Local News

Adrian Rea Literacy Center open house
Are you a parent or grandparent who wants to be able to read to your child or grandchild? Do you know someone who wishes they could read this? For over 20 years, the sisters have successfully taught thousands of people basic literacy skills at their centers.
The Adrian Rea Literacy Center offers free one-to-one tutoring for adults 18 years and older who wish to learn to read, write, do basic math, or improve these skills. Registrations are being taken for both learners as well as those interested in tutoring.
The Adrian Rea Literacy Center is dedicated to the memory of one of the Adrian Dominican members, Sister Mary Richard Rea, who was a member of the Congregation for 64 years and an educator for 48 of those years.
The center is located at the east end of the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ campus on Siena Heights Drive. Look for the signs posted at the last driveway into the campus. For more information call 517.266.4260.
Photo: Adrian Rea Literacy Center staff; (L to R) Sister Carleen Maly, Sister Marie Schoenlein, Sister Sarah Cavanaugh, and Marcia Cole

Teens Dance for Those Who Can’t surpasses goal, raises over $8,000
for Clinton County CAN Council!
On the night of Friday, Aug. 1 more than 130 St. Johns teens danced for 10 straight hours to raise money for Clinton County Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Council. The mission of the CAN Council is to educate and inform people in Clinton County about issues regarding child abuse and neglect; and to work together as a council to develop and support programs to strengthen the children and families of Clinton County.
During the summer teens solicited donations from individuals and local companies. Teens Dance for Those Who Can’t dance-a-thon, in its second year, raised $8,000 for Clinton County CAN Council. In 2007, the teens raised money for the Leukemia andLymphoma Society. Teens from the various churches will soon be meeting to choose a cause for the 2009 dance-a-thon.

Annual Picnic at Rainbow Homes
a Christian based non-profit supported living for adults cognitive disabilities in Holt, Mich. It celebrated its ninth year of service by holding a ‘60s picnic on Sun., Aug.10. Residents wore sixties attire and welcomed over 150 people attending this potluck picnic. In attendance were family, friends, organizations and advocates for persons with disAbilities. All enjoyed music, food and community building. To find more information on Rainbow Homes and the programs offered, please visit their Web site at rainbow-homes.org.

Howell, Owosso and Laingsburg youths attend World Youth Day in Australia
By Jonathan Hill
Twenty people in a combined group from St. John Catholic Church in Howell, St. Paul in Owosso and St. Isidore in Laingsburg left on July 9, flying for 30 hours to reach Sydney, Australia. For the first four days they participated in the Days in the Diocese program. This program has pilgrims traveling to World Youth Day stay with host families in parishes near Sydney. They stayed at St. Joseph in Cessnock, a small coal-mining town.
During the next few days people shared their culture and faith through a number of different events. One memorable event occurred while they were guests of honor at a dinner at the local Serviceman’s Club. The evening consisted of praise music, dancing by pilgrims from Tongo and a Renaissance bunny-fencing skit. It was a great evening with people from two sides of the world learning about one another. The Holy Spirit was evident in everything that happened from the welcoming meals, to the stay with the host families, to the regional Mass for all the pilgrims in the surrounding towns.
Next, the group left their host families and traveled to Sydney for the World Youth Day week of events. The first major event was the opening Mass presided by Cardinal George Pell of the Diocese of Sydney. It was held at Banangeroo, an open area along Darling Harbor. Due to the overwhelming crowds they watched the Mass at the Sydney Opera House on large screens. For many of the group, this was their first World Youth Day, their first experience of such tremendous crowds, varieties of cultures and the great love and comradeship among all these people. It is an was experience difficult to describe in words and very powerful.
Wednesday was the start of a special set of events for them. The mornings of Wednesday through Friday were times of catechesis. These took place at a number of venues throughout Sydney, featuring praise and worship music, chances to share faith with others from around the world, celebrate Mass and receive catechesis from a bishop. These were special for the group because their youth minister, Jonathan Hill, was asked by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops to be an animator of catechesis.
The animator is responsible for MCing the event, preparing the international groups for catechesis, helping prepare the Mass at the venue and working with the music team and the bishop. In order to carry out all these tasks the animator puts together an animating team. The animating team consisted of Allyse Rammage and Kim Hagadorn, who are youth from St. John Catholic Church youth group and Jennifer Giddings and Taylor Ballou from St. Paul in Owosso. Their venue was at St. Jerome Parish in Punchbowl, Australia, a suburb of Sydney. During the three days of catechesis they welcomed Rt. Bishop Arthur Roche of Leeds in the United Kingdom, Bishop Precioso Canilla of Maasin in the Philippines and Bishop Colin David Campbell of Dunedib in New Zealand. Each bishop spoke about a different aspect of the Holy Spirit. The theme of this World Youth Day was Acts 1:8; You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses.
It was an amazing experience for them to hear what each of the bishops had to say about the Holy Spirit. The topics ranged from methods of evangelization, the importance of daily prayer and how the Holy Spirit works in their daily lives. With the assistance of the animating team people were able to ask questions of each bishop, an opportunity not many people receive. The team was complimented by the bishops, WYD staff and the local parish priests for the work they did preparing and running the catechesis sessions. These individuals were great representatives of the Lansing Diocese at this international event.
Other highlights were the welcoming of the pope on Thursday and the evening vigil and final Mass with the pope. The welcoming was a large event that stretched along Sydney Harbor. Pilgrims gathered as the pope made his way by boat along the shore to Banagaroo for his address. The group was very lucky. They were able to get within 10 feet of him and his popemobile as he made his way to the stage. He welcomed the pilgrims, often in their native languages. His address highlighted the importance of being a witness for Christ, the growing threat of relativism and the idea that there are no absolute truths left in the world. He encouraged young people to not leave God on the sidelines but to be witnesses to him. This message was continued at the vigil and final Mass at Ranwick Racecourse. There were about 350,000 people, one of the biggest gatherings in Australian history. To attend the group walked 5.5 miles to the vigil site where they slept overnight under the stars. This experience of faith sharing will stay with them for the rest of their lives. (8/11/08)

