Local News July 2006
Catholic Community Foundation President Resigns,
Interim Executive director is named
(July 28) Phoenix, Arizona- John A. Scola resigned as President of the Catholic Community Foundation (CCF) to accept a position as Executive Director of Development at the Catholic Diocese of Orange in California. John served as President for the past 7 years.
Donald E. Ruff has been named CCF Interim Executive Director effective July 18, 2006 until a permanent replacement is found. Don served on the CCF Board for 8 years as well as Chairman from 2000-2002. He is a retired Executive Officer of BankOne (now JP Morgan Chase) and brings a wealth of experience to the foundation including a 25 year history of involvement with non-profit organizations throughout the Phoenix community. He has held several board positions with various foundations, 13 in the capacity of president/chair. He and his wife are parishioners at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Scottsdale.
“On behalf of the CCF Board, we are sad that John Scola has left his position at the CCF here in Arizona,” said Andy Groseta, CCF Chairman. “However, we are extremely excited to have Mr. Don Ruff agree to serve as the CCF Interim Executive Director.”
A search committee has been formed by the board and applications for the permanent position of President and CEO may be sent to the Catholic Community Foundation, 400 E. Monroe St, Phoenix, AZ, 85004. To inquire, please call 602-354-2400.
The Catholic Community Foundation was founded in 1983 and is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated “to carry on the work of Christ by fostering philanthropy.” CCF provides permanent endowment and memorial funds for donors interested in furthering Catholic education, communication and Christian formation in the Diocese of Phoenix. The foundation specializes in endowment and grant fund management, as well as estate planning for the Catholic community.
For more information please contact:
Heather Easterbrook
Director of Special Projects
Catholic Community Foundation
602-354-2402
heasterbrook@ccfphx.org
www.ccfphx.org
ANDY GROSETA NAMED CATHOLIC
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION CHAIRMAN
Starts His Term as Chairman of the Catholic Community Foundation
(July 28) Phoenix, Arizona – Andy Groseta has been named CCF Board Chairman effective July 1, 2006. Andy has been on the Foundation Board for 6 years. He has a long history of community service in Northern Arizona, including past president of Yavapai Cattle Growers Association and past board chairman of Northern Arizona Healthcare.
Andy is currently serving as Chairman of the University of Arizona - Yavapai County Extension Advisory Board; is President of the Cottonwood Ditch Association; Chairman of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Policy Division; and is Second Vice President of the Arizona Cattle Growers Association.
Andy is a third-generation cattle rancher in the Verde Valley and north central Arizona. He currently serves on the School Board of Mingus Union High School; and is a co-owner of Headquarters West, Ltd., a full-service agri-business firm with five offices located through Arizona. He is a member of the Immaculate Conception Church in Cottonwood.
The Catholic Community Foundation was founded in 1983 and is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated “To carry on the work of Christ by fostering philanthropy.” CCF provides permanent endowment and memorial funds for donors interested in furthering Catholic education, communication and Christian formation in the Diocese of Phoenix. The foundation specializes in endowment and grant fund management, as well as estate planning for the Catholic community.
For more information please contact:
Heather Easterbrook
Director of Special Projects
Catholic Community Foundation
602-354-2402
heasterbrook@ccfphx.org
www.ccfphx.org
Calling all ASU Students
Are you or someone that you know starting college this fall? The All Saints Catholic Newman Center would like to introduce you to new friends at the Catholic ministry on campus. Are you going to some other university? The Newman center can connect you to the Catholic campus ministry at any other university in the country. For more information, contact Lourdes Alonso at 480.967.7823 or lourdes_alonso@newman-asu.org. The Newman center is located at 230 E University Dr in Tempe, AZ. www.newman-asu.org
GO AHEAD AND LAUGH - ICE CREAM A CURE FOR CANCER?
Baskin Robbins donates ice cream to local event
PHOENIX, Ariz. – (July 19, 2006) Baskin Robbins has donated gallons of its specialty ice cream in hopes that it will help people with cancer. Healing Through the Body of Christ Cancer Ministry (HTBC), a program of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, and the Great West Division of the American Cancer Society (ACS) are teaming up to help people with cancer experience the healing properties of laughter and ice cream.
Humor and Baskin Robbins ice cream will be used to help families affected by cancer reduce the stress in their lives. "An Afternoon of Humor and Healing" will be held on Aug. 19, 2006 at 1:00 PM. The free event will be held at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 3550 Knox Road, Phoenix and will feature humorist and cancer survivor, Christine Clifford, author of Not Now… I’m Having a No Hair Day.
