OLGC New Teachers - Our Lady of Good Counsel

Summer R.E.Mrs. Hubbard andMrs. Schwartz’sclass made a gift ofcomfort for childrenundergoing chemotreatment as partof Megan Vizzard’s“Cozies 4 ChemoBlankets.”See pg. 18Vol. 4 No. 4 | September 20, 2012 | 75 centswww.olgcnj.orgSecond-graders in Mrs. Cynthia Robinson’s class get ready for their first day of schoolon Sept. 5. From left are Autumn Brutschea, Elle Rufino, William Kelly, and JonathanForrest. Photo by Michelle Molz | See pgs 10-11 for Back to School coverage.Non-ProfitUS PostagePaidcherry hill, NJ 08034Permit #149Our Lady of Good Counsel CHURCH42 W. Main StreetMoorestown, NJ 08057Mrs. Adams and Mrs. Wolfram get the Kindergarten boys in orderfor their first day of school on Thursday, September 6.Left to right are Ms. Maria Horton, Mrs. Karen Gulla and Mrs. KristenMcKeaney.OLGC New TeachersOur Lady of Good Counsel School is pleased to introducethree new teachers to its faculty this year. With the retirement ofMrs. Overbeck, we would like to welcome our new Librarian, Mrs.Kristen McKeaney. Kristen grew up and still currently resides inMt. Laurel. She comes to our school with deep roots and familiarityhaving attended OLGC herself as a child and having a daughterwho recently graduated from Good Counsel. She graduated fromChestnut Hill College in Philadelphia. She holds a BS in Sociologyand a Masters in School and Public Librarianship. She has been alibrarian for twenty years.“I know I have big shoes to fill with the retirement of Mrs.Overbeck”, says Mrs. McKeaney. “ I am excited to begin the newschool year and look forward to working with the students of OurLady of Good Counsel”.We also welcome Miss Maria Horton. Her homeroom willbe 7B and she will teach 6th, 7th and 8th grade Science. MissHorton was born in Germany but grew up in Cinnaminson whereshe still resides. She attended Rowan University and has a BA inElementary Education K-5. She also holds a BA in Mathematicsand Science. She has been teaching for one year and looksforward to having many more years with our school. Miss Hortonlooks forward to creating an educational and fun lab experience forthe students and sharing her love for science.Finally, we would like to extend a warm welcome to Mrs. KarenGulla. She will be in 8B, teaching 8th grade ILA and 7th gradeReligion. Mrs. Gulla is originally from Bloomfield, NJ and now livesin Berlin. She is a graduate of Caldwell College in Caldwell, NJand holds a BA in Elementary Education K-8 and has over twentyyears of teaching experience.She started her career teaching grades 5-8 at St. Anthony’sin Butler, NJ. She later moved on to Assumption School in Atcowhere for 12 years she taught middle school Language Arts.“I am excited for the school year and looking forward tocelebrating the journey to both confirmation and graduation withour 7th and 8th grade Good Counsel students.”Our Lady of Good Counsel shares their anticipation for awonderful school year. We are happy they have joined ourdedicated and talented faculty.

September 20, 2012 | Issue 4 | Vol. 4www.olgcnj.orgThe Good Counsel Courier | 3Year of Faith PilgrimageBy Dr. Linda DixOn Sunday, October 21, a bus will leave ProspectAvenue at 12:00 to arrive by 12:45 at the Shrineof Katherine Drexel in Bensalem to celebrate thecanonization of Kateri Tekawitha and Sister Marianne Cope.Native American dancers will be at the Shrine to celebratethe canonization of Kateri Tekawitha. The Sisters of theBlessed Sacrament will host the day with a video on the lifeof Saint Kateri Tekawitha and all guests are invited to tour thegrounds and crypt where Saint Katherine Drexel is buried.This will be followed at 2:30 by a procession to the chapelfor the celebration of Mass. A reception on the grounds willfollow. The National Shrine of Katherine Drexel has beendesignated by the Diocese of Philadelphia as the officialdiocesan site for the celebration of the canonization.Kateri Tekawitha is the first Native American saint to becanonized. Sister Marianne Cope was the only one of fiftyreligious superiors to say yes to assist Father Damien ofMolokai with the lepers in Hawaii. The Sisters of St. Francisof the Newmann Communities continue to this day to carefor people with leprosy in Molokai in Hawaii. She will alsobe canonized on October 21 in Rome.Father Damian has generously chartered the bus at nocost to parishioners. All interested in the bus trip pleasecontact Dr. Linda Dix at the Religious Education office at thefollowing number 235-7136 or e-mail dixl@olgcnj.org.Confirmation Spirit DayAbove: Confirmands visit the Shrine of St. Katharine Drexel on one of theirsummer Spirit Days.Left: Sister Agnes explains the life of Katherine Drexel while eighth gradersenjoy the comraderie of posing for a group shot and lunch break on the beautifulgrounds of the Bensalem motherhouse.

