St. Francis of Assisi

Vol. 42, No. 6 October 2017

For it is in

GIVING that we RECEIVE. The St. Philip ~St. Francis of Assisi

Be-News-Zi

Saint Francis of Assisi is one of the best known and most loved saints, Join us for these special celebrations as we not only in the Catholic Church, but honor the Founder of the Franciscan Order among admired, historical figures – St. Francis of Assisi! throughout the world and across many cultures. As a young man in early 13th century Italy, he experi- 10/3: The Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi enced a profound, personal conver- (Commemoration of St. Francis’ death); sion. It changed him from an imma- This beautiful, solemn Prayer Service, beginning at 7:00PM ture and careless adolescent to a man in the church, includes Hymns, Scripture, Prayer, and a who saw the whole world around recounting of St. Francis’ life. All are invited and encouraged him as a gift, and all persons, to attend this special Service. especially the poor and suffering, as brothers and sisters. He himself identified his conversion moment 10/4: Solemnity of with meeting a leper near Assisi.

St. Francis of Assisi On that day of grace, he suddenly Masses celebrated at realized that the leper was a human 8:30AM & 7:00PM. being like himself, created by God (Pictured left is a copy of the fresco by out of love and loved by God without Cimabue, displayed in the Basilica of limit. This sudden sense of commun- St. Francis of Assisi in Assisi, Italy) ion with the other, transformed Francis’ way of viewing the world and filled him with a sense of awe and profound compassion. He deter- mined then to live in an entirely different way, abandoning his comfortable life-style. He saw himself as a poor man before God, from 10/7: Blessing of Animals whom all good comes. He realized Bring your pets to be blessed by the that he himself could make no claims Friars and help us celebrate all of to goodness—all was gift. With this God's creation! This Prayer Service new awareness, the entire creation will be held at 10AM in the parking appeared amazing and wonderful— something to be treated with the area behind the church, near the greatest reverence and respect. Peace Garden. (www.fslf.org) Calendar of Events October 2017

10/1: RESPECT LIFE SUNDAY/ 26th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Viviendo como Discipulos Misioneros

10/1: LIFE CHAIN PRAYER VIGIL (3-4PM) All Parishioners are invited to attend (See details about this and other Respect Life Events in the September issue.) Faith Formation Day! Saturday, November 11, 2017 10/3: THE TRANSITUS of ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI (Commemoration of St. Francis’ death) This year, the Church celebrated Catechetical Sunday on September 17, 2017. The 2017 theme is “Living as Mis- 10/4: SOLEMNITY of ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI sionary Disciples”. Those who the community has desig- (Mass celebrated at 8:30AM and 7:00PM.) nated to serve as Catechists were called forth to be com- Parish Offices Closed missioned for their ministry and re-dedicate themselves to this mission as a community of faith. 10/6-7: EUCHARISTIC ADORATION begins the First Friday of every month in the Chapel, To assist Catechists in their ministry, as well as anyone after the 8:30AM Mass and concludes with Benediction interested in learning or sharing the faith, we will offer a at 7:45AM Saturday morning. day of Faith Formation on Saturday, November 11, 2017, beginning with the 8:30AM Mass. Workshops will 10/6: PRAISE & WORSHIP ADORATION-7PM be offered during the day until 3:40PM in both English This Service takes place during the monthly First Friday, and Spanish. Childcare is available for parents attending 24-hour Adoration and includes Contemporary Music, with children aged 10 and younger for a fee of $5.00 per Gospel Reading, a Homily, Period of Silence, Benediction, child. (You must pre-register for childcare by calling Sending Song, and Reposition. ALL are welcome! The Lorraine Miller at 770-478-0178, Ext. 114.) Blessed Sacrament will be brought from the Chapel into the Along with classes geared to Catechists in order to assist church during this period of adoration. them in becoming certified, the Faith Formation Day will 10/7: BLESSING OF ANIMALS – 10AM offer topics of interest to all parishioners. Some courses include:

10/9: COLUMBUS DAY (Observed) Church History (introduction to the development of the church and different models of the church); 10/11: SENIOR BIRTHDAY BREAKFAST Join St. Philip Benizi Seniors (55+) every 2nd Wednesday Life Skills of the Sacraments (explore ways in our every- of the month for breakfast at 9:15AM in Founder’s Hall day life when we share an encounter with Christ with one (prepared by the Knights of Columbus). Cost is $3.50. another); Join us for food, fun and fellowship! Inside Islam for Catholics (outlines the history and the 10/28: TRUNK ‘n TREAT (1-3PM) fundamental beliefs of Islam); St. Philip Benizi Parish Grounds Social Media Awareness & Protection for Youth 10/31: HAPPY HALLOWEEN! (addresses the types of social media youth are currently using, the legal ramifications of misusing social media, 10/31: VIGIL: ALL SAINTS DAY—7PM Mass (Eng) and how to monitor what they are using).