World Youth Day, a life-altering experience By Jennifer Delvaux
Why would you brave a 14-hour overseas flight, nearly missed international connections, 50¾ weather in July, bland chicken stew, endless hours of waiting, over- crowded public transportation and, in general, two weeks of chaos? Well, because World Youth Day is a life-altering experience.
You brave an overnight campout at a racecourse because conversing with people from Tonga, playing Uno with pilgrims from the United Arab Emirates, praying with 200,000 in a candlelight vigil and a concluding Mass with 450,000 is life changing. You learn more of the world, more of yourself, more of your faith and more of your God.
You brave three hours of waiting on a concrete venue in the afternoon sun because you know that you want to have a good view of the giant screen when the living Stations of the Cross begin. You brave the cold wind off the bay because the sight of an Aboriginal man in traditional garb portraying Simon the Cyrene took your breath away.
You brave the unknown of a new continent, of staying with host families, of being away from all that is familiar because you will find a home and family. You find a home with your host family during Days in the Diocese program. You find family with pilgrims from Spain, South Africa, the Philippines, Brazil and California.
We braved World Youth Day, not because we wanted a vacation, but because we were on a pilgrimage. We return with memories, friendships and a mission.
Pope Benedict in his homily from the closing Mass at Randwick, “Dear young friends, the Lord is asking you to be prophets of this new age, messengers of his love, drawing people to the Father and building a future of hope for all humanity.” (8/9/08)