September 20, 2012 | Issue 4 | Vol. 4Ministry of Altar Serverwww.olgcnj.orgThe Good Counsel Courier | 5By Deacon Ed HeffernanYoung people have been serving Mass fromthe earliest centuries. They have helped to getthings ready: assisting the priest and deacon,lighting candles, setting up the credence table,carrying the books used at Mass, saying prayersin practically every language known. Theyhave been getting up early in the morning andstaying up late to serve for many, many years.Of utmost importance, however, is not reallythe things they do but the example they give.“To minister” means “to serve”, and it takes a few peopleto celebrate Mass well. Starting with the priest and deacon,readers, cantors, sacristans, ushers, extraordinary ministers ofHoly Communion, musicians and choir members serve the parishcommunity by helping them worship well. The ministry of altar serveris certainly no exception. The server aids the parish community in thecelebration of the Mass by their example, by their attentiveness to thepriest and the actions of the Mass, by listening to the lectors proclaimthe readings and their participation in the praying and singing. Thereverence they demonstrate in the sanctuary and the assistance theyprovideHere at our parish I have been organizing and overseeing thetraining, scheduling and organization of all the servers in this ministryfor years now, a privilege I treasure deeply. The training for boys andgirls interested in becoming new altar servers is held every fall andall parishioners from fifth grade through high school are eligible. Twonights of extensive training and a strong commitment to serve at Massare all that’s necessary to become part of this wonderful service forOur Lady’s parish.This fall the nights for training will be Thursday, October 18thand Monday, October 22th from 6:00 to 8:00 PM in the Church.A prospective server must attend both evening sessions and beaccompanied by a parent or guardian to be considered.To reserve a spot in the training class please e-mail Deacon Ed atdeaconheffernan@comcast.net or call the parish office at 235-0181and leave me a message.School Enrichment ProgramsOur fall after school enrichment programs will soon be underway.Once again we are offering field hockey, Latin and Chinese. Duringour second session we will offer strategic games.We are currently looking for people to teach a hobby, skill, orsomething you are passionate about.A few ideas include knitting, cooking, origami, Lego club etc. Ifyou are interested teaching please contact Greer Purul at gpurul@aol.com or Monica Moeller at hidemm88@aol.com.You don’t have to be a teacher and all classes run 6-8 weeks onthe day of your choice. We look forward to hearing from you and thecontinued success of the after school enrichment program.School Dates to Remember:Back to School Night:Grades 5 – 8, September 26, 7 p.m.Welcome Back Social:September 28, 5:30 to 8 p.m.Contact: Rick Millilo at millilo8@comcast.netor Dave Benson at dbmb13@comcast.netReligious Goods Fair:Quinn House, October 16–19Contact: Jo Damato at joanne.damato@gmail.comFun Walk: Memorial FieldFriday, November 9th, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Contact: Terry Testa at vostesta@comcast.netBarnes and Noble Book Fair:Barnes and Noble East Gate Shopping Center Mt. LaurelThursday, November 15Contact: Lisa Henry at lmah67@msn.comSanta Secret Shop:Quinn House, November 27 –29Contact: Lori Pearce at LoriPearce@comcast.netHoliday Hop with Jerry Blavat:Lenola Fire HallSaturday, December 1, 7 p.m.Contact: Dawn Ranieri at dawnranieri@hotmail.com

6 | The Good Counsel Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 4 | September 20, 2012www.olgcnj.orgThe Mass of RemembranceBy Frank KilkennyThe Mass of Remembrance is a powerful and spirit-filled event whichwe will celebrate this year on Saturday evening, November 3rd at the6:00 PM Mass in the Church. It will be an opportunity for the communityto express our belief that death is not an end but the beginning of a newlife.We will celebrate and remember as a family and community, the livesof all those who have gone before us. In particular, at this liturgy, wewill especially remember all our parishioners and the loved ones of ourparishioners who were not members of our parish who have died duringthis past year. We will remember each of them by placing lighted candlesin front of the altar following the homily.A representative of each family, who will receive a candle uponentering the Church, will be invited to bring the remembrance candle tothe front of the Church after the name of their loved one has been called.The remembrance candle is a sign of our hope that each of our loved onesnow live in the presence of the resurrected Jesus.Upon reaching the front of the Church, one of our deacons willlight the candle from the flame of the Paschal Candle. The familyrepresentative will be invited to place the candle in the sanctuary in frontof the altar. Members of the youth ministry will be on hand to assist anyfamily representative who has difficulty negotiating the steps of the altaror placing the candle on the stand.The refrain from the hymn “We Remember” articulates the essence ofwhat we celebrate in the Mass of Remembrance:“We remember how you loved us to your deathAnd still we celebrate, for you are with us here.And we believe that we will see youWhen you come, in your glory, Lord.We remember; we celebrate; we believe.”Don’t Keep It To YourselfHave an idea for a story or article...perhaps there’s something you’d like to seein the pages of our Good Counsel Courier.Well don’t keep it to yourself... let us know about it.Send me an e-mail todeaconheffernan@comcast.netor call me on my cell 856-905-5019.Parishioners who have died since April 13, 2012:Joseph Greipp 4/14/12Mary Maerz 4/18/12Margaret Molnar 4/25/12Dorothy McCoog 4/27/12JoAnne West 4/24/12Margaret Molnar 4/25/12Dr. Rudolph Morrone 5/2/12Helen Ward 5/15/12Loretta Sullivan 6/2/12Victoria Steinmetz 6/8/12Helen Smith 6/9/12Mary Herlihy Connolly 6/15/12Herbert Kronawitter 6/16/12Sacristan MinistryMaria Skowronski 6/17/12Edwin McChesney 6/19/12Angelo Valenti 7/9/12Dominick Vitlese 7/11/12Dolores Costello 7/11/12Zenon Rajkowski 7/17 12Angel Grace DiSipio 7/23/12Una Long 7/31/12James Wilson 8/7/12George Hunt 8/11/12Joan Keane 8/13/12Ann Cannavo 8/27/12Cesare Rufino 8/12Rita Endlein 9/3/12By Deacon Ed HeffernanOur parish liturgies form the very heart of the whole parish life.Everything that we do as a parish leads to, and flows from, the liturgicalcelebrations in our Church. The liturgies proclaim what we are as aparish and at the same time provide the foundation and the impetusfor us working together and growing as a community of worship, ofwitness, and of service. All celebrations of the Mass require considerablebehind-the-scenes preparation because of its crucial role in the life of theparish. The Mass is to have spiritual dignity and meaning for all of us. Inorder to accomplish that, much care and thought are put into the entirepreparation of each Mass.This is where the sacristan comes in, because a large part of thispreparation belongs to them. In a sense the sacristan is responsible foreverything that is used in the parish liturgy. Because the parish liturgyis our communal worship of God, and because this service of worshipdraws us closer together as a holy people, the environment and materialsused in the liturgy must all be conducive toward worship and community.Sacristans are generally in charge of this environment and these materialsand must make sure that their areas of responsibility in the liturgy arefulfilled.The first responsibility of the sacristan is to see that all duties areperformed in accordance with the wishes of the pastor. The sacristan’sduties are defined and through training and continued guidance from theparish clergy. Sacristans are also responsible for the care of the sacristyfor liturgical ceremonies. The responsibility for opening and closingthe Church, preparing the sanctuary for Mass as well as maintaining anorganized sacristy is theirs. They must be familiar with the various sacredvessels, vestments, altar linens, cloths, and various books used during thecelebration of the Mass.Sacristans attend to all three locations where the Mass is celebratedat Our Lady’s parish, namely the Church, Crypt and the all-purposeroom (gym). The preparation of the gifts of bread and wine, assistingthe priest and deacon as they ready for Mass and checking on thenumber of readers, altar servers and ministers of Communion are all theresponsibility of the sacristan. They also stand on hand behind the scenesin the sacristy in case of an emergency during the service.Currently a sacristan leader for each weekend of the month has beenappointed. This weekend leader and his or her team serve the sameweekend each month. The individuals on each weekend team committo serve at two Masses on one weekend per month. In addition, a smallgroup of sacristans currently handle all funeral Masses for the parish.The members of this group are installed as sacristans and asextraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, due to the occasional needto assist with communion during Mass.The ministry of sacristan is looking for new members. If you orsomeone you know is interested, or if you just have some additionalquestions, please call me on my cell phone 856-905-5019 or e-mail meat deaconheffernan@comcast.net.