11/1: ALL SAINTS DAY (Holy Day of Obligation) Our nationally known keynote speakers are Dr. Joseph White (Catechetical Consultant for Our Sunday Visitor 8:30AM Mass (English) and clinical child psychologist) and Father Miguel Angel 6:00PM Mass (English) Zamora (a Specialist in Administration, Education, Homi- 7:30PM Mass (Spanish) letics, Spirituality and Evangelization). Fr. Miguel

preaches at spiritual retreats to various religious and 11/2: ALL SOULS DAY secular communities at the international level. 8:30AM Mass (English); 7:30PM Mass (Bi-lingual) If you cannot make it for the entire day, come for the 11/4:ST. MARTIN DE PORRES CELEBRATION morning or afternoon sessions. The early registration fee (Held during the 4PM Saturday Mass) for this day is only $10.00 and includes a delicious lunch from Chapultepec Mexican restaurant. After November 11/5: DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS 1st, the fee will be $15.00 per person. Register online at Turn clocks BACK 1 hour! http://tiny.cc/southffd or in the Religious Ed Office. October 2017 New Holy Water Fonts Add

Dear Parishioners, Beauty to our Church

Recently, a new Holy Water Font was installed in our church’s Gathering Space. Our new font is a beautiful work of art. It was designed by a local artist, Dale Molnar (South Light Studio) and fashioned by local craftsmen. The blue pearl granite bowl sits on a piece of solid oak. The eight sides of the oak are inlaid with glass mosaics in a pattern of flowing water, representing the living waters of Baptism. The forged iron stand consists of grapevines, reminding us that through the waters of Baptism we are attached to Christ as branches are attached to the vine. The center of the stand contains a four-petal pattern that mimics the four-petal design in the central part of the stained glass window above the front doors of the church.

The new Holy Water Font provides our Gathering Space with an appropriate focal point. As we gather for the celebration of the Eucharist, we leave the secular world behind and enter into sacred space. The ritual of dipping one’s finger into holy water and blessing oneself not only reminds us of our Baptism, but it also prepares us for encountering God, present in the celebration of the Eucharist. In addition, this ritual gesture symbolizes the unity we share as baptized members of the Body of Christ.

I am grateful to Mildred Green, one of our founding members, for donating this beautiful addition to the church and parish she loved so much. Before Mildred died, I assured her that she would be remembered often as we bless ourselves with the holy water of this font. Although Mildred did not see the font completed, she did view the artist’s drawings and was very pleased with it. Mil- dred and her family also donated the stained glass window, which inspired the design of the font.

The font was blessed during our annual Multi-cultural Mass on September 30, 2017. A smaller Holy Water Font of the same, basic design was also installed in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in mid-September. We are very grateful to parishioner Judy Guarino, who generously donated this font in memory of her hus- band, Hal Guarino, who died in 1999. Please keep them in your prayers, as well as Mildred.

I am happy to announce that we have initiated a Bereavement Ministry, aptly called “And Jesus Wept”. Brochures about this new ministry are available in the Gathering Space and in the Par- ish Office. This ministry will provide individual and group Grief Counseling to those who have lost loved ones. Eight parishioners have been trained by the Archdiocese of Atlanta and are available to meet with anyone in need of Grief Counseling. I want to thank those who have volunteered for this ministry. In particular, I want to thank Brother Colton who was instrumental in creating this ministry, recruiting parishioners to be grief counselors, and assisting in their formation and preparation.

Most especially, I want to encourage those who have lost loved ones to consider taking part in this new ministry. A natural response to the death of a loved one is grief. Allowing oneself to grieve over the loss is necessary for healing to take place. “And Jesus Wept” follows a companioning model of Grief Counseling and seeks to respond to a person’s grief in a compassionate and empathetic manner. You don’t have to travel this journey alone. Please allow us to walk with you.

