she’s
only doing it to get attention,” and that may
very well be the case. However, if she is only
“doing it to get attention,” then she must need
attention pretty badly, because talking about
killing yourself is a pretty drastic step. Don’t
use the possibility of “attention-getting” as a
reason to step away, let it compel you even
more to get involved. Any time a person
threatens to kill herself, or says he wants to be
dead, you should take it very seriously.
If you are reading this and struggling with
suicidal thoughts yourself, make sure you talk
to someone who can help: your parents, your
priest or teacher, a friend; anyone who can
help.
Life is a precious, beautiful gift – we all
need to take care of and cherish that gift the
best we can.
Enjoy another day in God’s presence!
– Father Joseph Krupp
Send your questions to:
“In the Know with Father Joe”
St. Augustine Catholic
11625 St. Augustine Road
Jacksonville, FL 32258-2060
Email: kbaggmorgan@dosafl .com
Or:
JoeInBlack@priest.com
8 St. Augustine Catholic September 2006
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poll
teen poll
St. Augustine
Catholic asks:
Is there a difference
between hope and
wishful thinking?
The ST. AUGUSTINE CATHOLIC
asked juniors at Bishop Kenny High
School in Jacksonville the following
question: What is the difference between
hope and wishful thinking?
SINCE 1952, WE’RE PROUD TO HAVE PREPARED MORE
THAN 12,000 STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE AND FOR LIFE.
Katie Jordan, 16: “Hope involves your
belief and trust in God and wishful thinking
doesn’t. Hope to me is more sacred and
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St. Augustine Catholic September 2006 9
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What do I hope for?
To see good in the
world, which to me
means finding and
embracing the love of
God – to live for him,
and to desire to do
his work and will. In
order to do that, the
presence of God must
be recognized and
proclaimed to all those
who are willing to
participate.
for Our Future
SCOT SMITH
BY RACHELLE ANDONE
10 St. Augustine Catholic September 2006
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WINNER OF THE INAUGURAL MSGR. JOSEPH JAMES WRITING SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
I hope for every person on earth to be touched
by God. I hope for those who have their doubts, to
finally see him, and recognize his powers. I believe
that in order to work towards these hopes and
dreams, we must spread his message to those who
are not fortunate enough to already know him.
I hope that one day, the young people of this
world recognize their responsibility of spreading
his Word through not only words, but through
action. Last year I participated in Plunge, a youth
volunteer program sponsored by St. Catherine
Parish in Orange Park. The group goes to St.
Augustine for a week to help the elderly and
people in need by making simple repairs and
improvements to their homes. We worked from
9 o’clock in the morning to 4 o’clock in the
afternoon. We slept at a nearby school and ate our
meals at the local soup kitchen. The teens in our
group made sure the needs of our clients were met,
and that they were happy with our work.
We began to see our clients as friends. We
exchanged stories throughout the day getting to
know one another.
The weeklong project is proof there are young
people willing to share their God-given abilities
with those less fortunate. The
Plunge slogan is “Faith without
action is dead” taken from James
2:17, 20. This is a powerful verse
from the Bible – one that I try
to live by each day. Through the
actions and deeds of our Plunge
group, I hope people recognize
Jesus working within each of us
and his word will spread like
wildfire. I hope our actions will
inspire others to want to grow in
their faith and get to know our
Lord more intimately.
It is through projects like Plunge
that you realize Jesus is within each
of us – young, old, able or fragile.
It is through our action, kindness,
love and thankfulness that we
SCOT SMITH
see God. These are the qualities in which I hope
eventually fill the people of this world.
I believe as long as there are good people in this
world willing to sacrifice their time and efforts
for others and who put others before themselves,
God will prevail. I hope that, like the teens of
Plunge, we all find time to become closer to him.
It is through our work for him that we receive his
blessings.
By spreading the word of God, I believe there
will be less hatred filling the world. With the
message of God being so clear, a true love for every
one of us should be found and exercised without
prejudice. The world would then have no choice
but to become a better place for future generations.
As long as we use the word of God to motivate
us to keep up our morale, and come together to
create a better place for ourselves, there is still
hope for the world to be engulfed in his message.
Hope for the future is all I ask. Hope that we
realize how great God can be, and how he can
help us overcome our obstacles. It is because of
his undying love that he forgives our mistakes and
faults. I hope that our actions show our beliefs, and
spark curiosity of why we love him so much — so
others will want to know him too.
I hope that eventually, every
person in this world embraces the
love of God, forcing all doubt and
hatred to be smothered completely
out of our lives. I hope we work
hard and never falter because
without action, our faith will die.
If we remain hopeful, I believe this
world has no choice but to become a
better place for everyone.
Rachelle Andone is a 2006 graduate
of Ridgeview High School in Orange
Park and a member of Sacred Heart
Parish in Green Cove Springs. She is
now attending the University of Florida
in Gainesville and plans to major in
graphic and commercial art design.
St. Augustine Catholic September 2006 11
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WINNER OF THE INAUGURAL MSGR. JOSEPH JAMES WRITING SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
H“Hope empties our hands in order that we may work with them.
It shows us that we have something to work for, and teaches us
how to work for it.”
Thomas Merton’s No Man Is an Island was published in 1955, and
51 years later, his words still ring true. Not that this should surprise
anyone; hope is one of humanity’s most fundamental components,
serving as a hallmark of every truly successful life.
In my 14 years of attending Catholic school, I’ve learned a
person’s success can be measured by their hopefulness. To truly
have hope – a belief that things can, will and must continue to get
better – requires so much more than just optimism. You must have
the maturity to keep life in perspective, and the courage to put that
perspective into action!
Something to
by Sara Evans
work for
These virtues roll right off the
tongue, but they are often so
difficult to achieve. Hope is our
most elusive necessity; I once
read a quote by author Graham
Greene in which he opined that
people are prone to sadness
because “secretly, that’s where we
feel we belong.”
At first, the quote shocked me;
but the more I thought about it,
the more I realized its validity.
Certainly, we don’t go through
life thinking, It’s right for me
to be sad all the time. However, as a society, we are conditioned
or we condition ourselves to believe that we could, and should,
always be: better, smarter, thinner, faster or prettier. Our society is
too competitive – and I say that as an admitted adrenaline fan – a
girl who once hectored a teammate during a speed-based review
game in religion class with, “The teacher won’t hear you if you
bang on your book – bang on your desk!”
A healthy competition is all well and good, but attainable
standards set you up for failure, and drain away our world’s most
precious resources: hope, resilience and confidence.
One of my biggest hopes is that my children will grow up in a
world where everyone’s voice is valued and heard. An even bigger
hope? This transformation of our world will come even sooner and
SCOT SMITH
12 St. Augustine Catholic September 2006
that I will have played some role, however small, in its advent.
I have a lot of hopes for my own life. Some are a bit selfish (a
nice home, a corner office), and some are sweet (a husband, lots of
children). Maybe you really can’t “have it all,” but I’d sure like to
try! As long as my children are my absolute priority, I don’t see any
harm in trying to improve the world, one global merger at a time.
I know how much closer a good education will bring me to
these goals, and so I can’t wait to start my career at the College of
William & Mary. Leaving Bishop John J. Snyder High School will
be incredibly difficult, but if there’s one thing I learned in my time
there, it was to hope.
I’d gone nearly 18 years without a nickname, and then I
stumbled upon a few during my senior year. One of them was
“Lucky Sevans” (an expanded
version of the more common
“Sevans,” formed by my first
initial and my last name). During
the big “three days” of graduation
celebrations, I did my fair share
of reflection and realized how
truly lucky I’ve been. I think
that very few people are able to
meet as many strong, intelligent,
faithful people as I have. In terms
of role models, my life’s been
an embarrassment of riches, particularly because of Bishop John
Snyder – my high school’s namesake.
At its very core, my big hope for humanity is that everyone will
have hope. When you have hope – the knowledge that no matter
what your past, you have a future that can still be shaped in any
way desired – you have what you need. You can see your goals,
and you won’t be afraid to work for them; so much of the world’s
unhappiness is caused by fear.