September 20, 2012 | Issue 4 | Vol. 4www.olgcnj.orgThe Good Counsel Courier | 7Noah’s Ark Childcare and Church Readiness MinistryNoah’s Ark is a supervised Childcare and Church Readiness Programfor toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarten children whose parents orguardians are attending Mass at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church.The goals of Noah’s Ark are to provide the children with an earlyChristian Education Program, to strengthen their foundation of faith, andto introduce Church readiness skills at an age-appropriate level. Thechildren are led in various activities,and follow a routine, which includesprayer, ritual, scripture, music, story, andcraft. Children in the “Upper Deck”participate in the Prayer of the Faithful,Offertory, Lord’s Prayer, and Sign ofPeace.Noah’s Ark is a Lectionary-basedprogram. Children are provided withhands-on activities to reinforce theweek’s lesson, as well as home exercisesto share together as a family.This Program is a volunteer-staffed Ministry of our Parish. Trainedvolunteers include confirmation students, high school students, and adultparishioners.Noah’s Ark is available weekly during the 10:30 A.M. Mass, fromOctober to May, and meets in the Early Childhood Center. There is no feefor using the services of Noah’s Ark. New “passengers” may register atany time during the year, and parents may use these services as often asthey choose.If you are interested in enrolling your child, volunteering, or would likemore information, please visit the Noah’s Ark page on the parish website:www.olgcnj.org (under Religious Education). Registration forms forpassengers and crew are found on the website. You may also contact theCaptain, Ms. Laura J. Kowalick at (856) 235-7136 or kowalickl@olgcnj.orgCrew Training and Orientation:September 25 during the 10:30 AM MassAll new and returning crew members receive schedules and training.Opening Day:October 2 during the 10:30 AM MassWe welcome all new and returning passengers aboard for this year’sJourney of Faith!“We will tell the next generationabout the Lord’s power and his great deedsand the wonderful things he has done.”Psalm 78:4Enrolling now!856-235-7885school@olgcnj.orgOur Lady of Good Counsel Moorestownwww.olgcnj.org