God bless you! (L-R): Fr. John, Mildred Green and Judy Guarino; Fr. John Thank you ladies for your sincere love and generosity! Nick’s Notes By Nick Dragone, Director of Music & Liturgy

Recently, Pope Francis strategically issued a motu proprio, which is a re-script issued from the Pope himself, wherein the pontiff states his reasoning for action, and the action to be taken, of his own accord, and signs it personally. This particular motu proprio has to do with vernacular translations of the liturgy. Notions about translation have oscillated since Vatican II. This area has provided much turf and fuel for some of the “so-called” liturgy wars between liturgists and clergy. Vatican II created a new challenge: how to take unique “vernacular languages” and make them “ecclesial languages”?

A decade ago, Pope Benedict XVI issued a motu proprio which shifted the responsibility of translation away from regional Episcopal Conferences. This was a sea change that resulted, for English-speaking countries, in a new and controversial translation of the Roman Missal. One of the most tectonic changes of the Second Vatican Council was the decision to celebrate the liturgy in vernacular languages rather than, for the Roman Church, ecclesial Latin. Concurrently, with the beginning of the implementation of Vatican II, a linguist named Eugene Nida proposed a new method of translating, commonly known as “dynamic or functional equivalence”. This is a contrast to the method of formal equivalence. To use English as the example, formal equivalence translators are concerned with finding words in English that mean “the same thing” as words in Latin, He- brew, or Greek; this method is concerned with the “form of the message”. Conversely, dynamic or functional equivalence translators are concerned with finding words and/or phrases that have the same effect in meaning and in style; this method is concerned with the “response of the receptor”.

Moments before the assembly is to receive Communion, the Presider “presents” the Body and Blood of Christ to the assembly, beginning with the words, “Behold the Lamb of God….” After that statement, the assembly responds: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof….” The Latin text is as follows: mine, non sum dignus, ut intres sub tectum meum.” Formerly, the assembly would have responded thus: “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you….” The text that the assembly currently prays illustrates the method of formal equivalence: tectum=roof, and so forth. The translators were careful to be faithful to the Latin while maintaining the allusion to the Scripture from where this particular text is drawn. The former text: “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you…” is not a literal translation, but a simpler text whose purpose is to more readily convey the meaning of the phrase.

This is but a simple and minute sampling of the difficulties in translating texts. There have been and continue to be arguments over these very texts. Language is not static. It is as dynamic as the people who speak it and understand it.

What will Pope Francis’ moto proprio mean for the future of the English Roman Missal? Will it be re-translated? Will the Bishop’s Conference go back to a previous translation? All of that remains unclear. However, for those countries that are in the middle of translating, or just beginning, including the Roman Missals in Spanish and the Misal Romano that is in use during our own parish’s Masses in Spanish, this motu proprio will most likely change the outcome.

July 26, 2017

Dear St. Philip Benizi Parish,

The members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society (SVDP) Food Pantry, Jonesboro, wish to express our deepest appreciation to St. Philip Benizi Parish for all of the deci- sions and efforts to renovate the SVDP Food Pantry. Thank you especially to Fr. John and the Parish Finance Council for their decision to provide funds from the contribution overage to the 2016 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal; to Helena Frazier for all her diligence in obtaining a grant from the Catholic Foundation of North Georgia; and to John Bush, Mark Cirincione, and their work teams for all of their labor to make the improvements to the Pantry a reality.

The updates to the Food Pantry will allow us to support needy families in our community much more efficiently. Thank you and God bless you for your kind generosity!

Sincerely,

George Spirito President ATLANTA PRAYS: Unleashing the Power of Prayer, Clarity and Process in your Organization By Antoinette Irons (Angels of Mercy Ministry)

Recently, I had the privilege of attending a Prayer Breakfast meeting at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in downtown Atlanta. I was asked to attend by Dr. Cecile Bregman, our An- gels of Mercy Chairperson. Bob Romeo (attorney and parishioner), as well as parishioners April and Cesar Concepcion also attended on behalf of the Angels of Mercy Ministry, through an invitation sent to us from the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

As part of the registration process, we were given access to an 84-page Prayer Guide that we were asked to read before arriving. The event was an inter-denominational Prayer Breakfast and the topics would be on Hunger, Homelessness and Healing from Sex Abuse/Trafficking.

Our day began at 7:30AM as the four of us carpooled to Cristo Rey High School where 150 students were meeting for their retreat. They were so excited and welcoming, positive and proud to be there as they told us about their school. This was my first gift: learning about Cristo Rey Jesuit High School and their philosophy, with which I was very impressed. This is the 29th out of 32 of these schools built around the world – all built and run through financial gifts.

