September 19, 2002

St. Augustine women plan annual activities

The women of St. Augustine Catholic Church are planning their annual activities for women. The first activity is a Fashion Show scheduled for Sun., Sept. 29, 4:00 p.m. at St. Augustine Church, W.P. Porter Gymnasium. The theme is "Fierce 2002." Sheila Lomax, first time chairperson of women's events, said, "This year's show promises to be even more spectacular than the last. We'll be showcasing fashions from The Children's Palace, Ashley Stewart, Colbert's' Jessica McClintock, Constance Love's Boutique, K & G and more."

Prizes will be given to the "Best Dressed Male" and "Best Dressed Female" in the audience. Other prizes will be awarded during the show. Janeen Gordon of Radio K97 FM will be one of the judges. Stanley Smith, director of Erole Expose Modeling Troupe will be the show's commentator. Models of all ages, male and female will be featured.

Tickets are $10 for adults, and for children ages 10 and under tickets may be purchased at the door for $5.

Future events include a Women's Emotional Health Seminar on Oct. 13, following the 11:00 a.m. Mass, and Women's Day on Oct. 20 at 4:00 p.m.

Oktoberfest returns to Paris Oct. 5

Holy Cross Church in Paris will host its 20^th annual Oktoberfest celebration all day Saturday, Oct. 5. Food, games, prizes, and live entertainment are just part of the fun being offered; close to 100 local and regional merchants will have booths set up on the grounds as well. All people buying meal tickets ($5) will have their names automatically entered for one of five spectacular door prizes (and winners do NOT have to be present at the time of drawing). For more information, contact Holy Cross at (731) 642-4681.

Sacred Heart staff member named Bernardin Scholar

Three years ago, after graduating from the University of Saint Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Therese Cullen came to Memphis for an eight-day Ignatian retreat at His Way Center for Spiritual Growth in Frayser. She stayed on to become Sacred Heart Church in Memphis' Associate for Evangelization with the responsibility for connecting the Midtown parish to the work of evangelization in the distressed neighborhood.

After establishing a good working relationship with Associated Catholic Charities, Cullen spent her time and energies generally raising the parish's awareness of the need to work on multiple fronts to proclaim the Gospel. The plight of the homeless, the insanity of war and capital punishment, the careless use of resources — all were continually placed before the parishioners as incompatible with the Gospel of Life. With Cullen's leadership, many parishioners have become articulate supporters of a consistent ethic of life.

The National Board of Advisors for the Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Center at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago has selected Cullen as a Bernardin Scholar. Established to continue the life work and legacy of the deceased Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago, the Bernardin Scholars are selected from an international pool of applicants. As Cullen works on her Master's Degree in Theology, she will be immersed in the "wide range of contemporary ethical and religious issues in a variety of settings" so that she might be further equipped for the task of "making a lasting contribution to the integration of faith and public discourse" as the Cardinal spent his life doing.

Parishioners are, according to Sacred Heart's Pastor, Father Joseph Vu, S.V.D., proud of Therese's work in Memphis and full of confidence that her future will be a blessing for the Church in Chicago. A blessing and farewell celebration are planned for this Sun., Sept. 22 at the 9:30 a.m. Mass at the Midtown parish.

Holy Spirit to sponsor mission of hope, health and healing

What began as a simple medical mission has become a passion for a group of Memphis health care professionals. Under the auspices of Church of the Holy Spirit's Parish Social Ministry, the team was asked to travel to Haiti to perform physicals on students attending L'Ouverture Cleary School, a Haitian orphanage. Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, is a mere two hour plane flight from Miami. What the team witnessed in this country, where it is estimated that two in five children will die before their 5^th birthday, would forever change the nature of their mission. The goal from then on would be to organize more mission trips, recruit more local physicians and round up as much medical supplies, medicines and financial support as possible.

Five years has gone by since that initial eye-opening trip. Under the leadership of Dr. Gordon Kraus, a local internist, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Haiti Medical Missions of Memphis now operates a permanent medical clinic near Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. Physicians and nurses affiliated with many Memphis area hospitals as well as from as far away as Illinois and Texas have traveled to the clinic to help. The team has also included clergy, pharmaceutical representatives, students, medical residents and a fellow. Trips planned for October 2002 and March 2003 will include undergraduate students studying pre-med at Christian Brothers University.

"This has clearly been the work of the Holy Spirit. Ordinarily things happen very slowly in Haiti. The speed with which the clinic has been funded and built manifests the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit. Also, I have been greatly edified by the faith and zeal of Dr. Kraus and the many volunteers who have sacrificed precious time, funds and energy to serve in Haiti," said Fr. Al Kirk, pastor of Holy Spirit Church.

Two Columbian nuns who are registered nurses currently work full-time at the clinic in Haiti, and visiting first-year physicians from Chile are expected to help this fall. Father Joseph Durante, a Scalabrini priest originally from Italy, oversees the St. Charles Seminary, where the clinic is located, and assists Haiti Medical Missions in the day-to-day decisions of the clinic. The clinic is viewed by all that have served there as a state-of-the-art facility.

