Good News Abounds at 22Nd Annual Mother Lange Awards,Sister
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Good news abounds at 22nd annual Mother Lange awards WOODLAWN – Given that Sister Rita Michelle Proctor would apply enthusiasm to a reading of the nutritional label on a can of soup, imagine the energy the superior general of the Oblate Sisters of Providence brought to all of the good news she shared in her remarks at the 22nd annual Mother Lange awards banquet Feb. 8 at Martin’s West. Sponsored by the Office of Black Catholic Ministries, the event honors not just contributors to parish life in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, but Mother Lange, who helped found the Oblate Sisters in 1829. Sister Rita Michelle shared that her order’s week began with a 7:30 a.m. liturgy Feb. 3, during which they welcomed their newest postulant, Delphine Okoro. She has a master’s degree in marriage and family counseling, and dual citizenship in Cameroon and Nigeria. “God is still calling women to religious life,” said Sister Rita Michelle, who noted that the Oblate Sisters welcomed Okoro on the anniversary of the day Mother Lange died in 1882. The Mother Lange awards are given for leadership, service and youth ministry, and Sister Rita Michelle also grew effusive when discussing the honorees from the latter category. “These young people have chosen to be active participants, and not just spectators,” Sister Rita Michelle said. The Adams twins, Korey and Keon, high school freshmen at the Academy for College and Career Preparation in Hampden, certainly fit that description. Parishioners of St. Gregory the Great who will receive the sacrament of confirmation March 27, both serve as ushers and in a program that offers meals to those in need. Keon, who previously attended Cardinal Shehan School, hopes to study one of the hard sciences at the University of Maryland in College Park. Korey aims to major in engineering at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. David Anoma, one of the youth recipients from St. Bernardine, happens to be headed to Lincoln University in the fall. His service washighlighted by the Review last March. His parish’s other youth recipient was Symphony Carter, a senior at The Catholic High School of Baltimore, where she’s on the honor roll. The evening included prayer led by Bishop Denis J. Madden and a selection of Gospel hymns from the St. Francis Xavier Praise Ensemble Choir. Thirty-eight men, women and children received awards for Leadership (L), Service (S) and Youth (Y). They are listed below, by parish. St. Ambrose: Reva Stephens, S; Brandon Fields, Y. St. Ann: Dorothy Horton-Brown, L; Rachel Carrenad, S. St. Bernardine: Dolores and Alexander Dixon, L; Denise Carol Francis, S; David Anoma and Symphony Carter, Y. Blessed Sacrament: Wanda Ford, L; Jacqueline Ashun Dadzie, S; Danielle Amaya Nelson, Y. St. Cecilia: Francis Woodus, L; Lori D. Stone, S; Colin Christopher Scott, Y. St. Edward: Bessie Butcher, L; Wayne R. Bridges and Patricia Fitzgerald, S; Mylai Harris, Y. St. Francis Xavier: Sharon Butler, L; Jacquelyn MacArthur Hart, S; Terence DeMello Hare, Y. St. Gregory the Great: Walter Edward Stokes Jr., L; Tanya Leonard, S; Korey Dominic Adams and Keon Stacey Adams, Y. Immaculate Conception: Natalie Dugger Fleming, L; Flo Wilkinson Valentine, S. St. Mary of the Assumption: Janelle Baum, L; Wayne R. Bridges, S. New All Saints: Josef Miller-Henley, L; Carla Jones, S; Niles Hall, Y. St. Peter Claver/St. Pius V: Daphne Hicks, L; Patricia Ames, S. St. Wenceslaus: Doris Campbell, L; Patricia Brown, S; Fred Shoats, S. Email Paul McMullen at [email protected] Sister parishes in Baltimore, Columbia welcome release of archbishop’s reflection on racism Archbishop William E. Lori introduced “The Journey to Racial Justice” to several hundred men, women and children who appeared to be part of the solution to the lingering systemic issues addressed in his latest pastoral reflection. The archbishop’s second reflection on the topic in less than a year was publicly released Jan. 21 at St. Bernardine in West Baltimore. The occasion was the parish’s annual peace walk on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, named for its late pastor, Monsignor Edward M. Miller. It included the remembrance of eight who were shot and killed in the surrounding blocks, but the fellowship in Harcum Hall that followed offered hope for a brighter day. Much of that spirit came courtesy of St. Bernardine’s sister parish, St. John the Evangelist in Columbia, a partnership began when the respective pastors, Monsignor Richard Bozzelli and Father Gerald Bowen, got to brainstorming during the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s annual Catholic Campaign for Human Development awards luncheon. The fruit of their conversation included two busses and four carloads from the Columbia faith community among those who heard Archbishop Lori’s remarks on his new reflection, with his very first recommendation being “Organizing training and resources for conducting forums throughout our