Real hope includes courage, but not arrogance. We don’t
have hope because we’re sure we’ll get our reward. Rather,
we’re a hopeful people because we are, at the end of the day,
an extraordinarily lucky people. We have free will and a world
that is still filled with an awful lot of good – the Good Samaritan
movement is open to all – day or night.
To join, all you have to do is empty your hands, of course. You
have to let go of whatever has shielded you from other people – be
they material things, or maybe a tough attitude – and stretch your
hand out to the world.
It sounds intimidating, but you’re not worried. After all you
know that it’s just a matter of time before someone else empties
their hands and grabs hold of yours.
Sara Evans is a 2006 graduate of Bishop John J. Snyder High School
in Jacksonville. She was one of two winners of the inaugural Msgr. Joseph
James Essay Contest sponsored by the St. Augustine Catholic magazine
and awarded a $1,000 college scholarship. Sarah will attend The College
of William & Mary in the fall and plans to major in Political Science.
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“We have free will and
a world that is still filled
with an awful lot of good
– the Good Samaritan
movement is open to all
– day or night.”
SCOT SMITH
St. Augustine Catholic September 2006 13
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spiritual fitness
In a chat room with God
prayer is our “instant message”
with Jesus
by Father Bill Ashbaugh
Augustine realized that his own
immoral behavior was creating the
block. He would pray, “Lord give
me chastity and temperance,
but not yet.” It was kind of a joke,
but also a real expression of his
inner struggle.
Iremember the first time I experienced IM (For those who may
be computer illiterate, that stands for “instant messaging”). It
was strange to know that a friend on another computer far
away was communicating with me through the Internet in real
time. I would type something, then a minute or so later, a response
would show up on the screen. Not so long ago, I witnessed the first
marriage of two people who met over the Internet in a Christian
chat room. They fell in love. It led to a face-to-face meeting and
then to a lifelong commitment before God.
It is wonderful to see relationships grow.
Love deepens. People begin to connect
emotionally and spiritually. We can feel
very close to another person. God wants
this for all of us, for where there is true
love, there is the kingdom and there is
God! Even more wonderful is that God
wants this close connection to happen
between us and God. Jesus said “Whoever
loves me will keep my word, and my
Father will love him, and we will come
to him and make our dwelling with him.”
(John 14:23) One of the great mysteries of
our faith is that God dwells within us.
Deep within us is the ideal “chat room”
where we meet God. Modern technology
can connect us with people all around the
world, but it cannot connect us to God.
Fortunately, God has ‘wired us’ for
God.
Our relationship with God is the most
important relationship of our lives,
for it is the one that saves us. Many
people have struggles as they build this
relationship – hang in there! God is
pursuing us and meets us where we are.
There is a great saint I have grown to
14 St. Augustine Catholic September 2006
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admire who had lots of trouble forming
his own relationship with God. His name
is St Augustine.
Augustine grew up in North Africa
and had a lot of freedom as a teenager.
When he was 16, he met a girl and fell
in love. Within two years, he had a child
with her out of wedlock. He knew he had
acted badly, but continued to struggle
with all the temptations and freedom
of his culture. Later, he would see this
“freedom” to indulge in sensuality and
pleasure as true slavery. St Augustine
tried to talk to God during this time, but
he couldn’t connect – God seemed very
distant. Augustine realized that his own
immoral behavior was creating the block.
He would pray, “Lord give me chastity and
temperance, but not yet.” It was kind of a
joke, but also a real expression of his inner
struggle. He was in deep pain and yearned
for the love only God could give. One
day, he was with his young son and some
friends and was experiencing sadness and
frustration over his inner struggle. He sat
down underneath a fig tree and was crying
to God over his trouble. Then he heard a
voice of a young child sing, “Tolle, lege,”
which means, “Take up and read.”
The voice captured him – he knew it
was God. Augustine took up the Sacred
Scriptures that were right beside him and
there, from St Paul’s letter to the Romans,
he read, “Let us conduct ourselves
properly as in the day, not in orgies and
drunkenness, not in promiscuity and
licentiousness, not in rivalry and jealousy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make
no provision for the desires of the flesh.”
Augustine’s life changed dramatically at
this point, and so did his prayer life! He
learned to talk to God. Here is one of the
many beautiful passages that St Augustine
wrote about his experience in his book,
The Confessions:
Late have I loved you, Beauty
ever ancient and ever new! Late have
I loved you! ... You shone upon me;
your radiance enveloped me; you put
my blindness to fl ight. You shed your
fragrance about me; I drew breath and
now I gasp for your sweet odor. I tasted
you, and now I hunger and thirst for you.
You touched me, and I am infl amed with
love of your peace. (Book X, 27)
Augustine learned how to have a deep,
lasting, rich, fruitful prayer life with God.
So can we.
Our spiritual exercise
this month is to spend time
in the God chat room!
1
All relationships need
an investment of
time. Just like there is an investment
of time in Internet chatting, make an
investment of time to talk to God. I
suggest at least 15 minutes a day or
more to begin.
2
Find the place where you
can pray to God. For the sake
of this analogy, I will call this place
the “God chat room.” This is very
important. The God chat room is a
quiet place where you can be alone
with just you and God. It should be
a place where you can be yourself
without any worries.
OK, once you have found a place to
pray, the exciting part begins!
3
Consider who you are
talking to. Some people get
nervous at this stage because they are
not sure what to do next. Questions
arise: How can I speak to God?
What do I say?
It is OK to have these worries. Put
them aside for now. Think instead
about who you are and who you
are about to talk to. You are
God’s child. God loves you.
God does not change his
mind about that. God is not
fickle, one day loving you
and the next not.
4
Begin your prayer
“In the name of the
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
... ” I would suggest praying the
Our Father. When the Apostles
saw Jesus praying one time,
they wanted to learn how to pray
too, so Jesus gave them the
prayer we call the Our Father. It
has everything in it we need.
• It starts with us thinking of
God – Our Father who art in
heaven.
• We praise God – hallowed be
thy name.
T. GENNARA
• We ask for the gift that
contains all others – thy
kingdom come.
• We ask for the grace
to surrender ourselves
– thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
• We ask for what we need each
day – give us today our daily bread.
• We ask for mercy – forgive us our
trespasses (sins).
• We ask to be merciful – as we
forgive those who trespass against
us.
• We acknowledge our
tendencies to sin – lead us not
into temptation.
• We ask that evil be vanquished
– deliver us from evil.
• We end by affirming our faith in
all that we just said – Amen! (“I
believe” “Let it be so!”)
Pray slowly. Don’t worry about
rushing to get through. Your goal is to
meet God, not see how fast you can
say the words. Listen. If you get stuck,
you can tell God, “Dear God I am
stuck. Help me!” I would encourage
you to read a Scripture passage
sometime during your prayer for it is
God’s word to us. Reflect on what
you have read. End by thanking
God for your time of prayer
and pray for the grace to
pray again tomorrow. Keep
the dialogue going. Some
people have found it
helpful to keep a prayer
journal and record what
occurs during prayer.
Prayer, like all
relationships, takes
time. Don’t give up.
The reward is a lifelong,
life-changing,
life-sustaining, lifesaving
relationship
with God.
Email your questions and
comments to: frbillashbaugh@
mac.com
Father Bill Ashbaugh
St. Augustine Catholic September 2006 15
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A junior at St. Joseph Academy in St.
Augustine, Robert Bianco said he has grown
to love the disabled children he works with
each year at Camp Promise. He is pictured
here with his camp buddy Christopher.
WWhen Camp Promise volunteer Robert
Bianco, 16, met Christopher, a teen with
severe disabilities and the mental cognitive
age of a two-year-old, he knew he had a
new challenge on his hands. The camper
– attending a summer camp sponsored by
the Disabilities Ministry of the Diocese of
Saint Augustine held annually at Marywood
Retreat Center in Jacksonville – couldn’t
MARK UDRY
Seeing Beyond
BY TOM TRACY
“These kids are afflicted with such
serious handicaps and yet they always
have a smile on their face... They taught
me there really wasn’t anything too bad
that I couldn’t overcome. I learned to
live my life to the fullest.”
speak, but it was clear to Robert that
Christopher wasn’t crazy about his choice of
beverages during mealtime.
