500 Viet Families Need Homes

1HE vjl Mob Decried Solzhenitsyn DENl/ER \jy “n In Portugal Speaks O ut OllHOLIC ! rn REGISm? 1/1 Page 5 Page 6 -C r— < 3> Z <-> m j> I— O —I Q t/1 - 1 J> 500 Viet Families Need Homes OD (X' o m Dear Family in Christ: N) -H You have most likely become aware in recent weeks that the United States O X Catholic Conference is asking all of us in the Catholic Community of this country to Archdiocese help in the resettlement of the thousands of Vietnamese refugees. ACTION For those of us involved in this process here in the Denver Archdiocese it is becoming increasingly obvious that the process will be a long and arduous task. Preparing for Traditionally local parishes have provided some of the best resettlement programs, Grant To Aid as they did in the Cuban and Hungarian programs. I am therefore asking each parish to assume responsibility for helping to Bicentennial resettle Vietnamese families. In resettling refugees these sponsors and Outreach Archbishop James V. Casey recently resettlement agencies undertake certain responsibilities as a moral commitment. Project Interdependence, newly called for local and parish involvement in These include receiving the refugee families, providing shelter, food, clothes and established by the Parish Outreach the “ Liberty and Justice For A ll” assistance in finding employment. Program of Denver Catholic Community Bicentennial program sponsored by the I have appointed Mr. James Mauck, Director of Denver Catholic Services to recruit volunteers from Park Catholic Bishops of the United States. Community Services, as Archdiocesan Resettlement Director. He has already Hill, Montbello and East Denver to work In keeping with his request, Central begun recruiting staff in various areas of the Archdiocese to assist those willing to together to solve social problems in the Area Religious Education Services and be sponsors in the process. area and to share resources toward that the Justice and Peace Commission are The United States Catholic Conference, Migration & Refugee Service, has goal, received a grant of $5,000 from working to encourage parishes to authorized our local program to expend up to $300 per refugee for resettlement. ACTION, the federal agency for volunteer establish small discussion groups to deal Everyone connected with the program realizes this amount may well be insufficient service. with the topics of Nationhood, the Church, when one considers the cost of setting up a complete household. Consequently, we Fifty volunteers from the Five Points Humankind, Fam ily, Ethnicity and Race are looking to parishes to assume some responsibilities in this effort through area and 150 from Park Hill and in the context of justice and freedom. whatever parish organization can best assume the task, e g. St. Vincent de Paul Montbello will work essentially to Beginning July 11 a series of four two- Society, Parish Social Concerns Committee, Legion of Mary, etc. We have already alleviate the problems of the Inner City hour training sessions for people, at the received a great deal of help from both the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the St. target area, although it is hoped that all parish level, who are interested in Vincent de Paul Stores. three areas can be benefitted through the becoming discussion leaders will be Some may be apprehensive about taking on this responsibility, and perhaps project. conducted by Byron Plumley, religious some of the facts we have learned in the process of already settling 200 refugees Richard Butler, Parish Outreach staff education director for St. Vincent de Paul will alleviate anxieties. Many, if not most, Vietnamese have some knowledge of the person, said that although the project is parish. English language. Generally the size of the families ranges from 6 to 9 members. being funded through ACTION for one There appears to be a tremendous willingness to assume any type of employment, year, plans call for the continuation of All four sessions will be held at St. and over 60% of the refugees are children. volunteer efforts beyond the subsidized Vincent de Paul Church, 2375 E. Arizona The major task of resettlement of Vietnamese refugees will rest with the period. Ave., from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Dates of the Catholic Church, since more than 65% of them are asking to be processed through sessions are July 11, July 25, Aug. and Beatrice Villanueva, who has been 8 the United States Catholic Conference. U.S.C.C. is hoping to be able to resettle about Aug. 22. The cost of the program is $10 per active in North Denver service projects, 500 families in the Denver Archdiocese, and this will mean finding sponsors for person. has been hired as the part-time more than 2,500 people. Consequently, I once again urge each parish to become coordinator of Project Interdependence. “ A Historical View of the Church’s involved in the program. Her duties will include recruitment of the