8 | The Good Counsel Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 4 | September 20, 2012www.olgcnj.orgThe Power of a PrefixWords are incredibly powerful things.Even parts of words are powerful. Considerthe power of a tiny, two-letter prefix: co-,from the Latin con-, com- and col-, meaningwith or together. I believe that much of whatmakes truly great teaching and real learning iscontained in words that begin with these twoletters.As someone pushing 60, it was hard for meto come to grips with a hard fact: my studentslearn very differently from the way I did atBy Mr. Larry Pizzi their age. How they learn is deeply affectedby the Internet, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter,cell phones, texting, Skype, interactive video games, iPods, downloadedmusic, Wikipedia, GPS, virtual reality, streaming video, and more.What do all off these things have in common? They all literally happenat 671 million miles per hour, the speed of light. Any kid with a smartphone is carrying more computer power in his or her pocket than wasavailable in the spacecraft that put a man on the moon.Most importantly, to these middle school “digital natives,” all of thethings in the list above are not separateactivities; they are connected. Today’sstudents are connected to each other andto the world in ways I could not haveimagined at their age. Which brings us toour little prefix.COnnect: to join together. Today’slearners live, eat, sleep and breathe whilenetworked to each other and to the worldaround them. To them, connectedness isthe norm.As someone who learned pretty well injunior high, I could, as a teacher, demandand expect my students to learn the way Idid. After all, it worked for me (and for myfather, and his father, and...Albert Einsten,and Abraham Lincoln, and...) Time andtime again, however, research, experienceand just plain common sense tell us thatone thing has not changed. Teachers mustmeet students where they are and go fromthere.Our students live in the land ofConnectedness, a place where Isometimes feel like an immigrant. They learn best when they can seeconnections, so I must meet them on their turf. This requires two more COwords.COordinate: to arrange in order togetherCOllaborate: to work together toward a common goalTo connect with today’s middle schoolers requires teachers to thinkoutside their own lessons and classrooms. This is a major strength of ourschool and faculty.Each subject in our school has subject matter coordinators. Thesecoordinators ensure that connections exist from grade to grade. Forinstance, Mrs. Cahill and I are the Language Arts coordinators. We willmeet weekly this year to discuss how best to bring about the connectivitythat produces the best learning environment.More important is the daily coordination among teachers. This summer,the three middle school Language Arts teachers met to coordinatethe program for the coming year. You’d be surprised how much dailyconversation among teachers-- before school, in the hallway, at lunch,after school--amounts to coordination designed to help students makeessential connections as they go from class to class.Coordination sets the stage for the most important requirement forconnection: collaboration, literally, to labor together. Collaborationis cooperation in action. Authentic learning occurs when teacherscollaborate with each other, when students collaborate with each other,and when teachers, students and parents collaborate with each other.My colleagues (another CO word!) and I collaborate on vocabulary. Inlanguage arts, I teach vocabulary from my students’ next lessons in math,science, social studies and religion. I do not tell them where I got thewords when I use them to teach Greek and Latin roots and prefixes. So,when they encounter the word in another class, there is an Aha! moment,a connection. Learning just occurred. When teachers collaborate, studentsexperience connectivity, just as they do in their networked, sociallyconnected world.Both my religion and language arts students do projects that arecollaborations among ILA and Social studies, religion, art and technology.These assignments allow students to see interconnections among theirvarious subjects. For example, my 6th grade religion students do a digitalposter project on the seasons of the church year in technology class. Ifthey write a paper for religion class, they also submit it to Mrs. Goeke fora language arts grade.Having students work in small groups allows them to both collaborateand connect with each other. When it works, small group learning is a joy.I sit back and watch the kids teach themselves. Hard work, but worth it.Other collaborative tools in our classroom include blogging,texting, electronic polling, an educational version of Twitter, and a safeeducational networking site, Edmodo. We allow students to use theirpersonal digital devices, iPads, iPods and e-readers in the classroom.These tap into our students’ love of and comfort with all things digital.These tools are not “newfangled ideas” or the latest fads anymore. Theyrepresent the reality of where our students are today. Using these toolsis meeting students where they are. It’s much easier for one person--theteacher--to go to where 100 students are then to try to drag 100 studentskicking and screaming to where I am.Today’s students learn best when they feel like they and their teachersare collaborating. I’m still the teacher, and I’m still in charge, but oncestudents accept those premises, we are free to collaborate to make theconnections that make learning happen. Since parents are ultimately themost important teachers their children will ever have, collaborating withparents is the same as collaborating with any other teacher.Here’s the best part. Jesus once noted that “the harvest is great, butthe laborers are few.” He went on to say that we should pray for morelaborers. (Luke 10:2) St. Paul reminds us the we are all God’s co-laborers.(1 Corinthians 3:9) We are all called to labor for the kingdom of God. Ourschool’s mission is one such call. But teachers can’t do it alone. We--teachers, students and parents--are called to labor together, to collaborate.When we do, we get the reward of another CO word.COmmunity comes from a Latin word meaning people performingtheir duties together or in common (yet another CO word!). We “oldfolks” may shake our heads in wonder or even dismay as we watchtoday’s kids surf the net, chat, text, listen to and download music, andstream a video all at the same time! Whatever we think, these kidscan teach us a thing or two about how connection, cooperation, andcollaboration can produce community.Which leads me to something you probably already know: Our schoolis a great COmmunity!

September 20, 2012 | Issue 4 | Vol. 4www.olgcnj.orgThe Good Counsel Courier | 9Good friends42Our Lady of Good Counsel SchoolEnrolling now!Open House Sat. Oct. 13, 10 am – 12 noonEarly Childhood Center, 23 W. Main St.Academics, Catholic ValuesArts, Technology, Enrichment, Sports & Clubswww.olgcnj.org Phone 856-235-7885 Email: school@olgcnj.org

10 | The Good Counsel Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 4 | September 20, 2012www.olgcnj.orgwww.olgcnj.orgThe Good Counsel Courier | 11Left: Students form a single fileline to get off the bus the first dayof school.Jordan Anderson and Alexa Caulder show off their summer reading projects the first dayof school.Brothers, Jaxon and Colby Clayton come ready for their first day of school with back packsand bags of supplies.First grade teacher, Mrs. Biancaniello and teacher’s aide, Mrs. Neil take roll call the firstday of school.Left to right - Sophia Giangiordano, Caroline Giangiordano, Nick Ingravallo, Anthony Tanzola and Richard Buono just off the school bus to startthe new year.2nd graders, Jared Anderson and Michael Caulder are given their name tags from teacher,Miss Mulholland.Mrs. Hill’s fourth grade class gets right to work on their first day.Rev. Matthew Pfleger and Principal, Mr. Jerry McGowan welcome students the first day ofschool.