“When Christopher first got to camp his
mom told me that he liked to eat and that
he had a good appetite. But he was picky
with what he wanted to drink, so I put five
different drinks in front of him,” recalled
Robert, a junior at St. Joseph Academy in
St. Augustine who recently completed his
third year as a camp “buddy” to disabled
children. “Christopher tried all the drinks,
didn’t really like any of them, but he did
drink a little apple juice and water – so I cut
the apple juice with water and he drank that
fine all week.”
While St. Joseph Academy has a
community service requirement for
students, Robert said he doesn’t come to
Camp Promise to satisfy that requirement
16 St. Augustine Catholic September 2006
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anymore. He became interested in the
disabilities camps when his brother
volunteered as a camp buddy. Now, Robert
said he couldn’t imagine summer without it.
The diocese recruits and trains teen
volunteers not only for Camp Promise but
also Camp I Am Special and Camp Care for
special needs children and young adults.
Disabilities run the gamut from attention
deficit disorder (ADD) to autism to Down’s
syndrome. The volunteer camp buddies
are assigned a specific camper for whom
they are responsible for around the clock all
week, with the objective that the volunteers
help make their stay the best experience
possible.
This year, Robert’s duties included
feeding Christopher and changing his
diapers, although most of the campers are
more self-sufficient. Christopher was legally
blind so he liked to look at things up close.
Robert noticed he watched television at a
close distance, so the two wandered around
camp looking for things to explore and do,
including playing on the swing set.
“These kids are afflicted with such serious
handicaps and yet they always have a smile
on their face. They never complain and
have an appreciation for everything. They
love the simple things and they don’t take
anything for granted.
“They taught me there really wasn’t
anything too bad that I couldn’t overcome.
I learned to live my life to the fullest. There
are people who need me and I should be
out there helping them. The hardest part
of volunteering at camp is saying goodbye
to them at the end of the week. You build
up a relationship and bond with them like
brothers and so it’s tough to leave them.”
Robert doesn’t mind talking about
his volunteer work with his friends
at St. Joseph Academy, who generally
understands the benefits of community
service. Other kids wonder why he would
give away his summer vacation time at
the camp. As Robert sees it, teens are
preoccupied with trying to make a name
for themselves or to fit in – to find a niche.
But Robert’s reward is developing a sense
of character and patience – something that
may serve him well as he pursues his dream
of joining the military and possibly training
to be a pilot.
Robert said his personal hero is his
mother, who has run marathons and instilled
in her children a sense of determination and
the ability to set goals.
“He has an overwhelming sense
of compassion and dedication
– even if his camper was awake
all night long he is always go,
go, go,” said Jennifer Walsh, 24,
recreational program coordinator
with the Disabilities Ministry at
the diocese. “You never have to
remind Robert to take care of his
campers’ needs before his own,
and he is a phenomenal kid. He
has been asked to work during
the hardest week of all the camps. He serves
as a role model for everybody here.”
Herself a former Camp Promise volunteer
who went on to adopt a camper with special
needs, Walsh said the volunteer program
has spurred a lot of young people to seek
careers in the medical field or in special
education, for example. For the families, the
volunteers provide parents with a welcomed
break. It is easier for them to have some
real free time knowing their child is being
treated with respect. “It is a life changing
experience and everybody learns to be more
patient, less selfish,” she said.
The most mistaken impression about
people with disabilities may be that they are
so different from everyone else; that they are
somehow weird or opposite from us, said
Robert. “But once you get to know them
they become very similar to everyone else;
you have to be able to see through their
disabilities,” he said.
The teen buddies of Camp
Promise tend to their campers every
need the entire week of camp. Here
Robert Bianco enjoys swimming and
fishing with his buddy Christopher.
MARK UDRY
MARK UDRY
St. Augustine Catholic September 2006 17
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Diagnosed with a brain tumor at the age
of 13, Kara Masson will celebrate her
fifth anniversary of being cancer free in
October. Kara said she looks forward to the
day when she will have a place of her own
with her dog Molly.
18 St. Augustine Catholic September 2006
SCOTT SMITH
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COVER STORY
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all.
A
—Emily Dickinson
Ask a teenager “What do you hope for?” and the answers will be as varied as
there are teenagers.
To go to college and earn a degree.
To be a starting point guard in the NBA.
Help the sick and dying by becoming a doctor.
Get married and raise a family.
When Kara Masson of St. Augustine was 13-years-old, she hoped, more
than anything else, to live to see 14.
In January 2000, Kara was not feeling like her normal self. She was frequently
fatigued, suffered from constant headaches, had no appetite and couldn’t keep
down what little food she did eat. Her parents took Kara on a round of doctor’s
visits. One specialist thought it was puberty; another said it was migraine
headaches. Meanwhile, Kara’s condition worsened.
Kara’s mother, Jane, started doing her own research. She found Kara’s symptoms
mirrored someone suffering from a brain tumor.
Kara’s
Courage
BY MARK UDRY
SCOTT SMITH
St. Augustine Catholic September 2006 19
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8/4/06 8:39:07 AM

all of her hair fell out. She couldn’t keep
down any food because her digestive system
had shut down. In an effort to keep her
body nourished Kara received TPN – Total
Parenteral Nutrition – a combination
of nutrients and liquids administered
intravenously. She ate nothing for more than
a year. Her weight dropped to less than 70
pounds.
“My mom was helping me out of the bath
one day, and looking at me she said I looked
like a skeleton,” Kara said. “She thought at
the time that I was going to die.”
This summer, Kara worked as a camp counselor for the Summer
Spectacular program of St. Johns County. The young girls attending
the camp said they look up to Kara and love being with her.
SCOTT SMITH
That bit of medical detective work may
have saved Kara’s life.
Jane Masson asked Kara’s pediatrician to
order an MRI of Kara’s brain. The results of
the scan showed Kara had a brain tumor
near her brain stem.
Three days after her MRI, in August 2000,
Kara was wheeled into an operating room at
Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville
to have the tumor removed. She went
into surgery with the prayers of dozens of
fellow Catholics at St. Anastasia Parish in St.
Augustine with her.
St. Anastasia, says Kara, is a very close-knit
parish, where many of the families know
each other.
“I know when I was sick there were a lot of
prayers offered up for me,” she said. “People
who didn’t even know me but knew my
situation were praying for me.”
Doctors thought initially that the golfball
size tumor was benign. Once Kara’s
surgery was underway, they found it was
much more serious. Kara had a tumor called
Medulloblastoma.
Medulloblastoma is the most common
primary central nervous system tumor that
appears in childhood. It frequently occurs
in an area between the brain stem and the
cerebellum. It is an aggressive, fast-growing
tumor, which can, if left untreated, spread
to the spinal cord and other organs in the
body. It is treated with a combination of
surgery, to remove the tumor, radiation
and chemotherapy to keep the tumor from
returning.
After a week’s hospital stay following the
surgery, Kara was sent home to recover for
the next round of treatments. She had six
weeks of radiation therapy, five days a week
at Baptist Cancer Institute in Jacksonville.
Kara also began chemotherapy at the same
time. The chemotherapy was administered
intravenously once a week for 18 months.
Once a month, Kara would receive
two stronger treatments that required
hospitalization at Nemours Children’s Clinic.
One was an intravenous fluid, the other was
a tablet with medication so strong Jane had
to wear rubber gloves when handling it;
otherwise it would burn her skin.
“We would go into the hospital for 24
hours and not really sleep because we dealt
with the chemo,” said Jane. “We got into a
routine. We would rent whatever movies
we were hoping to see and take them to the
hospital and watch movies for 24 hours.”
Twenty percent of children undergoing
treatment for Medulloblastoma sometimes
develop severe, sometimes irreversible
neurological problems, including loss of
speech and difficulties maintaining balance.
After her surgery, Kara found that she had
trouble standing and walking.
“My balance was off and I probably
would have recovered, if I didn’t have to
undergo radiation and chemo
right away,” she said. “The
treatments made me really,
really weak.”