Position on Justice” , the July 11 sesssion Those individuals and parishes who are willing to cooperate should contact 50 volunteers from the target area and to will present a theology of justice and a Mr. Mauck or Mrs. James Sweeney at Denver Catholic Community Services, 1665 coordinate the three volunteer groups. historical perspective of the Church’s Grant Street, Denver, Colo. 80203-222-3825. Mr. Robert M cAfee will be responsible Staff persons will also be used to supply teaching on social issues, especially for developing the program in the Colorado Springs area in the near future. All resources and support items needed for within the past 100 years. individuals and parishes outside the Colorado Springs area should contact the the project. At the July 25 session, “ Values, Denver office for the time being. Those from East Denver, Park Hill and Attitudes and Life Styles that A ffect Our Thanking you most sincerely for your cooperation, I remain. Montbello who are interested in becoming Approach to Justice” , tools for helping Fraternally yours in Christ, a part of Project Interdependence are people clarify their values related to James V. Casey asked to call Parish Outreach at Denver social issues w ill be offered. Archbishop of Denver Catholic Community Services, 893-5962. (Continuad on Page 7) (ContintMd on Page 2) Laity's Service to Church Expanding Vocations Pose Many Questions—Few Answers By A1 Pocius answers about the assignment he has number of Catholics in the archdiocese Father Walker Nickless, seminarians; Staff Writer undertaken. since 1954— an increase of 158,000 to over Sister Carolyn Lopez, O.L.V.M., Father George V. Fagan, appointed The statistics about the archdiocese for 309,000 for the current figures. minorities; Father Stephen Dunn, Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese the past 20 years indicate part of the There have been gains in diocesan and Colorado Springs area; Father Paul Max, by Archbishop James V. Casey, effective questions he feels he must have answers religious priests as well as seminarians. colleges; Sister May Alice Murphy, July 1, is one who realizes that he has to in the next year or so. But the gains have been minor compared O.L.V.M., screening of candidates; and more questions than he does have There have been substantial gains in the to the need for additional priests to match Father Robert Kinkel, general adviser. the growth in Catholic population. (Continued on Page 2) “ But the statistics raise more questions in my mind,” Father Fagan said, “ than Poor Are Hope they provide answers such as is it possible to bring about a better understanding of Christian vocations — especially as this Of Salvation understanding applies to the specialized ministry.” O f M ankind Indicating that he felt that the role of the priest has become “ blurred” in the MEXICO CITY (N O — A revised draft minds of people— as well as some priests resolution on “ women in poverty” was — Father Fagan feels that “part of my submitted to a committee of the job will be to clarify this role” and, at the International Women’s Year Conference same time, develop a general awareness here by Mother Theresa of Calcutta June of the meaning of vocations. 28. But while he feels there’s a need to Mother Teresa was a member of the promote the growth of the ordained Papal delegation to the Conference. ministry, he stressed such growth should “ Extreme poverty constitutes an not come by sacrificing the quality also obstacle to the enjoyment of basic human needed, saying, “ we can’t let down on the rights,” the resolution said. It made an high standards we’ve set for our urgent appeal to all men and women to candidates.” “ give priority to those women who, with Another question Father Fagan is their families, live under an intolerable seeking an answer to is “ How can I yoke of poverty.” channel the interest, the desire, the Governmental, non-governmental, and creativity of people who want to serve the voluntary organizations, she continued, Church in other ways?” should “ work to overcome the causes of To cope with these questions, he feels poverty, great economic disparity, and he'll have to use to the fullest the talents those conditions resulting from poverty and abilities of the Archdiocesan vocation that threaten the respect of women, men team started by the former director. and children.” Father Robert Harrington, who himself In a press conference. Mother Teresa will remain as a special adviser on the said: “ The poor of the world are the hope team. of salvation of mankind. We will be Other team members and the areas of judged by what we have done to help Cgungceirg iim A© responsibility they will cover include: them.” Paga 2 — THE DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER, Wad., July », W5 Reflet M onV OuGStionS — F g V\^ A n s y ^ G f S [ official Schedule aa r r c c h h b b is is h h o o p p JAMES JAMES V.

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