12 | The Good Counsel Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 4 | September 20, 2012www.olgcnj.orgFirst graders in Mrs. Nancy Maguire’sclass line up behind her in the gymto go into their classroom for thefirst time in the big school! It was anexciting and nervous day for boththe students and their parents!First graders Anthony Cavuto, Robert Closkeyand Emersynn Fair reconnect after a fun summer.Ryan Dickson and Tanner Coraggio get ready for first grade in Mrs. NancyMaguire’s class.Isabella Molz, Madeline Csolak and Stephanie Parra get ready for firstgrade. Photos by Michelle Molz

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14 | The Good Counsel Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 4 | September 20, 2012www.olgcnj.orgCrossing Paths With Tom and Jane McCorkellBy Dr. LindaDixIntroductionHigh on a mountaintop in Jamaica therestands a beautiful retreat center, farm, andchildren’s orphanage called Beatitude House.Twenty of our parishioners worked there thisApril and were filled with the beauty and thegrace of God’s presence both in nature andactive ministry with the poor.I was amazed at what I saw because I canremember eight short years ago climbing thisvery mountain, with Brother Max leading thegroup and holding a machete while cuttingbranches so we could climb even higher toview the pristine land donated to the Brothersfor their apostolates with the poor, the difficultyof the climb, and the team effort it took toaccomplish the task.Now, volunteers from around the worldcome there on retreat and to work with thedisabled children of Beatitude House. Beforethe retreat center, there also lies two burialsites, one of Father Art Newell and another ofMr. Johnson, two human beings devoted to theministry of the Missionaries of the Poor. No onein our group knew them and one of the doctorsasked, “Do you know who these people are?”Memories of twenty years of parish workin Jamaica came flooding back to me. I tookpictures because I know who did know thestory of their lives, indeed, the very storyof how this beautiful place called Mt. Taborcame to be and more, how Our Lady of GoodCounsel became so involved with the poorestof the poor in Jamaica; namely, Tom and JaneMcCorkell. “Big Tom” and “Nurse Jane” asthey are known in Jamaica with great love andrespect. There is never a trip wherein a Brother,priest, sister, or resident approaches me andasks “ How are Tom and Jane…I pray for themalways.” This is their story…Jane’s ReflectionsTires were burning in the roads and therewas no way of getting into Kingston as the gaswars were raging and Jamaica was in a turmoil,Jane recalls. I did not think we would get to themission of Father Ho Lung but somehow, thevan with the Brothers and ourselves got throughand we found ourselves at Corpus Christi, thehome of the Brothers at that time.Father Ho Lung was preparing to go tothe Jamaican arena and speak to the crowdsof Jamaicans protesting about the price of gasand the oppression it was causing the country.I remember he turned to one of the brothersbefore he left for the stadium and simply said,“Brother, you know what to do in case I do notreturn.” I knew he meant he could be killedby the violence of the mob. Tom and I wantedto go with him but he simply asked us to prayfor him and pray we did…I have never stoppedpraying for the Missionaries of the Poor. I prayfor Father Ho Lung, and every volunteer whogoes on a mission trip in our parish becauseI can remember being so very nervous aboutgoing that first time, even to the point of beingill, and simply asking the Lord to take me intohis hands and help me on this trip.When I arrived at Faith Center, one of theMOP apostolates where we worked, I lookedup and saw the most beautiful stained glasswindow of black hands reaching down from thechapel window. All my anxiety washed awayand I felt I was held in the arms of the Lord andthat feeling has never, ever left me.I was so blessed to be able to teach theBrothers about the basics of nursing, first aid,and wound care in those early years. I drewpictures of the skeletal system and held themup on the brothers so they could get an idea ofbasic anatomy.I washed the floors of the centers whereexcrement accumulated and one day was aboutto wring out the mop of filth when a youngJamaican child resident reached for that samemop and exclaimed with pride, “No, Miss,that is my job in the family!” Tears filled myeyes as I had experienced the presence of theLord there.Tom RemembersWheelchairs and wheel chair repairs werea big problem at the centers, Tom explained. Icarried a suitcase filled with wheelchair partsand traveled from center to center trying to fixand repair what was already there. I still havethat suitcase!Father Art Newell retired from active ministryin New York and came to live with the Brothers.His job every day was to wash clothes on theground floor and carry the wet basket to thesweltering second floor of Good Shepherdto hang them. He celebrated his fiftiethanniversary of Priesthood at a moving liturgyin Jamaica and I can remember the amazedfaces of his family as I took pictures from thealtar. They were so moved by the beauty of theMass and his happiness at being part of theirlives. I am happy to know that he was buried inJamaica in such a beautiful place on Mt. Tabor.Mr. Johnson lived with the Brothers. Hisone job was to be the guard and greeter at thegates of Corpus Christi. He welcomed all thevisitors and opened the gates every time thebrothers vans would come through, which, inthose days, was often as Corpus Christi wasthe only residence of the Brothers. He tookhis job to heart and did it well as he loved theMissionaries of the Poor and loved to welcomevisitors to the missions. He was grateful to havea home.My initial trip with 9 other parishionersfound us leaving in an ice and snow stormarriving in Jamaica in blazing sun. Our firstday consisted of visiting each of Father HoLung’s facilities and getting the lay of the land.That evening, Father told us that the Brothersneeded some time off for prayer and a day ofretreat. We would be in charge the followingday and take over their duties. Needless to saywe all were a little worried taking charge ofsomething we knew nothing about.Continued on page 15