When we arrived at our meeting room and introduced ourselves to Andrew Schoppe, the organizer, he informed us that we were the only Catholics there, representing the entire Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta. Wow! At the meeting, there were about 24 of us, representing different faith ministries from several churches and businesses. Our collective goal was to pray and focus on the three areas of hunger, homelessness and sex abuse/sex trafficking.

We started the meeting with introductions and then had an open prayer time for over 1½ hours; all standing and holding hands throughout this time! We then participated in four sessions: three talks were on hunger and distributing food in an ef- fective and time-efficient manner so that there is less waste of the food donation. Apparently, we waste 50% of the food, due to the lack of getting the food to where it is needed. The plan is to have a volunteer leave home, pick up the food donation, take it to its distribution center, and return home within a 90-minute timeframe.

Homelessness is another major problem here in Atlanta, so efforts are being made to try to help the homeless by finding and providing more accommodations. Homelessness and Hunger…on many occasions throughout my life, I have worked and assisted with these two problems. I was excited to learn different ways and updated methods to assist and get help to these organizations. The need here is tremendous, and all the various organizations are really working to assist in these areas.

One of the sessions we attended was about Sex Trafficking; yes, right here on Tara Boulevard! It is the number one problem in Atlanta. ATLANTA IS THE NUMBER ONE CITY IN THE U.S. WITH THE HIGHEST SEX ECONOMY INCOME OF $290 MILLION PER YEAR.

Things to know:

th  1 in 4 girls (and 1 in 6 boys) are sexually abused before their 18 birthday. Only 1 in 10 tells someone about it.  93% are abused by someone they know, love and trust. 60% are abused by fathers or stepfathers.  The median age of child sexual abuse is 9 years old.  One abuser can victimize up to 400 children.  90% of those commercially, sexually exploited have been previously, sexually victimized in their homes and communities.  Traffickers net an estimated $22,000 per victim, per year. Our children are bought and sold into slavery every day. Our silence is not an option.  In Atlanta, 200-300 under-aged girls are lured into trafficking every month.  Every night, around 100 minor girls are sexually exploited in metro-Atlanta.  There are an estimated 20,700 men who purchase sex in Georgia each month, and 7,200 of them end up purchasing a minor for sex.  95% of victims of prostitution experience sexual abuse as children.  87% of women in the sex industry said they wanted to escape, but had no other means for survival.  The average age-range that a girl is lured into this lifestyle is 11-14 years of age.

After all this information, I have not stopped praying when I am driving on or near Tara Boulevard. My proposal to each and everyone is: can you please say a prayer, however simple? Pray the Our Father, a decade of the Rosary, the entire Rosary, or sing a song whenever you think about it, or are on or near Tara Boulevard. St. Philip Benizi Church is only about a quarter mile away, so when you come to Mass, or are just visiting, please say a prayer for the victims and the traffickers – that they will find another means of making money. Only God can fix this problem. As for man, this is a money-making machine and people don’t matter to them…but they do matter to us! Let us pray! “Thank You” to Father John who has kindly consented to dedicating the month of October 2017 to praying for all the people involved – victims and traffickers alike. A Deacon’s Arena, Pregnancy Aid Clinic By Deacon Leonard Chambliss

Most of you may not know that during formation to the Diaconate, we are asked to seriously consider how we hope to make a difference in our communities. Specifically, what space in the arena of Social Justice will we make a significant contribution to improving our lives and the lives of our parishioners?

For me the answer became Respect Life. In 2010, while in my last year of formation, the mo- saic concerning family planning, abortion, adoption and the trend away from the traditional family hit me like a brick. Even before my ordination in 2011, I was able to find a small but deeply-rooted mission in Hapeville, GA, focused on delivering Catholic teachings to young women and men who were torn between the choice of terminating an unplanned pregnancy or carrying the child to full term.

Initially, my role was to offer an opening prayer to the sessions that the counselors would con- duct that were geared toward preparing the young people as future parents. This role was soon expanded as I began to actually teach my own version of life skills (career advice, money man- agement and character development). We even developed a subset of classes directed toward the men, helping them as new fathers and very specifically, the real advantages of marriage versus cohabitation.