The combination of
radiation treatment and
chemotherapy ravaged Kara’s body. She
was in a wheelchair, unable to walk, and
“I really didn’t feel like I was going to die,
but some days I felt so horrible that I wished
I would,” she said.
Kara describes her ordeal as strengthening
her faith and making her a stronger
Christian. One incident, during a hospital
stay for chemotherapy, she recalls with
particular clarity.
It was late at night. Kara felt awful, as
usual. She was unable to sleep. Kara forced
herself to close her eyes, thinking she would
eventually fall asleep.
“Almost immediately, I felt like someone
was holding me, like a mother holding
a baby,” she says, her voice barely above
a whisper. “It was just the most amazing
feeling I’ve ever had, and there’s no doubt
A sophomore at Flagler College,
Kara plans to teach young children
at her former R.B. Hunt Elementary
School on Anastasia Island.
SCOTT SMITH
20 St. Augustine Catholic September 2006
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in my mind that it was Christ holding me,
saying, ‘You’re going to get through this,
you’ll be okay.’”
Due to her illness, Kara didn’t go to school
for the eighth and ninth grades; instead she
had a series of tutors who helped her with
her studies, and she was able to keep up with
her classmates.
Two years after her surgery and treatment,
Kara returned to classes as a sophomore at St.
Augustine High School. Still weakened from
her ordeal and bound in a wheelchair, Kara
felt the stares and heard the whispers as her
friend, Courtney Jones, helped her navigate
the hallways. Most would say hello, but many
didn’t talk to her. No one called her at home
or included her in after school activities. It
was a slight that hurt Kara almost as much
as her illness. And yet, she didn’t get angry,
didn’t question God about her fate.
“I realize now God didn’t make me sick,”
Kara said. “He doesn’t want this stuff to
happen, but when it does, he’s there to get
you through it. I’m not sick any more, and it’s
because of God that I’m still here.”
“God touched me, God kept me alive.”
Kara graduated from St. Augustine High in
2005 and is beginning her sophomore year
at Flagler College, majoring in elementary
education. When she graduates she wants to
teach at R.B. Hunt Elementary School, where
she was a student. Kara just finished working
a summer job there, helping run the Summer
Spectacular Camp for St. Johns County.
She has also slowly regained her strength,
going to physical therapy twice a week,
working on her balance, in the hopes of
walking again.
“My therapist would probably say I’m
doing well, although she gets upset with me
because I don’t use my walker or crutches as
much as I should,” Kara says.
Now, at 19, Kara has a different set of
hopes.
“When I was sick, I hoped that I would
live,” she said. “I’m hoping that someday I’m
going to meet somebody who doesn’t freak
out when they see my wheelchair. I want to
fall in love, get married and have a family. I
want to teach. I want to take my dog Molly
and get a house somewhere.”
Sitting in a lounge chair in her family’s
living room, Kara draws up her legs and
wraps her arms around them. She rests
her chin on her knees. She looks away, out
through the sliding glass door that leads to
the backyard, thinking.
“Most of all, I just want to be normal.”
work life
o e
work life
what do I want to be
when I grow up?
ohmigosh, am I a grown-up?
M
by Tim Ryan
y friends and I were sitting around
the other night talking about college
and careers. Almost everyone has been
applying to different colleges already. They were talking
about engineering, architecture, nursing, cooking, etc. But, I didn’t saying anything
– I got scared because I’m not sure what I want to do! I haven’t been thinking
about the future; I’ve just been having fun in high school. Now, all of a sudden, I’m
supposed to be making decisions that are going to affect the rest of my life. I’m
not sure what I’m really good at. I kind of like writing, but everyone tells me that it’s
tough to make a living at it and I need to be more practical. I don’t know what I’m
supposed to do. I don’t think I’m ready for this!
Keith is
a senior in high
school and is
thinking about
his future career
choices.
The expert says: Author
Peter Senge writes about a
concept called personal mastery
(Fifth Discipline Fieldbook). This
is the process of developing
a personal vision. But, it’s not
as easy as picking a vision in
one day and then chasing it. A
personal vision may take a while
to develop. Having a vision
doesn’t necessarily mean that
we know exactly what’s going to
happen or where we’re going
in life. It may be fuzzy at first,
but it provides us with a sense
of direction that automatically
guides our thoughts and actions
to help us gradually refine
the vision. The challenge is
to constantly develop a
mind-set that opens us to
the vision so we can act
accordingly.
Although Senge
doesn’t write about
spiritual matters,
I think the
process he is
describing is
the same as
prayer. Prayer
is how we
become what
Email questions and comments to:
tryan@faithmag.com
Tim Ryan
God needs us to be. Prayer is
not about trying to infl uence
God’s actions; it’s about
recognizing God’s actions in
our lives and how we need
to respond. Just as personal
mastery is a gradual process,
seeking God’s purpose is
gradual and rooted in prayer.
We don’t pray just once and
expect it to happen tomorrow;
prayer is a continual process
of drawing ourselves closer
and closer to God’s vision for
our lives. Jesus taught us to be
persistent in prayer: “Ask and
you will receive, seek and you
shall fi nd ...” (Luke 11:8-11)
Don’t worry Keith,
simply remember:
• God does have a plan for
you.
• Pray, pray, pray.
• Let go of what this world says
will make you happy.
• Seek the wisdom necessary
to follow God’s plan and you
shall fi nd it.
• Be patient; God will reveal
each step in the plan when
you are ready.
St. Augustine Catholic September 2006 21
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youth
youth ministries profile
youth-led ministries empower young people
St. Matthew and St. Philip Neri by Shannon Scruby Henderson
Traditionally, volunteer moms and dads have
shouldered the hard work of coordinating
a parish Vacation Bible School. But each
summer for nearly a decade at St. Matthew
Parish on Jacksonville’s Westside, the volunteers
building sets, collating materials, planning and
delivering a week’s worth of activities have been teens.
Their labor is a gift to a faith community that has
made youth ministry a priority.
“I have a philosophy of holistic ministry,” comments
Onie Lee, St. Matthew’s director of Religious
Education and Youth Ministry. “Our program is yearround
and fully integrated with the rest of the parish.
Our whole program is about empowering youth to
be part of the bigger parish community. They serve as
greeters, ministers and ushers. When they leave for
college or wherever, they’ll take this with them.”
The connections are so strong that St. Matthew’s
youth alumni often come back to help with service
projects when they’re in town. “I really like the people
and environment here,” says Jessy Rushing, who
joined the youth ministry in sixth grade and is now
(right) Onie Lee, director of Youth
Ministry for St. Matthew Parish in Jacksonville
took a group of teens to Black Mountain, N.C.
in July for a summer rafting trip.
SPECIAL
MARK UDRY
(left)St. Philip Neri parishioners are very supportive
of their youth. Organizers of the new ministry include, from
left kneeling: Heather Adams and Racheal White. Second
row: Jan Zuccarell, Deanna White, Father Jose Paruvanani,
Stephanie McGraw and Olivia Crooks. Back row: Deacon
Richard Dugan, John Zuccarell, Kevin Lussier, Lacey Dalton,
Samantha Lussier, Linda Lussier and Mary Ann Dugan.
SPECIAL
22 St. Augustine Catholic September 2006
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April 2006 • www.staugcatholic.org
RETIREMENTS
WORK LIFE p. 27
SPIRITUAL FITNESS p.14
FATHER JOE p. 8
the dead?
THEOLOGY 101 p. 10
MARRIAGE MA TERS p.12
SPIRITUAL FITNESS p. 14
THEOLOGY 101 p. 10
a senior at FSU. “Onie has been a very
big influence in my life. My participation
here carries over to Tallahassee, where I’m
involved at St. Thomas More. After what
I’ve found at St. Matthew, it would be weird
not to be part of a parish.”
The St. Matthew model is not only
empowering, but also inclusive. It has
been unusually successful at bridging the
gap between Catholic and public school
students that is typical of many parish
programs. At St. Matthew, boundaries
merge as high school students from Bishop
Kenny and Bishop Snyder, Paxon, Stanton,
Ed White, Lee and Forrest come together
for social times and service projects – many
of them members of other area parishes.