September 20, 2012 | Issue 4 | Vol. 4www.olgcnj.orgTwenty Years of Jamaican MemoriesContinued from page 14We all teamed up, broke into groups andwent to the facilities the next day. I was in thefacility that housed men and most of our dutiesconsisted of washing, shaving, and feeding themen. I also cleaned and repaired anything andeverything. It was in doing these menial tasksthat I saw the presence of the Lord and thegospel stories started to come alive.After my first trip I was “Ho Lunged,”meaning that my life changed. I was bound anddetermined that I would do whatever I could tosee that Father had what he needed to sustainlife to the poor I meet.Msgr. McGovern asked if each of us wouldspeak during Mass the following Sunday andshare our experiences. We mentioned thedesperate need for funds especially in needwas to pay off a $3000.00 water bill. We alsoasked for food, clothing and medical supplies.At the end of Mass, a parishioner handed oneof us volunteers and enveloped and walkedaway without saying a word and the envelopecontained enough monies to pay off the waterbill. More donations came pouring in and thatgenerosity has never stopped. Our parish notonly paid the water bill but fed the hungry andclothed the naked.I found myself asking for all sorts of suppliesfor the missions and one of the people Iasked was a former Navy pal who was still onactive duty. I asked if the Navy could supplymattresses as the mattresses being used at thefacilities were beyond words to describe theircondition.The Navy came through as always with 500mattresses and I took anther trip to Jamaica tocoordinate their arrival. The Navy had madethe arrangements with the Jamaican governmentto come into port however the person in chargeof the port didn’t get the word. What a surpriseit was to see a USS Navy ship coming into portand unloading all these mattresses!Our parish continued to send trucks full ofmedical supplies, food, clothing, and beddingover the next years. What fun it was to goon mission and see things that we packed inHeritage House being used in Jamaica. Packingsupplies for the missions started to be a prettybig job but thanks to the youth group, REstudents and adults, the job was completedeach time. Over the first few years of our parishbeing involved with Fr. Ho Lung’s missions,we provided funding for two dormitories,remodeled bathrooms, and even paid for anurse to be at the facilities.I also enjoyed coordinating Father HoLung’sconcerts held at OLGC and other parishes inthe area. Our home was concert central formany years. I was excited to help bring theconcerts to our parish because I had seen theThe Good Counsel Courier | 15concerts in Jamaica and knew that they wereone of a kind.A few evenings that we were on mission wewould help with the concerts by selling ticketsand programs after our day at the facilities.One evening after a tiring hot day, we returnedto our rooms only to find out that the city hadturned off the water to sections of town.The good sisters of the convent that we werestaying with knew we would need water butcould only manage to get two liters of coldwater to us on our return. Sister said to us,“At least, you can brush your teeth and in themorning we should have water again.” Afterpassing the water from room to room, we hadone whole liter left as each person wanted theother to have what remained. Talk about theloaves and fishes! Each of us could have drunka whole liter after our hot day. This is just asmall example of how we all cared foreach other on our trips. The followingday we found out that there wasanother convent close by with constantwater supply plus a pool. All our tripsare not at Immaculate ConceptionConvent.I also enjoyed many other tripsto Jamaica for special occasions andevents. My last trip to the Missionfield was in 2000 traveling to Haitiand being present when the chapel ourparish funded was dedicated.The Parish of Our Lady of GoodCounsel gratefully acknowledgesthe exemplary leadership of ThomasMcCorkell in the mission field andon August 27, 2012, in honor ofthe parish’s twenty years of missioninvolvement, the parish presented Tomwith a plaque to honor his dedicationto the Mission Church. WinstonChurchill once wrote, “We make alife by what we give.” Thank you formaking your life here at Good Counselsuch an example of selfless giving!

16 | The Good Counsel Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 4 | September 20, 2012www.olgcnj.orgHealthy School LunchesBy Christine DashOLGC finds a “fresh start” to the newschool year, even in the cafeteria. In responseto the growing national health crisis amongadolescents and teens across the country, and inan effort to educate and lead by example, ourschool has taken great strides to make currentschool lunch offerings nutritious and delicious.After surveying parents and students, wefound that not only did many parents want tosee healthier options for their children, butthe kids also told us they really do like healthyfoods, too!Take one glance at the new and improvedmenu and you will see the positive changes.Most notably - no more fried foods on themenu! Breads are whole wheat, while morefresh vegetables and fruits have been added tothe daily offerings.Chef Salads and Chicken Caesar Salads areoffered daily, along with sandwiches featuringlean meats and whole wheat breads/wraps.Ice cream is low-fat and served only once perweek, and cookies are now 1 oz., complyingwith state nutrition guidelines.Snacks such as potato chips are all bakedand milk is 1% or skim; chocolate milk is fatfree.Such positive changes would not becomplete without educating our students onthe importance of nutrition and exercise! Tokick things off, Rock Star Nutritionist “Jill Jayne”will visit Good Counsel with a fun assemblyfocusing on nutrition September 26.Sodexo, our current food service, will sendtheir Mascot “Lift-Off” to visit the cafeteria andFrom the left Gianna Giangreco , Riley Hiller, and Demetrios Fifis display their nutritious lunches. Photo by ChristineDashget kids excited about coloring their plates withlots of healthy fruits and vegetables. We’ll alsohold monthly tastings as chefs will preparehealthy new offerings for the students to try.These are just a few of the upcoming eventscentered around nutrition and wellness hereat OLGC. There’s lots more to come. In fact,we’ve formed a “Wellness Committee” and ourgoal is to promote the health and well-being ofour students. This goal will be accomplished byensuring that a nutritious, well-balanced lunchis available to our students.We will promote sound eating habits, fostergood health and provide additional nutritioneducation beyond what is taught in theclassroom. Through words and actions, we willeducate our children about the importance ofhealthy eating and exercise. In the end, we’dlike every child to be armed with knowledge tomake good choices so they can truly becomethe stewards of their own health.For parents who have children with foodallergies and are looking for information onfood offered at school, Christine Dash will serveas liaison. She can be reached at 609-332-6266.Kindergarten boys walk in line to enter schoolfor their first day.Mrs. Adams and Mrs. Wolfram get the Kindergarten boys in order fortheir first day of school on Thursday, September 6.