One day, I was asked to join the Board of Directors…and that’s when the fun began. I can say that God has exceedingly graced this small, little mission over a very short time-frame (within the last six years, even though the mission itself is over 35 years old). This little mission has been able to move from a small facility in Hapeville to one 2.5 times the size of the original building (now in Forest Park). They also added a second location in Roswell, GA and have ac- quired an RV that travels throughout the Atlanta footprint to bring support to those unable to reach our doors.

The most important achievement has been our ability to help stem the tide of abortions in Atlanta and north Georgia. Every week, we are able to counsel young people who are in crisis, help them assess first, if a pregnancy has actually occurred, and then offer a wide range of counseling and support to carry the child to full term. The human element of helping to saves lives has been extremely gratifying for me personally, and my wife has even joined the cause as well.

My proudest witness is that at least two, very dedicated volunteers from St. Philip Benizi Parish assist at the Forest Park Center every week, but my prayer is that you will visit either the Forest Park or Roswell location to gain a quick insight into the miracle of saving lives. To date, two more deacons and one deacon in formation have joined our ranks in educating young fathers; another deacon has united with me on the Board of Directors, alongside two priests from the Archdiocese of Atlanta. After a visit, you can get involved by sharing the message of the great work of the Pregnancy Aid Clinic, praying for women and families in crisis, and helping connect others to PAC that might find supporting our mission rewarding. I invite you to consider joining our efforts to save lives. This work is exhilarating and is clearly a mission from God…. Peace….

For more information go to: www.pregnancyaidclinic.com; contact Marla Brown, CEO @ (404-660-0970); [email protected], or Deacon Leonard Chambliss @ (404-200-2186); [email protected].

Respect Life Sunday is October 1, 2017!

God of life and love, you created us in your image and sent your Son to bring us life. Instill in us a respect for all life, from conception to natural death. Empower us to work for justice for the poor. Nourish us that we may bring food to the hungry. Inspire us to cherish the fragile life of the unborn. Strengthen us to bring comfort to the chronically ill. Teach us to treat the aging with dignity and respect. Bring us one day into the glory of everlasting life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. (www.stagnescathedral.org) National Black Catholic Congress XII

The National Black Catholic Congress (NBCC), held in Orlando, Florida this year, represents African-American Roman Catholics, working and collaborating with Na- tional Roman Catholic organizations, committed to establishing an agenda for the evangelization of African-Americans and to the freedom and growth of African- Americans as full participants in our church and in society.

Every five years since 1987, the NBCC has convened a congress, culminating in a “Plan of Action” for our parish communities worldwide. The theme for NBCC XII was: The Spirit of the Lord is Upon Me: act justly, love goodness, and walk humbly with your God.

In preparation for this event, Ashley Morris (Associate Director of Cultural and Ethnic Diversity, Archdiocese of Atlanta) held three workshop seminars and framed this experience as a “pilgrimage” in an effort to laser focus on our themes of Catholic Social Teachings. The issues addressed at the Congress were real issues that plague our modern-day society, such as racism, life and dignity of the human person, the poor and vulnerable, systematic incarceration, and respect for God’s creation, the planet.

Each venue began with a 2-hour General Session with a keynote address; immediately following were breakout seminars on topics such as: RACISM: A Real and Negative Force; Healing of Families Seminar; The Biblical Basis for So- cial Justice; Wisdom from Black Catholic History; Witnessing our Faith in Christ to Those who are Incarcerated in Jails and Prisons; The Unrest in Ferguson – Practices and Lessons Learned; Be Fruitful and Multiply; and lastly, Increasing the Music Ministry.

We attended several workshops, but one of the most interesting and intriguing was titled: “The Racial Divide in Amer- ica and in the Catholic Church”. As Catholics, we acknowledge that racism is a sin…a sin that divides the human family, blots out the image of God among specific members of that family, and violates the fundamental human dignity of those called to be children of the same Father. The robust participation of each seminar attendee (both black and white) was engaging, informative and inspiring. We all left the session with a better understanding of the healing power of forgiveness, a renewed spirit of reconciliation, and a deepened faith through the graces of the Sacraments and God’s Word.

The Opening Eucharistic Liturgy was held at the Basilica of The National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe. This beautiful, 2000 seat church and Blessed Sacrament Chapel is nestled in a uniquely-landscaped Rosary Garden. It is a worship environment that evokes the very spirit of evangelization, celebrates Christian life, and encourages visitors to experience full communion with The Lord.

One of the most impressive sights of this conference was the number of youth participants (approximately 200, if not more). To observe our Catholic youth, worshipping, bearing witness, singing, dancing, giving praise, and celebrating the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist was absolutely AWESOME.