The history of the International Eucharistic Congress By Tucker Cordani
The first International Eucharistic Congress was held in Lille, France in 1881 and gathered about 300 communicants. In an increasingly secular and anti-Catholic environment, Bishop Gaston de Segur established the congress to encourage deeper eucharistic devotion and meditation on the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
Over the course of many decades, the format of the congresses have evolved and now they attract tens of thousands of participants from around the world for a week of celebration, catecheses, adoration and commitments to aid the poor.
Public events, such as the Station Orbits, draw huge crowds. In Toulouse, France, the site of the fifth congress, held in June 1886, 1,500 priests and 30,000 laypeople attended. Four years later, in Antwerp, Belgium, it was estimated that 150,000 people gathered for the solemn benediction.
Special importance was attached to the eighth congress, held in Jerusalem in 1893, where an adoration of the Eucharist was held on the spot where tradition holds the agony in the garden took place.
Each time the congress was held in a particular country, it left behind so much interest local churches began holding their own congresses. Local Eucharistic Congresses were first held in the United States in Saint Louis (1901), New York (1905) and Pittsburg (1907).
At that time the international office began to publish and distribute volumes containing copies of speeches and sermons given at the congresses.
In the 20th Century, Pope Pius X called for the congress to be held at Rome. Pope Pius's own devotion to the Eucharist and the success of the Rome congress led to his decree Tridentia Synodus, calling for daily reception of Holy Communion.
The Second Vatican Council (1962-65) called for a renewal of the IEC mission and for greater social concern. In 1964 Pope Paul VI took part in the last two days of the congress held at Bombay, a trip that included a visit with the city's poor.
At the 49th International Eucharistic Congress Pope Benedict XVI delivered a homily via satellite at an outdoor mass of 50,000 faithful. The remote homily is not unusual for a congress: John Paul the Great delivered one for the 48th Congress in Mexico in 2004.
The 50th International Eucharistic Congress is scheduled to be held in Dublin, Ireland in 2012. Sources: 49th International Eucharistic Congress 2008; Catholic Encyclopedia. (8/4/08)

A devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe achieves miraculous results (WC 505)
Alicia Wong has a deep devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Now living in the Ann Arbor area with her husband, Fermin, and family of three, Alicia is known in the area for her school and radio talks on Our Lady’s apparition to Juan Diego and on the Guadalupe image. Alicia has also become devoted to the pro-life cause. And as co-director of the Guadalupe Partners, her work in the pro-life area has achieved miraculous results.
The work began several years ago when, as a mother of a third grader at Spiritus Sanctus Academy in Ann Arbor, she began to accompany the eighth grade class on its prayer visits to a local abortion clinic. The eighth grade teacher, Edmund Miller, had since the late 80s done occasional sidewalk counseling. He often approached couples entering the clinic while he and his class were there. On one particular occasion he approached a Spanish-speaking couple, but because he couldn’t speak Spanish, they continued to move beyond him into the clinic. Alicia stepped in, her first attempt at sidewalk counseling resulted in the couple deciding not to enter. That summer Alicia and Miller, without the students, continued sidewalk counseling at the facility. A year and a half later, unable to pay his bills, the abortionist was evicted.
Alicia and Miller, now known as the Guadalupe Partners, decided to move their operations to an abortion clinic in Dearborn. They soon realized that the sidewalk counseling experience at this location was different. The women were often in desperate circumstances. Almost all were without consistent male support; wages were minimum or non-existent; diapers and formula were expensive and difficult to obtain; and utility costs, especially in winter, were unaffordable. The Guadalupe Partners decided to help by offering material assistance, and the single mothers accepted.
Since 50% to 60% of the clients were Spanish speaking, Alicia became their primary source of encouragement and support. Alicia helped them though the social welfare process; through the emotional trauma caused by abusive men; through the hot, uncomfortable months of pregnancy; and often through the birth process itself.
A year and a half later, more than 90 women have chose against having an abortion and have received assistance from the Guadalupe Partners. Alicia believes that what is truly important is not the check, the groceries or the diapers but the trust and respect the diapers and groceries symbolize.
The devotion Alicia has to Our Lady of Guadalupe has truly blessed the Partners. It has now grown to six core members. It will soon open Guadalupe House in Ypsilanti. This facility has the capacity to house two or three single mothers. Alicia and the Partners believe the house will provide a third step in opening the mother to life. The first step is rejecting the temptation of abortion. The second is moving beyond the material crises in her life and the third is to become settled in a stable environment.
For contact information, see guadalupepartners.org (8/4/08)