For one thing, they’ve been interacting since
junior high.
“Our confirmation prep is the best
example of how we feel about inclusion,”
notes Onie. “The kids from the parish
school and the public schools all go through
confirmation together. The high school
kids, also a mix of public and private school
students, do the retreat. They meet for three
months before the date so they can put it on
for the eighth graders. They do all the talks,
plan all the activities, everything.”
There is also outreach beyond the parish.
Some St. Matthew youth participate in
SPLUNGE, an urban renewal ministry
that Onie helped introduce to the diocese.
Others volunteer at Camp Promise for
disabled children or attend the weeklong
diocesan summer program called Youth
Leader. “Kids want to contribute if you let
them,” says Onie. “It’s our job to facilitate
that generosity of spirit.” She notes the
importance of Father Luke McLaughlin’s
support and the way the parish has
embraced the youth program. “I like to say
that every parishioner can and should be a
youth minister,” she says. “It’s that holistic
concept again. If you see a kid in the
grocery store, you can reach out and talk
to them. Everyone has a chance to make a
difference.”
Building a Youth Network at St. Philip
Neri Mission
Several counties away, in the farming
community of Hawthorne, 20 miles east of
Gainesville, Linda Lussier is preparing to
launch St. Philip Neri’s new youth program.
Like Onie Lee at St. Matthew, she won’t
be going it alone: “This is a youth-led
initiative,” she says. “The kids will play a big
part in shaping and defining the program.”
Given the widely scattered population of
young people in the area. Linda plans to
use every means at her disposal to get the
word out. “Technology is key,” she says. “I’m
writing a grant to get a laptop we can use
to send emails. It will also make us mobile.
For example, we can plan meetings at a
centrally located café and take the laptop
with us to use for research and to record
the minutes. We can take it with us when
we travel, and we can even plan virtual
meetings. With a secure space on Yahoo, we
can connect to the group from their homes.
The possibilities are endless.”
Linda is also thinking outside the box
about what it will take to keep teens
engaged in the program. “The big thing
we’re vying for is their time, between
school and sports. The activities will have
to include things they might not otherwise
have the opportunity to try,” she notes.
With a degree in recreation management,
Linda’s personal preference leans toward
physical challenges: rock-climbing at a
gym in Gainesville, kayaking, and a rope
course to teach team-building skills. There
will also be a balance of service days
and an emphasis on attending Mass on
Sundays.
“We want kids to participate in all aspects
of the program,” she says. “As an incentive,
points will be awarded for attendance.
Those who participate regularly will get a
big break on their fun day admissions. And
at the end of the year, the high point winner
will receive an iPod.”
St. Philip Neri’s youth program will
include ecumenical awareness and
outreach. “We are open to kids of all faiths,”
says Linda. “I want to get parents involved,
to get them talking to their children about
issues that are important to them. I’m not
looking to convert, I’m just looking for kids
to identify with their faith, whatever it is.”
Like Onie Lee, Linda is grateful to her
faith community for their support of
youth. “Unfortunately, it’s more typical
to prepare them for the sacraments, and
then just set them free,” she says. “But
here at St. Philip Neri, even though the
population is generally an older group, they
are committed to youth. We are extremely
fortunate to have a wonderful, wonderful
church that does value their children.”
Email questions and comments to:
sac@dosafl.com
GIVE THE
GIFT OF EDUCATION
Help preserve the 85-year heritage of a
values-based education at St. Pius V and
Holy Rosary schools in Jacksonville. Sponsor
a child and provide deserving students with
a quality education.
Flexible plans available. Call the Guardian
of Dreams office at (904) 354-4788 or visit
us online at www.guardianofdreams.org.
AFFILIATED WITH THE DIOCESE OF SAINT AUGUSTINE
catholic
St. Augustine
FROM THE BISHOP
praying for the
imprisoned p.6
EASTER RENEWAL
catholic
St. Augustine
February 2006 • www.staugcatholic.org
FRANCISCAN SPIRITUALITY
how to become
the good news of
Jesus Christ p.14
ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAKS
trading surf boards
for power tools p.16
TREASURES OF THE CHURCH
did Jesus own the
coat he wore? p.8
how new
Catholics enrich
our parishes p.16
THEOLOGY 101 p.10
what is the Liturgy?
MARRIAGE MA TERS p.12
how to resolve
money issues
pastors ready for
new ministry p.24
WORK LIFE p.9
how to shift to
being the boss
By the Grace of God
catholic
One Lost Boy’s journey from the Sudan to America
St. Augustine
May 2006 • www.staugcatholic.org
Jacksonville’s Carla Harris
Wa l Street Banker, Recording Artist, Benefactor
spirituality in the
workplace
the freedom of
forgiveness
did Jesus raise
himsel from
FROM THE BISHOP
The Da Vinci Code
fact or fiction? p.6
Catholic Schools
liturgy of the Eucharist
overcoming
pornography
closing the door of
ignorance
ADULT FAITH FORMATION
opening yourself
up to God p.16
ST. VINCENT’S HOSPITAL
catholic
St. Augustine
July/August 2006 • www.staugcatholic.org
FROM THE BISHOP
attending Mass leads to
a healthier marriage p. 6
ST. VINCENT’S CLINIC ON WHEELS
ALZHEIMER’S
treating the poor and
uninsured p. 16
ANGELS OF MERCY
a caregiver’s
trial of faith p.16
FORGIVENESS
restoring
relationships p.8
CATHOLIC HISTORY
from parish
priests to florida
missionaries p.7
celebrating
90 years p.24
Remembering our past, embracing our future
parishioners spread
their wings to help
community p. 24
Katrina One Year Later
St. Augustine
March 2006 • www.staugcatholic.org
Hope After Abortion
CHURCH ETIQUETTE
ULTIMATE GETAWAYS
PROFILE
St. Augustine
Starting Over for One New Orleans Family
Give the Gift of the
St. Augustine Catholic
With Christmas just around the corner,
consider buying a gift subscription to the
St. Augustine Catholic Magazine.
Gift Subscriptions $15
wedding liturgies
PARENTING JOURNEY p. 13
helping children deal
with i lness
SPIRITUAL FITNESS p. 14
are you dressed for
the Lord’s banquet? p.6
refreshing the mind,
body and soul p.16
who is Ernie Bono? p.24
embracing our crosses
catholic
June 2006 • www.staugcatholic.org
catholic
How three women found healing and forgiveness
WORK LIFE p.9
establishing a
purpose for your work
PARENTING JOURNEY p.13
parenting even when
you disagree
A New Beginning
SPIRITUAL FITNESS p.14
living out the spirit of
martyrdom
Discover how Ed & Ceci Birk saved their marriage
Call 1-800-775-4659, ext. 108
Email: sac@dosafl.com
THEOLOGY 101 p. 10
liturgy of the hours
PARENTING JOURNEY p. 13
how to respond when
your children lie
WORK LIFE p. 28
do I need a
personality transplant?
help spread
the faith!
St. Augustine Catholic September 2006 23
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A Double Dose
of Grateful
Givers
BY MARK UDRY
MARK UDRY
On a steamy Saturday morning
in downtown Jacksonville, a
steady trickle of customers form
outside the St. Francis Soup
Kitchen at the Providence Center. The air is
thick with cigarette smoke, sweat and rotting
garbage from nearby dumpsters.
They stand in groups of three or four in the parking lot, smoking
cigarettes, talking amongst themselves, clutching plastic shopping
bags or battered backpacks containing their few possessions. Others
sit alone in what scant shade is available, staring vacantly into space,
mumbling loudly to themselves. All have gathered waiting for a free
meal, sacks of food, a smile of recognition and a few kind words – an
hour of respite from their life on the streets.
Inside, a group of 30 volunteers are preparing for the morning
flood of clients. Some place baskets of bread and crackers on long
rows of tables, others fill cups with ice water or spoon salad into
bowls. Huge steel pots of soup, steam wafting upward, are stirred
with large wooden paddles. Fluorescent lights buzz overhead,
bathing the room in an eerie, greenish-white cast. It’s loud, hot and
claustrophobic.