The Principal Celebrant for our closing Mass was His Excellency, Bishop Roy Campbell, Jr. The solemn liturgy opened with the beating of the African drums, a symbolic gesture of awakening our spirit and love of the Lord. The music for the liturgy was especially written by Mrs. Tonya Dorsey (Archdiocese of Philadelphia), and included a genre of contemporary, African-American and African Catholic composers. After the spiritually inspiring Mass, the conference was concluded with the clear task of going forward to evangelize, develop and implement a Pastoral Plan. As good Catholics, we are charged to recommit to our baptismal vows, pray for the cause of canonization of 5 African- Americans (Father Augustus Tolton, Pierre Toussaint, Mother Henriette DeLille, Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange and Julia Greeley), support Catholic schools in our communities, end discrimination in the Church, listen and respond to the needs of our young people, and live and practice the seven themes of our Catholic Social Teaching.

On a personal note, Bea and I have taken the opportunity to reflect on the impact that attending this conference has had on our spiritual lives. We have a renewed commitment to our respective ministries, a focused intention to serve The Lord, surrender to the Spirit, act justly, love goodness and continue to walk humbly with our God.

SPECIAL NOTE: PLEASE VISIT THE WEBSITE (www.nbccongress.org) for a beautiful, pictorial snapshot of the National Black Catholic Congress XII event. (~L. Bea Pinckney and Frances Gordon-Dixon) Congratulations Fr. Paul!

On August 12, 2017, St. Philip Benizi’s clergy and parishioners joined in celebrating and congratulating Fr. Paul Miskiewicz, OFM Conv. on his 50th Anniversary of Religious Life. Fr. Paul entered the Order of Friars Minor Conventual in 1967 and officially began his journey to the Priesthood. He professed Solemn Vows in August 1970 and was ordained on May 15, 1976. The 50th Anniversary celebration began with the Saturday, 4PM Mass (during which Fr. Paul presided), and continued late into the evening with a delicious and plentiful meal in Founders’ Hall; a slideshow of Fr. Paul’s early years as a Friar—up to the present; a Polish song, sung by the children of the Performing Arts Ministry; and LOTS of karaoke and dancing! Needless to say, a GREAT time was had by all!! Many thanks go to Melissa Langlois and volunteers for implementing such an enjoy- able evening—and to many others who took part in helping to make this celebration a success. Congratulations Fr. Paul! May God bless you with many more years of fruitful ministry as a Franciscan Friar and priest!

We would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Fr. Peter Tymko, OFM Conv. who celebrated 30 years of Religious Life in September 2017! On October 3rd, 2017 Fr. Peter will mark 25 years of Profession of Solemn Vows and celebrate his 24th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood on February 12, 2018! St. Philip’s is truly blessed to have such faithful and dedicated Friars who serve our parish in so many ways and nourish our spiritual growth. May God continually bless them, guide them and grant them all that they need to persevere in their vocation. (Photos by Susan Douglas)

Far Right & Below: Many stopped to congratulate Fr. Paul after Mass.

Below Center: Helena Frazier (L) prepared the children in singing a special song for Fr. Paul – “Sto Lat”, a Polish celebration song that is usually sung for birthdays and festive events. In English, the words translate to “Good Luck, Good Cheer, May You Live 100 Years!” Congratulations Fr. Paul!

Everyone enjoyed the meal, karaoke and dancing that followed the Mass; Founders’ Hall was packed. “Thank You!” to Jim Raymer for providing a night of karaoke fun and music! Some of the songs that our talented parishioners (and Friars) sang were: “Bésame Mucho” (a Spanish love song), “New York, New York”, “Maria, Maria”, and “Stop in the Name of Love”.

Above Left & Center: Melissa Langlois and son Gage; Ramona DeLeon, Teresa Rylander, and Michelle Vandemark;

(L-R): DJ Jim Raymer, Fr. Gabriel Scasino, Rina German, and Fr. Paul!

Below: More karaoke and dancing; do these parishioners love to sing during Mass as they do with microphone in hand? Yes, they do!

Above Center: Althea Fletcher, Rhonda Chambliss & Helen Fisher were a hit, singing “Stop in the Name of Love”!