St. Michael Parish School, Grand Ledge, earned the Michigan Green School designation
St. Michael Parish School in Grand Ledge recently earned the Michigan Green School designation in accordance with the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of 1994, Section 324.2511. St. Michael is the first elementary school in Eaton County to receive this designation and one of only three schools in the Tri-County area to become a Green School.
St. Michael achieved this designation by surpassing the criteria required to become a Green School. Some of the school’s accomplishments include recycling an estimated 3,160 pounds of paper per year, recycling 100 ink jet cartridges per year, establishing unique recycling programs for items such as CDs, DVDs, athletic shoes and reading glasses, incorporating reuse programs in the school for newspaper and magazines, and initiating energy savings programs that have saved an estimated $1,000 in energy costs.
St. Michael School has incorporated environmental stewardship into classroom education for many years. All grades learn that the Earth is a wonderful gift from God and that they are called to be stewards of this magnificent planet he has entrusted to them.
St. Michael is committed to the ideals behind the Green School Program and plans to expand environmental programs within the school, parish and community. Plans are underway to host a parish-wide athletic shoe recycling collection, establish a rain garden on school grounds and develop a composting program that would help fertilize the parish’s Garden of Hope, which grows vegetables for the local food bank.
The Green School designation is a cumulative effort of school staff, students and the parish community. The efforts to seek a Green School designation were led by the Parish Earth Care Team (ECT), which is comprised of parish and school staff and parish members. The ECT developed a campaign to create hype and peak interest among schoolchildren about the school’s stewardship efforts, Earth Day and the Green School designation. The campaign included a series of Something Green Is Coming posters throughout the school that asked students: Are you ready for the green thing? It also included signs with simple, yet powerful environmental facts.
“We are thrilled to be a leader in caring for our Earth,” said Principal Mitzi Luttrull. “To be designated as a Green School is quite an honor. Protecting our environment is something our whole student body can participate in. This is just the beginning of where we want to be in terms of taking care of the Earth God entrusted to us." For more information, please contact Mitzi Luttrull, principal at 517.627.2167.

Bringing Up Geeks: How to Protect Your Kid’s Childhood in a Grow-Up-Too-Fast World
By Marybeth Hicks
If someone calls a child a “geek,” should a parent be flattered or offended? Would parents prefer a child that’s “cool” or a “brainiac?” And what makes a “cool” kid anyway? Is it an attitude or an appearance? These are just some of the questions author, newspaper columnist, FAITH Magazine columnist, radio host and mother of four Marybeth Hicks raises in her provocative new book.
In Bringing Up Geeks, Marybeth Hicks takes an in-depth look at today’s “culture of cool” and how it’s radically altered what we now know as childhood. “Today’s kids can become cynical – even jaded – as they absorb the dangerous messages and harmful influences of a dominant popular culture that encourages materialism, high-risk behaviors and a state of pseudo-adulthood,” writes Hicks.
As a way to help combat “coolness,” Hicks teaches parents how to reclaim their kid’s childhood and encourages them to raise Genuine, Enthusiastic, Empowered Kids by offering ten goal-oriented strategies and action steps that will:
• Promote innocence over exploitation
• Instill a sense of substance over the superficial
• Nurture a child’s individuality and help build their self-esteem
• Establish family morals, conduct and discipline
• Encourage children to be successes in and outside of the classroom
As Marybeth Hicks knows and discusses in Bringing Up Geeks, there is no easy, stress-free path for raising kids. But by applying the lessons in this book not only will parents have success in raising an “uncool” kid, but they will ensure that the child will grow into the kind of adult the world needs more of.
Berkley Trade Paper Original, ISBN 978-0-425-22156-3; $14.00, publication date: July 1, 2008

Internship in Spiritual Direction, Sept. 2008 – May 2010
St. Francis Retreat Center and the Dominican Center for Religious Development is offering an internship in spiritual direction at St. Francis Retreat and Conference Center, 703 E. Main, DeWitt, MI 48820, telephone 517.669.8321 or visit www.stfrancis.ws
Spiritual Direction is a pastoral ministry in which one Christian assists another to pay
attention to God's personal communication to her or him, to respond personally to this
God, to grow in intimacy and to live out the consequences of the relationship.
For additional information and application materials or to arrange an initial interview, please call, e-mail or write: Rosemarie Kieffer, OP, Director Dominican Center for Religious Development, 23333 Schoolcraft Road, Detroit, MI 48223, Phone: 313.387.9574, E-mail: info@dominicancenter.org. Website: www.dominicancenter.org
Application deadline: We ask that prospective interns have their materials in by June 1, 2008. We are aware that circumstances may require a revised timeline and we will accept applications beyond that date. (517) 669-8321