September 20, 2012 | Issue 4 | Vol. 4www.olgcnj.orgThe Good Counsel Courier | 17Blessing of AnimalsBanner Sendingand Banner ReceivingMrs. Kolb’s sixth grade class each years makes banners for the children ofJamaica. This summer, we had the opportunity to present the banner toFranciscan Missionary, Sister Trinita, on her summer trip to visit family inNew Jersey. Dr. Dix will present the banner to the children of St. FrancisPrimary School during Easter break, 2013.The Blessing of animals is a “treasured” event at Our Lady’s Parish.Please join us for the annual arrival of pets to the parish parking lot onSaturday, September 29th following the 9 a.m. Mass.St. Francis of Assisi expressed a great love of the wonders of natureand living creatures which God placed on earth to keep us companyon our journey to God. He invites us to form one family with allcreatures and to sing out in praise to God with the words from hisfamous Canticle of the Creatures, a prayer treasure of our faith:Most high, all-powerful, all-good Lord!All praise is yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing…All praise be yours, my Lord,Through all that you have made,And fist my lord Brother Sun, who brings the dayAnd light you give us through him.How beautiful is he, how radiant in all his splendor!Of you, Most High, he bears the likenessAll praise be yours, my Lord,Through Sister Moon and Stars,In the heavens you have made them bright and precious and fair.All praise be yours, my Lord,Through Brothers, Wind and Air,And fair and stormy, all the weather’s moods,By which you cherish all that you have made.All praise be yours, my Lord,Through Sister Water, so useful, lowly, precious, and pure.All praise be yours, my Lord.Through Brother Fire,Through whom you brighten up the night.How beautiful is he, how merry!Full of power and strength.All praise be yours, my Lord,Through Sister Earth, our mother,Who feeds us in her sovereignty and producesVarious fruits and colored flowers and herbs…Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks,And serve with great humility.

18 | The Good Counsel Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 4 | September 20, 2012www.olgcnj.orgSummer Religious Education: Bright and Beautiful DaysBy Dr. Linda M. DixBright and beautiful days of summerReligious Education filled Our Lady of GoodCounsel Parish during the first two weeks ofAugust. Over three hundred children, teens,and catechists participated at daily Mass, inexciting catechesis, and creative catecheticalactivities throughout the weeks.Teachers also availed themselves of theopportunity to use technology in the classroomthrough I Pad Videos which they created inclass, Sadlier on-line interactive activities, andthe parish website Tour of the Church.Generous donations of food and crayons,HCA mite boxes, and literacy supplies forJamaica, Camden, and North Philadelphia weregratefully received. Food donations went toCatholic Charities Emergency Services, our ownfood pantry, and the ecumenical pantry of St.Matthew’s Church of the local Ministerium forthose locally in need.In addition, fifth graders made sandwichesfor the Cathedral Kitchen of Camden. MeghanVizzard, eighth grader, also spoke to the fifthgraders about her special Cozies 4 Chemoblankets which she makes for children ill withcancer. She actually taught the fifth gradershow to make the blankets and in Meghan’sown words, “It was great to see how excitedthey were to make the blankets. The fiveblankets that they made will be deliveredto the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’sCancer Center next week. They gave the gift ofcomfort.”The week was filled with good things andculminated with a prayer service of classactivities which summarized what the studentslearned in their religious education classes.These included: posters, videos, poems, crafts,banners, songs, raps, and special works of artwhich will travel with Dr. Dix to the children ofJamaica in the spring.Teachers were creative, enthusiastic, andfilled with energy which was totally contagious!Father Matthew and Father Damian guidedthe children each day at Mass through theirhomilies and celebration of Mass and thechildren grew in their love and knowledge ofGod each day. The confirmands and teens whohelped this year shared a very special love ofGod which they witnessed through their faitheach and every day while helping teachersthroughout the week.Seventh graders participated in a SpiritDay on Tuesday, August 7 at Evergreens anddelighted the residents there with their triviaknowledge of sports, history, and global events.They played summer Bingo, Scrabble, andarranged flowers with the residents and enjoyeda balloon throw with all present. Our thanksis also extended to Father Martin, chaplainat Evergreens, and his staff, for their carefulorganization and gracious welcome of our teensand young people present. Mr. Fred Baxter,parishioner and Super Bowl winner, spoketo the children about fulfilling personal owngoals, remaining in school, respect to parents,and most of all, being generous to those inneed. Enjoy our pictures of two weeks of God’slove shared and lived by all! Our various thankyou notes throughout the week encompass thegenerosity that was shared!Well-done to all whomade this year’s SummerRE Experience so ALIVE!Our Lady of GoodCounsel Parish extendstheir gratitude to thefollowing catechists,teens, and parishioners:Father Damian, FatherMatthew, The 9:00o’clockers, LauraKowalick, Jean Kutteroff,Kaley Kuteroff, SueDowiak, MauraRafferty, StephanieCaira, Joyce Phillips,Angela O’Connor,Cathy Walsh, Susan McChesney, KristinJakubowski, Dina Corrado, Steve Tourtual, JulieShawaryn, Colleen McGrath, Lucille Shenot,Sue Bielawski, Christine Holmbeck, SarahWadja, Hope Blanch, Barbara McCandless, LisaHubbard, Kieran Schwarz, Cyndy Pappaterra,Dina McCabe, Michele Ginley, Lucy Graham,Lisa Kolb, Carmen Plant, Karen McDonough,Kim Huyhn, Jeanna Vizzard and WendyBartlett.Teen Helpers: Ava Malatesta, Alex Wagner,Jessice Saludades, Meghan Vizzard, LukePeters, Ryan Hogan, Kyle Hogan, Alex Ciniglia,Brianna Mateo, Kaitlyn Valentino, StevenWasdyke, Michael Shenot, Peter Wajda,Jack Goettle, Barb McCandless, Ethan Huyn,Brendon Hafner, Gianna Pappaterra, NicoDennis, Reed Kienzle and Tom Wagner.Excerpts from Thank You notes received:“Hello Ministerium Friends,We have again reached a serious need forfood for the Ministerium Pantry. We helped41 families yesterday alone and may reach asmany as 80 patrons by the end of the month.We received very generous donations from OurLady of Good Counsel Parish for which we aremost thankful.”Rev. Ingrid Wengert, St. MatthewLutheran Church, Ministerium PantryDear Dr. Dix,Thank you for allowing me to tell the fifthgrader R.E. Class about Cozies 4 Chemo. Ienjoyed sharing our mission with them andteaching them how the blankets are made. Thepatients are often cold during their treatmentsand are very thankful to get a new blanket thatis both cheery and warm. Thank you againfor helping us spread the word about Cozies4 Chemo. Your generosity will help us tocontinue “Giving the Gift of Comfort.”Meghan Vizzard, Grade 8Dear Religious Education Students,I am writing to thank you for delivering the300 sandwiches and 30 toiletry bags to theCathedral Kitchen on behalf of Our Lady ofGood Counsel Religious Education Program. Itwas nice of you to think of our dinner guestsin such a thoughtful way. With the help ofmany generous donors, the Cathedral Kitchenserves over 8500 meals a month to the poorand hungry that live in Camden. The staffFootball star and child advocate, Fred Baxter, spoke to summer Religious Educationstudents about giving time and talents to those in need as he also personallyphotographed pictures for all.and volunteers at the Kitchen make sure thateveryone who comes for dinner is treated to ameal with dignity and respect. Thank you foryour support of our mission here in Camden.We loved the place mats too!Karen A. Talarico, Executive DirectorOur Summer Prayer, 2012Thank you, God, for this amazing class.We were all very respectful at daily Mass.We learned religion every day,And had some fun along with way.In our class we made a prayer chain.To share with God prayers, different and the same.We know all of these prayers God will hear.For these prayers hold our dreams for the world andsome of our fears.We pray for world peace among the nations.And that the Olympics can spark peaceful relations.We pray for the athletes and who they representAnd we know that each person used the gifts thatGod sent.We pray for our family that we love tons.From the youngest members to the oldest ones.The pets that we care for all year roundMay they be blessed by God, kept safe and sound.We pray for those in unfortunate places.That we can help to put smiles on their faces.We hold Haiti and Jamaica close to our hearts.And pray for them, even though we are far apart.We should never forget the ones close to home.The sick, homeless, hungry, and those alone.Help us to comfort them in their times of needWhether it’s company, clothes, or food or feed.May we be respectful of God’s beautiful Earth.To preserve the environment and appreciate itsworth.For every service person, missionary, and priest wepray,That God keeps them safe from harm every day.Thank you to all that made these weeks so great.Your hard work and love is something we appreciate.God bless everyone that is here today.May God fill your lives with love, laughter, and faithalong the way.Written by the Fourth Grade Class of Sue Bielawskiand Christine Holmbeck