At a stainless steel prep table, Frank and Mike Dawedeit are
preparing desserts along with members of the Sacred Heart Parish
youth group. Both teens are quickly cutting up cakes and pies
donated from local grocery stores into wedges, placing them on platefilled
trays, then loading them onto carts.
Frank and Mike Dawedeit are 15-year-old identical twins; both
sport a mop of blonde hair and matching eyeglasses, but it’s easy to
tell them apart. Frank is outgoing and talkative, a perpetual motion
machine. Mike is quiet and reserved, taking great care when putting
thoughts into words. Their personalities may be different, but they
share some common traits. Both boys excel in the classroom as
sophomores at Bishop John Snyder High School. They also share
a strong sense of stewardship, particularly in helping the poor and
homeless.
Julie Motes, the twin’s mother, home schooled both until sixth
grade. After two years in public school, they enrolled at Sacred Heart
School for the eighth grade. Frank and Mike became active in the
youth ministry program coordinated by Cindy Lynskey immediately
after graduating from Sacred Heart.
In addition to their visits to the St. Francis Soup Kitchen, they also
work the youth ministry booth at the parish carnival, participate
in the Souper Bowl of Caring collection, help coordinate the parish
Giving Tree and are actors in the Fright House at the Greater
Jacksonville Agricultural Fair which raises donations for Cystic
Fibrosis.
“I’ve always encouraged Frank and Mike, but they’re always one
step ahead of me,” said Julie. “Nothing that they are doing, or have
done, is something I can take credit for. They are very proactive in
doing the right thing and they have wonderful adults in their lives.”
Cindy Lynskey says Frank and Mike enjoy their time volunteering
at the soup kitchen; for them it’s a comforting place where they feel
they can help others.
“The first time they volunteered (at the kitchen) they were
awestruck,” she said. “They were kind of quiet; I think they had
never seen anything like this in their lives. They realize how fortunate
they are and want to be a part of anything they can do that can
make a difference in those less fortunate. They possess such sincere
compassion and generosity.”
“Once we started working there it was similar to serving a meal to a
family,” said Mike. “Everyone there is very nice to us, they are always
smiling at us and thanking us for helping them.”
“(Volunteering at St. Francis) showed me there were a lot of people
less fortunate than I am, and it humbled me,” said Frank. “I feel like
24 St. Augustine Catholic September 2006
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8/4/06 8:40:02 AM

I’m really blessed because these people have
nothing. It gives you some perspective.”
It was on their second trip to the soup
kitchen that Frank and Mike took aside Diane
McVety, co-director of the St. Francis Soup
Kitchen, and pressed a $20 dollar bill into her
hand. It was money the boys had saved from
their allowance and lunch money. They gave
it to Diane and her husband, Jim (the other
co-director) to buy groceries to feed the poor.
“It was a difficult day down here, there
were disturbances among the clients, which
we get, given the population,” said Jim
McVety. “It took us five feet off the ground
and made everything wrong that day go
away. It was such a wonderful thing for us
to experience, that these two teenagers from
their faith and own goodness reached out to
help. We were very touched by it.”
This summer Frank and Mike took their
stewardship mission on the road. In July the
boys traveled to Pass Christian, Miss., to serve
meals at God’s Katrina Kitchen. The kitchen
feeds more than 1,500 people daily, as well
as coordinates home repairs in the area and
tutors schoolchildren.
AT A TIME WHEN
BEING TOGETHER
IS MOST IMPORTANT.
MARK UDRY
Twin brothers Frank and Mike Dawedeit
regularly volunteer at St. Francis Soup
Kitchen in downtown Jacksonville. They say
they enjoy helping the less fortunate.
“I think all young people have an impulse
to do good things,” said Julie Motes. “The
youth group helps Frank and Mike get
outside their own world, and they see
everyone is good even though they come
from different backgrounds and that’s really
valuable to them.”
Valuable to them, and to those Frank and
Mike help.
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St. Augustine Catholic September 2006 25
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Double Click =
Double Trouble
>>A Teen Guide to Internet Safety
BY JON MATYI
If you are like most teens today you can barely remember
what it was like to live without the Internet. Yes, there was
life before the Internet and no I wasn’t alive before fire was
discovered.
So much of today’s teen’s lives, which I call Generation X-Box,
revolve around a 17” monitor, keyboard, DVD recorder/player, hard
drive and a mouse. Unfortunately, on the web it only takes about 60
seconds, a search engine, a few key stokes, point and click and you
could be headed for trouble.
Now, I’m not trying to scare you, but I want you to know the facts
about the Internet so that you can stay safe and out of trouble.
Problem #1: Pornography
This is a serious problem on the web. Generation X-box is the
first generation to grow up with point and click pornography and
according to the website www.battlecry.com/crisis.php, almost 90
percent of our teens have viewed pornography on line. “SEX” is the
number one searched topic, accounting for one in four searches. And
statistics listed on the website www.internet-filter-review.com, say
teens are the largest consumer of pornography.
Problem #2: Identity Theft
With public chat rooms, spam emails, blogs and fake websites or
online stores, criminal computer geeks are stealing your personal
information by asking you to give your personal data online.
Problem #3: Predators
Today’s predators have taken stalking teens to a whole new level.
Predators use the web as a coward’s way to manipulate teens into
having sexually explicit conversations, sometimes leading to physical
and sexual abuse. Don’t laugh the problem is real. One out of every
three girls and one out of every five guys will be sexually molested by
the age of 18 and predators are using the Internet to get to them.
Problem #4: The Uncensored Teenage Mind
Sadly, teen use on the Internet is mostly uncensored and not
monitored by parents. This creates an electronic world with very few
rules, very few morals and a lot of trouble.
Problem #5: Use your Imagination
Criminals and advertisers do and they are very savvy at finding
ways to win your trust. Everyday they think of new ways to twist the
Internet to make money at your expense. They don’t care about your
life, your health or your future — just the almighty dollar.
Here is the good news. You don’t have to be a statistic. You can
choose to be smarter than an “Internet pervert.” You don’t have to
settle for the lies that the pornography industry is selling you. And if
you have been involved in risky or destructive Internet behavior, you
have the ability to stop and avoid the temptation.
In 2 Timothy 2:2 it says, “Flee from youthful lusts: and follow
righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord
out of a pure heart.” You have a choice to make about how you use
the Internet and how you let the Internet use you – choose wisely! A
double click doesn’t have to mean double trouble.
Jon Matyi is a student mentor with Project SOS in Jacksonville. He is a
professional speaker and writer on topics such as Teens and Sex, Drugs,
Internet/Media and other Risk Behaviors. You can email questions to
jdmatyi@yahoo.com.
Teen Steps to Net Protect
Check out the following “Steps to Net Protect” if you are serious
about living a life that isn’t manipulated or destroyed by the
criminal element of the Internet.
Respect your parent(s) “House Internet Rules.” Time limits,
Internet curfews, off-limit websites and search topics.
Always use “Internet Etiquette.” In other words think, act
and speak on the web the same as you would in real life.
Don’t give or post your personal information such as
name, address, phone numbers, or credit card information
to anyone.
Don’t meet with anyone you have met online.
Don’t search for topics that can generate inappropriate or
explicit material.
Don’t surf the web late at night or alone.
26 St. Augustine Catholic September 2006
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around
around the diocese
MARK UDRY
Linda Knight retired August 1 as
director of Youth Ministry for San
José Parish after 18 years of service.
Linda plans to spend more time with
her four grandchildren.
farewell San Jose’s
“Mom” Knight moves on
“It is with mixed emotions that I’m
leaving,” said Linda “Mom” Knight,
youth director of San Jose Parish in
Jacksonville. Active in parish activities
since joining San Jose in 1983, Linda was invited by
then-pastor Msgr. John Lenihan to attend a youth
ministry conference at Marywood Retreat Center
with the idea of creating a youth ministry program
at San Jose.