Therapeutic laughter programs have been shown to increase feelings of well-being and improve a person’s ability to cope with disease and stress. Laughter lowers blood pressure, decreases stress hormones, increases infection-fighting antibodies, improves brain function, and eases muscle tension. Baskin Robbins ice cream, complete with whipped cream, sprinkles, and a sweet maraschino cherry elicits smiles, promotes good cheer and just plain tastes good.
In addition to Baskin Robbins, the event is sponsored by Ironwood Cancer & Research Centers, Lifechurch.tv, Sign Chi Do, Autom, The Cancer Club, and Kline Litho, Inc. A Frank Sinatra sound-alike, Guy Pennacchio, will woo the crowd, door prizes, clown noses, and goodie bags will also be given out.
Healing Through the Body of Christ Cancer Ministry, a program of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, offers one-on-one outreach, emotional and spiritual support, and resources to all people affected by cancer, including friends and family, regardless of race, religion, or social status. All materials and services are free of charge.
The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy, and service.
For more information on Healing Through the Body of Christ Cancer Ministry, call 602-354-2371. For information on the American Cancer Society, call 602-224-0524. Corpus Christi Catholic Church may be reached at 480-893-8770.
They Died forTheir Faith
(July 14)- They died for their faith. They were priests and lay people. It was Mexico in the 1920’s and 30’s. A revolution brought about among other things, the persecution of Catholics. Churches were forbidden to own property, seminaries and schools were shut down. Religious and lay Catholics were asked to publicly renounce their faith and swear allegiance to the supreme government. Those that did not were tortured and executed. Today we are reminded of the horrible plight of the persecuted. Today six of them are saints. With great thanks to the Knights of Columbus, we are able to venerate the relics of these saints that gave up their lives rather than denounce their faith. The relics are on tour here in our diocese. Today they are at St Catherine of Sienna until 6:00 am tomorrow. From there they move on to St Thomas Aquinas with veneration from 12:00 pm until the end of the 5:00 pm Mass. Starting at 7:00 pm tomorrow, the relics will be at our cathedral, Saints Simon and Jude. They will be there until after the 9:00 am live televised Mass. At 1:00 pm the relics will be in Mesa at Christ the King until 5:00 am Monday morning. For more information on the story of these martyrs please visit the links on the AZ Kinghts of Columbus website <here>
Second Annual McCarthy Award currently accepting nominations
(July 14)-The Office of Peace and Justice at Catholic Charities is accepting nominations for the second annual Bishop Edward A. McCarthy Awards, named in honor of the first Bishop of Phoenix and later Archbishop of Miami, who died in Florida on June 7, 2005. The Bishop McCarthy Leadership Awards will be given annually to local Catholic leaders who demonstrate a commitment to putting the Church's social teaching into action. Awards will be presented by Bishop Thomas Olmsted at a luncheon on Tuesday, October 3, 2006 in the Diocesan Pastoral Center.
Seven awards will be given to Catholics who demonstrate outstanding social justice leadership skills and experience in the categories of education, campus or youth ministry, human life and dignity, community mobilization, development of parish social ministry, excellence in liturgy, and lifetime achievement. For consideration, individuals must demonstrate a commitment to the values of human dignity, solidarity-building, participation and the preferential option for the poor, as articulated by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. The Campaign for Human Development, founded by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1970, is the nation's largest private funder of projects that empower the poor and work to eliminate poverty and injustice. In the last 35 years, the Campaign has distributed nearly $250 million in grants to more than 3,000 self-help projects nationwide.
Nominations may be submitted for individuals under the following categories:
1. Excellence in social justice education.
2. Excellence in campus or youth ministry – social justice formation.
3. Outstanding contribution to the enhancement of human life and dignity.
4. Excellence in mobilization of communities to enact systemic changes.
5. Excellence in development of parish social ministry.
6. Excellence in liturgy reflecting social justice concerns.
7. Lifetime achievement award.
Individuals may be nominated for the award by a pastor, a parish staff member, an active Catholic parishioner, an ecumenical partner or a colleague. The person making the nomination should submit a one-page description of the work the nominee has done, giving specific examples of excellence in the relevant area. Due September 8, 2006. Winners will receive trophy awards.