September 20, 2012 | Issue 4 | Vol. 4www.olgcnj.orgThe Good Counsel Courier | 19Our Lady of Good Counsel School – A Model of SuccessBy Michelle MolzThis fall, we welcome 80 new students to our school, and are happyto report a healthy increase in enrollment in both the main school and theEarly Childhood Center. More than 50 families attended the New ParentSocial on Sept. 6, and enjoyed meeting new friends and learning abouthow to get involved in our wonderful school.We are fortunate to have a very supportive pastor, an excellent, handsonprincipal and an experienced, caring faculty and staff. Our school hasalways enjoyed a strong Catholic identity and is generously supported byparishioners and committed parents who consistently volunteer their time,talent and treasure.The school’s success has not gone unnoticed by Bishop DavidO’Connell, who has invited Father Damian to serve on his Commissionfor the Sustainability of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Trenton.The Commission will review issues such as academics, finance,development, governance and leadership, marketing and public relations,and Catholic identity in schools throughout the diocese.At the end of the year-long process, the Commission will makerecommendations to the Bishop regarding best practices in those areas.The information will be used to help ailing schools as well as bolsterthose that are doing well. The diocese currently has 36 elementaryschools, 8 high schools, 4 private and one special-needs school.In other news, the school facility was renovated this summer, includingpainting of hallways and classrooms and the removal of popcorn ceilings.New air conditioning units were installed in the Early Childhood Centerand the cafeteria will receive air conditioning units this month.Principal Jerome McGowan said the school is revising its acceptableuse policy for technology to allow students in the upper grades to usedevices such as Kindles and iPads in the classroom for educationalpurposes. He also said he anticipates the school will be backpack-freewithin the next few years.For more information about our school, or to arrange a tour, please callSecretary Lorraine Turowski, 856-235-7885 or email school@olgcnj.org.Visit us on the web at www.olgcnj.org/schoolLike us on Facebook for updated news and events! OLGC.Moorestown.Danyle & Chris Heilig and their son’s Cooper and Declan joined in the fun meeting allthe new school families and PTA members had at the New Parents Social Thursday,September 7th.PTA members, Michelle Burghardt and Joanne Dickson (3rd and 4th from left) welcomenew family members’ Denise Colacci (1st from left), and Nancy and John Leuizzi (2ndand 5th from left)The cafeteria was packed with many new families who attended the New Parents Social Thursday, September 7th.Father Damian and Marketing Director,Michelle Molz, welcome the new familiesto the school at the New Parents Social.Bishop Ahr Endowment fund awardedThe Diocese of Trenton has awarded Good Counsel an $1,100.00 grant from the BishopAhr Endowment fund that has allowed the special needs program of our parish to purchasecommunication equipment to maximize the learning abilities, independence and qualityof communal prayer among our special needs children.The Knights of Columbus have also awarded money to us for the purchase of othertechnology equipment as well.The diocesan decision was based on Our Lady of Good Counsel having 47% of ourcatechists certified Level 2/3 and 90% certified Level 1.

20 | The Good Counsel Courier Vol. 4 | Issue 4 | September 20, 2012www.olgcnj.org