The entire Haitian community living near the clinic anxiously awaits the return of this group of Memphis-based caregivers. Many walk miles and wait all day in the scorching sun for the chance to see a doctor. With only one doctor for every 8,000 patients and 30 hospitals to serve 7.5 million residents, healthcare is nearly nonexistent in Haiti.

With the clinic in full operation, the need for support has never been greater. That is why Haiti Medical Missions of Memphis organizes an annual fundraising event each October. This year's "24-Hour Tour d'Esprit" will be held Friday October 4 through Saturday, October 5. While it's the only 24-hour foot-racing event in Memphis, you do not have to run or walk for 24 hours straight! Individuals, teams and families run or walk as long or as short as they like during the 24-hour time frame on a certified 1-mile continuous loop course. Individuals throughout the diocese as well as teams from St. Benedict, St. Agnes, St. Dominic, Immaculate Conception and Holy Spirit have all participated in the past.

Other planned activities include: Silent auction of hand-crafted Haitian artwork; Friday evening Pasta Dinner; Saturday morning Pancake Breakfast; Health and Wellness Fair (Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon); and Saturday evening's "Race, Rattle and Roll" post-race party.

The evening will culminate with plenty of food, fun and fellowship. Please consider participating in this year's fundraiser. All proceeds go directly towards operating the clinic and purchasing needed supplies and medicines. To learn more about upcoming medical trips, for more information about the "24-Hour Tour d'Esprit", or to volunteer to help, contact Holy Spirit Parish Social Ministry at 757-9140 or Denice McMahon at 753-0605.

St. Philip Church to hold 4^th annual dinner Oct. 5

The Ladies Guild of St. Philip the Apostle Church in Somerville, will be hosting its 4^th annual spaghetti and meatball dinner this year on Sat., Oct. 5. The delicious sauce and meatballs are made from an authentic Italian recipe and will be served with a green salad, garlic bread, iced tea, lemonade or coffee and a dessert, which are all included in the price of the dinner.

Dinner will be served from 4:00 to 7:30 p.m. in Schaubroeck Hall at St. Philip the Apostle Church, 11710 Highway #64, located west of Somerville across from the John Deere factory. Take-outs will be available, and if you wish, you can call ahead with your order at 465-8685. Adult tickets are $6.00, children 12 and under are $3.00 and children under three are free. Tickets may be purchased in advance from church members or they may be purchased at the door the night of the dinner.

St. Ann's to host annual Special Olympics Fun Day

St. Ann Church in Bartlett is planning its annual Special Olympics Fun Day. Although this is not a Special Olympics sanctioned event; it is a day of fun and fellowship for special children and adults of the Memphis area.

The games will be modeled along the Special Olympics format and will include a number of track and field events as well as events for wheelchair participants. The games are for children age six through adult and will be held on Sat., Oct. 12, at Christian Brothers High School football stadium, 5900 Walnut Grove Road. Registration and check-in will begin at 8:00 a.m. and opening ceremonies will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m.

Once again this year, St. Ann's will offer activities designed for participants age under six. A special tented area set aside for our future Olympians complete with mats, balls and activities. The fun will begin at 9:30 a.m. For more information, call 388-6342.

St. Louis making early plans for 2003 March for Life

The St. Louis Church Pro-Life Committee is making plans for the bus trip to Washington, D.C. for the 30^th annual March for Life.

Busses will depart Memphis at 6:00 p.m. on Mon., Jan 20, 2003 and arrive in D.C., at 1:00 p.m. on Tues., Jan 21. That night, participants will attend the Pro-Life vigil Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. The March for Life, for the unborn, will be held on Wed., Jan 22. Busses will depart D.C. on Thur., Jan. 23, at 1:00 p.m. and arrive in Memphis at 7:00 a.m. on Fri., Jan 24.

Hotel accommodations are being arranged at the Hyatt Capitol Hill (headquarters for the March for Life). The cost ranges from $195 to $390 per person, depending on the number of roommates at the hotel. There is a deposit of $130 for each room due by Fri., Oct. 11.

"The whole diocese is welcome to come," said Libby Parks of the parish's Pro-life Committee. "It is important for our diocese and Tennessee to be well-represented at this national event. But act quickly, space is limited and the hotel will fill up very fast."

If interested, call Kim Sevier 756-8453 or Libby Parks 761-5039 to get a form, or pick one up at St. Louis parish office.

A silent auction will be held again this year from 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. with many interesting and desirable items up for bid. The top bids will be announced at 8:00 p.m. You do not have to be present for the top bid announcements. If you are a top bidder, you will be notified by phone.

The drawing for the winners of the door prizes will begin at 7:30 p.m. You do not have to be present to win, but save your ticket stub for confirmation. Everyone is welcome to join the St. Philip community for a delicious dinner and an exciting silent auction.

OLPH to hold disaster relief classes

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Germantown and the American Red Cross will hold disaster relief/recovery classes in the parish meeting rooms on Tues., Sept. 24, from 6:00-9:00 p.m.; Thur., Sept. 26, 6:00-9:00 p.m.; and Sat. Sept. 28, 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

Parishioners and members of the community who would like to volunteer to become trained personnel for this program are welcome to attend these free classes. Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church will then be ready and able to provide Germantown and surrounding areas with a disaster relief/recovery shelter. To register, call Bridgette Correale at 755-8637.