To nominate: Choose a category from the categories above, provide the requested information, and submit nomination to Tricia Hoyt at the Office of Peace and Justice, 4747 N. 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85013. Fax (602) 285-0311. Phone: (602) 285-1999 ext. 3932 or 3940, or email at phoyt@cc-az.org.
Nomination forms can be downloaded <here>
Tour of Relics of Martyred Mexican Saints Stop in Arizona
Relics of Martyred Mexican Saints to stop at various churches in Prescott, Phoenix, Avondale, Mesa, Sierra Vista, and Tucson July 13-18, 2006. Martyrs were killed during little-known persecution of the Church in Mexico.
(July 6, 2006 PHOENIX ) – The relics of six Knights of Columbus priest martyrs of Mexico – Canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000 – will be in Arizona from July 13-18, 2006, as part of a nationwide pilgrimage organized by the Knights of Columbus. Thousands have already turned out to venerate these same relics in Washington, D.C., California, Texas, Colorado, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Mexico over the past three months.
"This pilgrimage seeks to promote knowledge of and devotion to the Knights of Columbus priest martyrs of Mexico and all those who sacrificed their lives for their faith during the Mexican persecution," explained Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, who attended the opening ceremonies for the U.S. portion of the pilgrimage in Dallas.
The pilgrimage of the relics began in Mexico City in September 2005, to mark the centennial of the Knights of Columbus in Mexico. From there, the reliquary traveled to cities throughout Mexico. From Arizona the relics go to Chicago and several other American cities. The pilgrimage will conclude in Orlando at the Knights of Columbus' 124th Supreme Convention in August 2006.
The State Deputy and chief executive for the Knights of Columbus in Arizona, expressed his pleasure with the news that Arizona had been selected as a stop for the Relics Tour. “These brave men died defending their faith, their beliefs, and their God. They were tortured, humiliated, and died horribly. We are honored to host the tour of their relics in Arizona,” said State Deputy Michael Kingman of Glendale, Arizona.
Relics have long been a part of Catholic devotional practice. Since the days of the Apostles, Christians have preserved and honored the physical remains of men and women recognized as saints. Previous relic pilgrimages have drawn large numbers of the faithful. In 2003, the Knights co-sponsored the journey of a relic of the Tilma of Tepeyac, the cloth that bears the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In 2004, the Knights also sponsored a tour of the Relics of the Passion of Christ. Those tours drew more than 25,000 people in Arizona alone.
“Today, they are Saints, and as such are modern examples to us of the kind of courage and bravery we need in order to stand up to attacks on our beliefs that life is a gift from God and is precious, that marriage is a sacrament given by god to bind one man and one woman together, and that our brothers and sisters should not have to die in the desert in order to enter our Country, “ said State Deputy Kingman.
The six priests whose relics are kept on display in New Haven, CT, the international headquarters of the Knights of Columbus are -– Pedro de Jesus Maldonado Lucero, Miguel de la Mora de la Mora, Jose Maria Robles Hurtado, Luis Batiz Sainz, Rodrigo Aguilar Alemán, and Mateo Correa Magallanes. They were martyred for their faith by the Mexican government during the religious persecution in Mexico in the 1920s and 1930s. One of the priests – Father Pedro de Jesus Maldonado Lucero – was ordained in the United States in 1918 before returning to Mexico, where he was killed for his faith in 1937.
The Arizona itinerary includes: Prescott on July 13 at Sacred Heart Church, 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.; Phoenix on July 14 at St. Catherine’s Church, 7:00 a.m. to July 15, 6:00 a.m.; Avondale on July 15 at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, from 12:00 - 6:00 p.m.; Phoenix at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral, 7:00 p.m. - July 16 10:00 a.m. (Televised Mass at 9:00 a.m.); Mesa on July 16 at Christ the King Church, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m. July 17; Sierra Vista on July 17 at St. Andrew the Apostle Church, 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Tucson on July 18 at Our Lady, Queen of All Saints, 8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., and St. Augustine Cathedral, 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., a procession from Tucson Knights of Columbus Council 1200 at 7:00 p.m. to St. Ambrose Church where it will stay until 3:00 a.m. July 19.
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest lay Catholic organization, with more than 1.7 million members in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Photographs, biographies, and more information on the tour are available at www.azknightsofcolumbus.com. Contact John Garcia, Public Relations Chairman for the Arizona State Council of the Knights of Columbus, at telephone (602) 525-4424 or via e-mail at garciakofc@cox.net.