Congratulations Fr. Paul—our parish is blessed by your presence. Thank you for all that you do in serving God’s people! St. Philip Benizi Parish Dedicates New Memorial Garden

From its humble beginnings, St. Philip Benizi Parish has been abundantly blessed by God. On September 12, 1965, thirty- five families gathered in a drugstore in downtown Jonesboro where Fr. Daniel J. O’Connor celebrated the first Mass of St. Philip Benizi Mission Church. From there, through the deep faith, vision, courage, and perseverance of the founding members, as well as the guidance of the Holy Spirit, their dream of establishing a Catholic Church in Clayton County, GA became a reality. Today, not only has the parish’s number of active, registered families grown (35 founding families to approximately 2300 to date), but the parish grounds, church, offices, meeting rooms and other facilities have been added or renovated through the years to create a beautiful campus on which to worship, socialize, educate and meet.

On September 12, 2015, St. Philip Benizi Parish celebrated its Golden Jubilee – a 50th Anniversary celebration that not only marked a significant milestone in the history of the parish, but most especially, gave glory and praise to God for the many blessings this parish has received during these 50 years of grace. As part of a year-long “Jubilee”, many activities and pro- jects were planned, including a Memorial Garden adjacent to the church, where outdoor Masses could be celebrated and Memorial Bricks would be laid. With an architect’s drawing in hand and a Brick Campaign underway, work soon began to clear the space, lay sod, and create an area for the outdoor sanctuary. With the talents, vision, and manual labor of many (staff members and volunteers alike), the Memorial Garden began to take shape. To help fund the construction of the Gar- den, St. Philip Benizi parishioners, past and present, were invited to purchase Memorial Bricks, honoring loved ones (living or deceased), dedicating a brick to a specific ministry, quoting Scripture, or giving thanks to God for His many blessings. The inscriptions are diverse, but the sentiments all come from hearts full of gratitude.

With the completion of the Memorial Garden earlier this summer, a Mass of Dedication and Blessing of the Garden was held on August 23, 2017, the Feast of our Patron Saint, St. Philip Benizi. Fr. John Koziol, Pastor, presided; Fr. Gabriel Scasino concelebrated, and Deacon John Halloran assisted. In his homily, Fr. John first recounted some facts about the life of St. Philip Benizi. He then stated,

“This year marks two significant moments in our parish’s history:

 On April 30, 1967 – our first church was completed and was blessed that fall;  On June 3, 1967 – St. Philip Benizi Mission Church officially became a parish.

Today, I am privileged to formally dedicate the St. Philip Benizi Memorial Garden to our parishioners who founded, es- tablished, built and sustained its growth over these last 52 years. May this Memorial Garden be a permanent sign of our gratitude, admiration, and pride. It is our hope that this beautiful Garden will be a sacred space where our parishioners and visitors will be able to experience the presence of God in the beauty of creation and also through the sacred myster- ies which will be celebrated in this outdoor sanctuary. May the stones with which it has been built remind us of Jesus Christ who is our sure foundation. May it also remind us of all those who came before us and built this parish. May it challenge us to continue to build up the Church here in Clayton County. Like our predecessors, we have the awesome responsibility of growing this Church and spreading the Good News of the Gospel.

May St. Philip Benizi be our guide; may we serve the poor and the forgotten as he did; may his example of zealous preaching encourage us to be evangelizers of the Good News and missionary disciples, as Pope Francis has called us to be; and may we wash the feet of our brothers and sisters in Christ and follow Jesus’ example of selfless service.”

Of course, with any huge undertaking, there are many people to thank for their selfless service and generous gifts of time, talent and treasure:

 The Parish Pastoral Councils, especially (2015-2016) and (2016-2017), led by Bob Oertel and Rosemary St. Jacques;  The Garden Committee, especially Lyndy Broder and Carlos Mendizabal; (Lyndy is a Master Gardener who selected the plants, measured and designed the planted area around the sanctuary); other committee members include: John Bush, Sandy Clair, Helena Frazier, JoAnn Mitchell-Stringer, Pam O’Connor, Rosemary St. Jacques, and Janina Watson;  The Brick Committee – Rosemary St. Jacques and John Love;  The Knights of Columbus and parishioner volunteers who assisted in the laying of sod and planting;  Carols Diaz and his firm for the construction of the walls and the brick-laying;  Those who purchased bricks;  Donors to the Garden for the Altar, Pulpit, Presiders’ Chair, and Altar Servers’ bench;  Special thanks go to John Parker (the creator, designer and builder of the liturgical elements, including The Resurrection Cross), and to his son, Michael Williams, who assisted with the installation of the sanctuary furnishings and the Resur- rection Cross (including the two-ton rock on which the Cross stands, found by John Parker on the parish grounds!).