institutions to discuss and address the issue of racism.” Father Bowen said his people are moved in part “by a resurgence of racism and hatred. As a church, we want to make a public stand and witness. We stand with St. Bernardine as they continue the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” Mike Lewis, a retired federal employee and parishioner of St. Bernardine for 13 years, was among those familiar with the visitors, “We visited St. John’s for Mass last summer,” Lewis said. “The fellowship and camaraderie were a wonderful experience. To have them come here and experience our community, that’s a blessing. It’s more than just a ‘sister parish’ relationship. I hope this is the beginning of us coming together and having a serious discussion.” In addition to their pastors and Bishop Denis J. Madden, who regularly leads prayer walks in the city, those attending the service included Jesuit Father James Casciotti, pastor of St. Ignatius, and Father Raymond Bomberger, pastor of St. Peter Claver and St. Pius V. Also in attendance were Skipp Sanders, a parishioner of St. Vincent de Paul who helped draft the reflection; Donna Hargens, archdiocesan superintendent of Catholic Schools; Karmen Collins, principal of Ss. James and John Catholic School; and William J. McCarthy, executive director of Catholic Charities of Baltimore. Several city councilmen were also in attendance, along with Baltimore City Polic Chief Melvin T. Russell, acting deputy commissioner. They heard strong words from Archbishop Lori. “Even as we Americans celebrate the inspiring example of Dr. King today, we feel the shame of witnessing public demonstrations of racism, anti-Semitism and intolerance toward newcomers to our country such as we have not seen in decades,” he said. “Likewise, there seems to be no lessening of the institutional racism we see all around us – whether in the criminal justice system, employment, healthcare, education or political enfranchisement.” Later, he said, “From our very first archbishop, church leaders, clergy and lay persons owned and relied upon the labor of enslaved persons. The fact that most institutions that can trace their past to the beginnings of this country were participants in the evil of slavery is no excuse.” The program included reflections from Thomas Stewart Davis on Dr. King, and Joseph Oden Jr. on Monsignor Miller, who was pastor of St. Bernardine, 1980-2013. While an earlier pastor had preached segregation from the pulpit, Oden noted Monsignor Miller’s embrace of the faith community as it became predominantly black. “You knew that we were not here to change the church, father,” Oden said, “but to enhance it.” The program concluded with the Holy Spirit Prayer and the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, a parish custom begun by Monsignor Miller. A Code Blue warning because of the sub-zero wind chill kept inside prayers honoring murder victims, during which Deacon W. Paul Barksdale read their names. Also see: Archbishop’s new pastoral reflection acknowledges history of slavery and racism Email Paul McMullen at [email protected] Archbishop’s new pastoral reflection acknowledges history of slavery and racism Archbishop William E. Lori released Jan. 21 his second pastoral reflection in 12 months on the effects of racism on society. “The Journey to Racial Justice: Repentance, Healing and Action” was released by the archbishop at St. Bernardine Parish in West Baltimore on the day that commemorates the birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The archbishop’s reflection comes on the heels of the U.S. bishops’ second pastoral letter against racism – “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love” – approved in November, and acknowledges the local church’s history of enslavement of persons and other racial inequities. The reflection also follows another from Archbishop Lori released Feb. 14, 2018, “The Enduring Power of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Principles of Nonviolence.” In his new pastoral reflection, the archbishop noted the recurrence of racial and ethnic violence and hatred in ways that have not been seen in decades. “Whether racism manifests itself in these blatant offenses against the dignity and humanity of people of color, or more subtly in the systemic racial inequities that persist in our current society – in the criminal justice system, in employment, education, housing, healthcare and political enfranchisement – the national conversation confirms that there is still a great deal of work to be done,” Archbishop Lori said. His pastoral acknowledges that churches and members of the clergy, including four archbishops of Baltimore, held enslaved persons. “Records show that lay members, religious communities and individual clergy held enslaved persons and that the church benefited from their labor not only in general parish work – the maintenance of churches, residences, convents, cemeteries, and so on – but also from the profit of their labor on plantations and farms owned by church entities,” the archbishop wrote.