She became the full-time youth minister at the
parish in 1988. After teaching elementary school for
several years, and working as a volunteer at “Camp
I Am Special,” a camp for children with disabilities
sponsored by the diocese, Linda says she felt a real
calling to youth ministry. “I wanted to focus on one
thing, and I felt my gift was youth ministry,” she said.
Ten years ago Linda started an inner city
immersion retreat for teens – SPLUNGE – after reading about the program in a Catholic
newsletter and attending a similar retreat in Asheville, N.C. Hundreds of Catholic teens in
the diocese have since participated in the program, a week that causes a “paradigm shift” in
their awareness of poverty. Now Linda believes it’s time for her to move on. “Most of the youth
ministers in the diocese are young enough to be my children,” she said, laughing. “One has to
recognize when perhaps room should be made for someone younger.” Spoken like a true mom.
SPLUNGE: putting scripture into practice
A
group of 21 teens ranging in ages
from 15 to 19 tackled an array of
projects throughout downtown
Jacksonville as part of the annual
SPLUNGE (Special People Living a Uniquely
Nourishing Growthful Experience) retreat
from June 5-10. Following the motto “Living
simply so others can simply live,” the group
performed a variety of service projects
– sorting groceries at the Second Harvest
Food Bank, cleaning apartments at the
Morris Manor Senior Citizen Center, serving
lunch and entertaining kids at a community
recreation center – and visiting social service
agencies to learn how to better serve the
inner city poor population.
The group slept on cots in the basement
of Immaculate Conception Church in
downtown Jacksonville, eating only two
simple meals a day and showering only
twice that week. “We live the week in
solidarity with the people we’re trying to
serve,” said Kathy Yoakley, director of Youth
Ministry at Sacred Heart Parish in Green
Cove Springs.
MARK UDRY
Chase Hawkinson, 15, of Sacred Heart
Parish in Green Cove Springs, puts relish on
the hot dog of a day camper at The Sanctuary
in downtown Jacksonville.
MARK UDRY
New CD completes
trilogy for “Rapping
Reverend”
Father Stan Fortuna, performs for a
group of teenagers during the 2006
Diocesan Youth Rallies held at St.
Catherine Parish in Orange Park.
“Father Stan Fortuna, a
professional musician and Franciscan
Friar from the South Bronx of New
York, was the featured speaker at the
Middle & Senior High Youth Rally at
St. Catherine Parish in February. His
latest CD, Sacro Song 3, debuted
in July and is a collection of 18
tracks inspired by Father Stan’s
life experiences. He uses popular
culture to reach a youth audience.
Songs include Hangin In There, a
tribute to Hurricane Katrina victims,
and Jesus Talks, a response to the
hip-hop hit Jesus Walks by Kanye
West.
“Sacro Song 3 offers hope and
empowers people to look upward,
to what I believe and know is a
better future,” said Father Stan. “The
power of love, regardless of musical
genre, can break any barrier, scale
any wall – it is stronger than death.”
For more information, or
to order Sacro Song 3, go to
www.francescoproductions.com.
St. Augustine Catholic September 2006 27
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MARK UDRY
around
around the diocese
ministry formation class fueled for journey of faith
The Ministry Formation Program Class of 2006 celebrates with
Bishop Victor Galeone after their closing ceremony on June 11
at the Cathedral-Basilica in St. Augustine.
Eleven women and ten men from 16 parishes across the diocese
gathered at the Cathedral-Basilica in St. Augustine on June 11 for
a certification ceremony as the latest group to complete Ministry
Formation Program studies.
Ministry Formation is a three-year comprehensive program with the first two
years devoted to studying Scripture, Catholic traditions, beliefs, the sacraments
and morality. The third year includes theological reflection, a program for
theological and spiritual development, and a supervised practicum that
integrates the teaching and skills learned with ministerial situations.
Larry Hart, one of the members of the class, spoke for the entire class during
the ceremony, thanking Bishop Victor Galeone for his support, assuring him the
program is well named. “We have been fueled for the journey of faith,” he said.
Congratulations to the Ministry Formation Class of 2006: Mark Beachy,
Joseph Brooks, Frederic Brown, Jocelyne Grandjean-Brown, Angel Cole, Michael
Conroy, Nancy Demers, Luis Feliciano, Gina Giovinco, Larry Hart, Norma
Hawkinson, Catherine Hunt, Kathleen Jones, Albert Losch, Jr., C. Lathrop
Murray, Bryan Ott, Nicole Richter, Patricia Robinson, James Scott, Augustus
Simms and Regina Sippel.
Inaugural Class of Permanent
Deacons Ordained
During an historical ceremony on June 3, one by
one, 12 men from the fi rst class of permanent deacons
in the Diocese of Saint Augustine made their way to
the altar at St. Joseph Catholic Church and kneeled
before Bishop Victor Galeone. By the imposition of the
hands of the bishop, each man was transformed into
a sacramental servant of God, taking on the mission
of Christ in the diocese and their individual parishes.
Congratulations to the inaugural Class of 2006!
Participants of the River of Life Harp Retreat and Musicfest, from left: Elaine
Scott, Stephanie Hamer, Ann Merwin and Ginny Lovett.
MARK UDRY
MARK UDRY
28 St. Augustine Catholic September 2006
river of life music festival
“W of the first annual River of Life Harp Retreat and
e travel on the river of life, so I thought it would be
wonderful to have a music retreat on the banks of
the St. Johns River,” said Diane Schneider, director
Musicfest at Marywood Retreat Center in Jacksonville, June 15-16.
A group of 20 musicians brought harps, flutes, guitars, mandolins
and other instruments for two days of music, meditation, discussion
and inspiration. The program guided participants on overcoming
performance fears, learning how to pray more deeply through music and
using music to heal both spiritually and physically. Instructors conducted
workshops on playing flutes, an assortment of percussion instruments
and the harp. At the end of the retreat, the musicians gathered on the
boat dock for a group prayer and music session.
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MARK UDRY
in the news…
diocesan highlights
The Florida High School Activities
Association (FHSAA) announced that Bishop
Kenny High School has been awarded the
Dodge Sunshine Cup All-Sports Award
for 2005-2006 in Class 4-A. The Crusader‚s
award is based on the success of the boys‚
and girls‚ sports teams and their finish in
the FHSAA State Series Competition. It is
the third time in as many years Crusader
athletics have finished in first place in various
categories. (03’-04’ Overall Winner; 04’-05’
Boys’ Division.)
.....
St. Vincent’s Medical
Center was named by U.S.
News & World Report as one
of America’s Best Hospitals
in the Heart and Heart
Surgery category in its 2006
rankings. In the magazine’s
annual “America’s Best Hospitals” report, St.
Vincent’s is the only Jacksonville hospital
listed in any of the 16 specialties listed. This
year marks the third time that St. Vincent’s has
been ranked by U.S. News & World Report
among the nation’s finest heart hospitals.
.....
Karen Slevin was recently named executive
director of the Gainesville
Regional Office of Catholic
Charities. Karen is a
native of Brooklyn, N.Y.,
and has a bachelor’s in
urban affairs from Rollins
College in Winter Park,
Karen Slevin
Fla. She was the director
of the City of Gainesville’s
Community Redevelopment Agency for six
years. Karen is married, with two adult children
and two adopted children and is a parishioner
at Holy Faith Parish.
.....
Tricia Sevilla began her duties as principal
of Resurrection Catholic
School in Jacksonville on
July 1. Tricia is from Palatine,
Ill., and attended Notre
Dame University. She has a
bachelor’s in liberal studies
and a master’s in education.
Tricia taught middle school
English at Holy Rosary and
Tricia Sevilla
freshman English at Bishop Kenny High School
in Jacksonville.
MARK UDRY
last word
last word
to wish, to hope what’s the difference?
by Father Charles Irvin
What’s the difference between wishing for something and
hoping for something? The distinction between the two is
important for all of us, teens as well as adults.
A wish is something we want, but is based only on our desire
– something we think we want. Hope, however, is based on an expectation that is
grounded in reality. Hope is more confi dent than mere wishful thinking.
Here’s an example. If you’re facing an exam in a particular course you’re
taking in school and you haven’t studied the material, you can only wish for an
“A” on the exam.