Special Note: John Parker is a very talented artist who has created several items for our parish, including the Votive Candle Stand titled, “The Tree of Hope”. We are very grateful to John and all those mentioned above for their hard work and generosity. Your love for this parish is evident in your selfless giving and practice of good stewardship. Your deep faith and love of God is evident in your faith, put into action. Please be assured that you will be in our thoughts and prayers each time we gaze upon the Garden and participate in the celebration of an outdoor Mass. May God bless you always! (~Yone Daly) St. Philip Benizi Parish Dedicates New Memorial Garden

Right Above: This statue of St. Philip Benizi, usually displayed in the Gathering Area of the church, was placed in the Memorial Garden for the celebration of the first outdoor Mass there.

Below Right: Lyndy Broder and John Parker brought forward the gifts of Bread and Wine.

Right: Fr. John had many people to thank at the end of the Mass.

All were invited to Founders’ Hall for a light reception that included cake and punch. (Photos by Yone Daly & Susan Douglas)

Parishioners Enjoy SMDP Our prayers and heartfelt Annual Chicken Dinner! sympathy go out to (Submitted by Louella Dubose) the family of:

The St. Martin de Porres (SMDP) Society celebrated their  Charles Bell, Sr., uncle of Marquita Jenkins Annual Chicken Dinner Fundraiser on Saturday, August  Clara Valencia, wife of Tony Valencia 19, 2017. The Chairperson for the event was Curtis  Alexis Pasion, brother of Cecile Bregman Grossley. Guests enjoyed a delicious chicken dinner and  Hudson Florvil, by Eunice Fluellen fantastic desserts (prepared by Jo Six). Those who at-  Theodore E. Smith, father of Mia Beasley tended commented on the terrific fellowship that they en-  Eleanor (Ellie) Simon, former parishioner; joyed with each other. During the dinner, members of the wife of Dan Simon; mother of Danielle Simon Society also helped one of our parishioners, Helen Oberst, celebrate her birthday with a cake to enjoy her special day. “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, A raffle was also held and a variety of door prizes were and let perpetual light shine upon them. distributed. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.” A number of different charities will benefit from this successful fundraiser, including: St. Philip Benizi Catholic Church; Santa Ana Parish’s education for children (in Hon- duras); the SMDP Society Scholarship Fund; the St. Vin- cent de Paul Society; Missionaries of the Poor; McCam Child Development Center for special needs children (Jamaica); House of Dawn in Jonesboro; and supporting a The Saint Philip family for Christmas. Be-News-Zi President Helen Fisher and members of the Society would like to thank Father John and all the parishioners, especially the seniors who helped make this a successful fund- Monthly Newsletter of raiser. The current members of the Society are: Vincentia St. Philip Benizi Catholic Church Amokomowo, Valerie Benjamin (Vice President), Colleen Bolden, Judith Charter, Louella Dubose, Helen Fisher 591 Flint River Road (President), Celeste Greene (Secretary), Curtis Grossley, Jonesboro, GA 30238 Winsome Harvey, Barbara Kitchens, Aimee Ngi, Arnim Noel, Antoinette Odusanya, Basil Odusanya, Antoinette (770) 478-0178 Paragon Singh, Jo Six (Treasurer), Mary Studaway (Parliamentarian), Verona Tai, Denise Taylor, Jennifer Fr. John A. Koziol, OFM Conv. Theroulde, Subleecka Thompson, and Rosetta Wal- lace. The SMDP Society is celebrating its 15th Anniver- Pastor/Publisher sary and would like to give special thanks to Bishop Greg- ory Hartmayer and Father John for their assistance in Yone Daly, Editor guiding and supporting this ministry’s existence. We will be having our annual St. Martin de Porres celebration on November 4, 2017 during the 4PM Saturday Mass, fol- Parish Website: lowed by a reception in Founders’ Hall. All are welcome! www.stphilipbenizi.org Thank you once again for all your love and kindness through these years. (~The St. Martin de Porres Society) Deadline: All articles submitted for publication in the Be-News-Zi must be received in writing (preferably typed) or via e-mail, by the 5th of each month for publication in the following month’s edition. Each article submitted for consideration will be pub- lished as approved by the Pastor and on a space- available basis.

Any questions, comments, suggestions, or articles concerning the newsletter may be addressed to the Editor through the Parish Office, or by e-mail:

[email protected]