But if you have in fact seriously studied the material, you can hope for an “A.”
As for you who are parents, you may wish that your youngster does well in
school or in life, but your hope for her is in vain if you have not trained her well in
study habits or in developing life skills.
The same is true when it comes to our spiritual lives. We can wish that we shall
get to heaven after we die, but our hope for heaven will be in vain unless we have
spent some serious energy in developing our relationship with God. If we live our
lives doing nothing but selfi sh things, we will be taking God’s name (his presence,
power and love) in vain if we think he’s going to save us in spite of ourselves.
Here are some practical examples:
If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fi ght.
If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement, he learns
confi dence.
If a child lives with praise, she learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, she learns justice.
If a child lives with security, she learns to
have faith.
If a child lives with approval, she
learns to like herself.
If a child lives with acceptance
and friendship, she learns to
fi nd love in the world.
– Author Unknown
Are we living in wishful
thinking, or are we living in
hope? It’s a distinction with a
difference.
Email questions and comments
to: cirvin@faithmag.com
Father Charles Irvin
St. Augustine Catholic September 2006 29
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calendar
September 2006
Sept. 14
Rebuilding When Your Relationship
Ends – Classes will be held every
Thursday through Nov. 16, 6:30 p.m.
at the Catholic Center in Jacksonville.
For details, call the Family Life Office at
(904) 308-7474.
Sept. 15-17
Worldwide Marriage Encounter - A
positive experience for married couples to
improve their communications. Friday-
Sunday in Gainesville. Call Tom or Susan
Hughes for details at (904) 860-3039 or
visit: www.geocities.com/jaxMEweb.
Sept. 15-17
Engaged Encounter – A marriage
preparation program open to all couples
of faith. Begins Friday, 7:30 p.m.,
Marywood Retreat Center, Jacksonville.
Cost: $280 per couple. Call (904) 308-
7477 or register online: www.dcfl.org.
Sept. 16
Day of Reflection – Beyond the
Roots of Christian Meditation
– Leaders: Cenacle Sister Elizabeth
Hillman and Gene Bebeau, Saturday, 9:30
a.m.-3 p.m., Marywood Retreat Center,
Jacksonville. Cost: $35. Call (904) 287-
2525 or visit www.marywoodcenter.org.
Sept. 21
Information Night for People
Interested in Becoming a Spiritual
Director – Leader: Maria Decsy, Ph.D.
Thursday, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Marywood
Retreat Center, Jacksonville. Cost:
Free. Call (904) 287-2525 or visit
www.marywoodcenter.org.
Sept. 22-24
Weekend Retreat – On the Brink of
a Breakthrough, A Response to the
Grace of Liberation – Leader: Father
Darius Sleszynski, Ph.D. Friday-Sunday,
Marywood Retreat Center, Jacksonville.
Cost: $118-$195. Call (904) 287-2525 or
visit www.marywoodcenter.org.
Sept. 23
Pre Cana – A marriage preparation
program for couples that want to marry
in the Catholic Church. Saturday,
9:20 a.m.-5:30 p.m., St. Elizabeth Ann
Seton Parish, Palm Coast. Cost: $69 per
couple. Call (904) 308-7474 or register
online: www.dcfl.org
Sept. 23
Day of Reflection – Facing the
Challenges for Catholic Families
in the Society and the Church of
Today – Leader: Msgr. Vincent Haut.
Saturday, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Marywood
Retreat Center, Jacksonville. Cost: $25.
Call (904) 287-2525 or visit www.
marywoodcenter.org.
Sept. 23
Spanish Diocesan Encounter
– Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Sacred Heart
Parish, Green Cove Springs. Mass will be
celebrated by Bishop Victor Galeone.
Call Alba Orozco, (904) 353-3243 or
email: amorozco@ccbjax.org. Deadline to
RSVP is Sept. 15.
Sept. 27
Day of Reflection – Reflecting on
the Gospel of John – Leader: Father
Donal Sullivan. Wednesday, 9:30 a.m.-
2:30 p.m., Marywood Retreat Center,
Jacksonville. Cost: $25. Call (904) 287-
2525 or visit www.marywoodcenter.org.
October 2006
Oct. 7
International Rosary Mass for World
Peace – Saturday, 5:30 p.m., St. Monica
Parish, Palatka. Following Mass, rosary
will be recited in six languages. All are
welcome. Call (386) 325-9777.
Oct. 19
Annual Red Mass – For members of
the legal, judicial and law enforcement
professions. Sponsored by the Catholic
Lawyers Guild, Thursday, 5:30 p.m.,
Immaculate Conception Church,
Jacksonville. Call Glenn Warren, (904)
398-9002 or email: warren@harrisguidi.
reaching our
teens
youth rally 2007
by Jesse Manibusan
“Jesse, our young people are gone! They’re not
coming to Mass! They’re not being Catholic.
Jessie Manibusan, guest speaker for the
diocesan Youth Rally 2007.
“What can we do to reach our youth?”
• Be passionate about your own baptism.
• Understand that ministry to young people
in the church belongs to the baptized.
• Greet them at Mass, on the street, at school,
at the movies. Smile. Acknowledge them.
• Tell every adult that you know to do the
same. The impact is huge, immediate and
transformative. To them and especially
to us!
On Feb. 10-11, 2007, the diocesan Youth
Ministry is sponsoring a gathering of young
people that is a matter of life and faith! On this
weekend, teens from 6th grade to 12th grade
will gather to celebrate their Catholic faith. They
will do that in fun, exciting, interactive, reflective
and transforming eucharistic ways.
You and I don’t have to know how to “do
well” with young people. But we must let them
come to the Lord in every possible opportunity.
Priests, send your young people! Parents, send
your young people! Catholic High Schools, send
your young people!
Pray about this gathering right now! Start
getting your parish excited about counting how
many teenagers they are going to send! Pray
about attending yourself!
I’m going to be there. Yep. Me. I’m a Catholic
Itinerant Witness. An undercover Catechist.
International Man of Danger and Catholic Ninja.
Jesse Manibusan is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and
teller of humorous tales. He will lead the upcoming
Diocesan Youth Rally in 2007. To read more about
his ministry, visit www.jessemanibusan.com
SPECIAL
30 St. Augustine Catholic September 2006
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When Candice Kenmuir surveyed the debris left behind by Hurricane Wilma,
the Barry University photography major saw more than a reminder of the storm.
She transformed fallen leaves, roof tiles, and splintered fences into fashion
and found friends to model her couture for her senior year exhibition project.
As Kenmuir explains, “My images are intended to remind viewers not only
of Wilma’s destruction, but of the resilience of the people who were affected
by the storm.”
As a Barry student, you belong to a collegial, Catholic community
that nurtures your unique perspective. Your classes
are small, so you receive personal attention
from Barry’s distinguished faculty. You
are valued as a whole person.
Barry University offers more than 70
undergraduate degrees and more than
50 graduate degrees in the arts and
sciences, natural and health sciences,
human performance and leisure
sciences, graduate medical sciences,
social work, education, business,
nursing, and law.
Ready to find out if Barry is
where you belong?
Visit www.barry.edu.
DSA671908/06
BARRY
UNIVERSITY
11300 NE Second Avenue
Miami Shores, FL 33161-6695
305-899-3100 • 800-695-2279
admissions@mail.barry.edu
www.barry.edu
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St. Vincent’s Cancer Center
Caring
for the
Entire
You.
Sue Assion, R.T. (M)
Breast Health Center
At St. Vincent’s, you’re not a diagnosis, a case, or a cancer victim.
We know that you are as individual as your fingerprint. If you must
deal with cancer, you need the personalized care that St. Vincent’s
can provide.
The St. Vincent’s Mary Virginia Terry Cancer Center…
where the experts care.
www.jaxhealth.com/cancer
catholic
St. Augustine
The Magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Saint Augustine
11625 St. Augustine Road
Jacksonville, FL 32258-2060
NON PROFIT
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 135
MIDLAND, MI 48640
Online: www.dosafl .com
www.staugcatholic.org
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