FROM OUR PASTOR

Dear St. Charles Parishioners:

The end of August is a time of year to consider our commitment for the upcoming year. In addition to family and work, we will spend time on leisure and volunteer activities. The stewardship of our time, treasure and talent, is a responsibility for every citizen and believer. The Spirit distributes charisms and gifts to build up the body of Christ in the world. Usually, they are manifested in our skills and interests. Let us put our time where our values lie. Let us use the full potential the Lord has bestowed upon us. We worry so much about burning out. How come we worry so little about rusting out? Think about St. Charles’s many ministries and needs, and make sure you give a high priority to the mission of a great parish! Visit with one of our Pastoral Team or Council Members to discern your role.

Build the Spirit,

MESI ANPIL! (THANK YOU VERY MUCH!)

St. Charles parishioners have sponsored over 130 Haitian school children who otherwise would not be getting an education. Over 40 of the 50 children whose names and pictures we brought back from our most recent trip this past January have sponsors. If you are interested in sponsoring a Haitian child, contact Monica Beaston at 703-528-4351, or Leslie Dunne at 703-525-5647. Attention, Bees: Last year, Neighborhood B sold t-shirts to sponsor Tanosky Lamarre; but this year, no funds have been raised. If you would like to contribute to Tanosky’s education, contact Brian Francis at 703-812-8656, or Mike McMahon at 703-522-7203.

CROPWALK IS BACK!!

Get some exercise and enjoy a beautiful fall morning, while helping to eliminate hunger! Join the 2000 Arlington CropWalk, which will be held on Saturday, October 21. CropWalk is a 10k stroll through North Arlington, to raise funds for Church World Services’ global and local hunger relief efforts. 25 percent of the money raised is given to the Arlington Food Assistance Center, the remaining 75 percent is used for global hunger relief projects. In 1999, walkers from St. Charles raised $2,779 of the $34,406 Arlington CropWalk raised! Beginning September 10, you can register to walk at the CropWalk table in the Cafeteria, after the 9 AM and 11 AM Masses. If you’d like to register walkers, walk, or sponsor a walker, call Carol Brown at 703-524-6133.

SPONSOR OF THE WEEK: Our special thanks to Allen’s Copy Center for their support. Thank you!

SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2000:

7:30 Parishioners
9:00 Herb Graves by Agnes Majchrowicz
11:00 Chrissy McDonald by Rozlyn & Brandon Newton
1:00 Celsa Juarez by her children

Readings: Proverbs 9:1-6; Ephesians 2:15-20; John 6:51-58

Monday, August 21:

9:00Lan Khue Vu by Michael & Deborah Urban
7:30 (at the Arlington Detention Center) for the Inmates

Readings: Ezekiel 24:15-24; Matthew 19:16-22

Tuesday, August 22:

9:00 Mary Cairns by Louise Montavon
Readings: Ezekiel 28:1-10; Matthew 19:23-30

Wednesday, August 23:

9:00 Nita Singh by Olga Singh
Readings: Ezekiel 34:1-11; Matthew 20:1-16a

Thursday, August 24:

9:00 Melvin J. Cunningham by Helen Naber
Readings: Revelation 21:9b-14; John 1:45-51

Friday, August 25:

9:00 Roger P. Marquis
Readings: Ezekiel 37:1-14; Matthew 22:34-40

Saturday, August 26:

9:00 John & Vina Oczytko by Savery Gradoville
5:00 Eileen Bruno (L) by Camille Burruto
Readings: Ezekiel 43:1-7a; Matthew 23:1-12

Please remember to keep in your prayers, those who are sick and those who suffer, especially: Kathy & Mike Burke, Gene Biedscheid, Glyne Goodridge, Grace Gretzinger, Jill Hasty, Ralph Bruno, Eileen Bruno and James Kern, Michael Rontaler, Rocky Weaver, John Spasaro, Helena Guziczek, Josephine Hilton, Barbara Cronin, Robert Howe and Alicia Petta. Let us also pray for those who have died, especially: Bea Caffarina, Deloris Gunn, Vina S. Oczytko, Maria Baudrit and Henry Kirsch.

SOCIAL JUSTICE CORNER

Do you know a child who is grieving a loss? Maybe a Camp Starfish weekend is a place for them to begin healing. Founded by Hospice of Washington, the Washington Home and the William Wendt Center for Loss and Healing (formerly St. Francis Center), Camp Starfish provides an opportunity for children ages 6-14 to share their feelings of grief with other children in similar circumstances, as well as professional grief counselors and trained volunteers. Their next weekend is being offered October 20-22 in Laytonsville, Maryland. Contact 202-895-0124 for information.

Elderly Services: Case management for frail, elderly people in Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax County is provided by Catholic Charities. Call Joyce Hutchins, LCSW at 703-751-2766 for information.

Ministry

In my encyclical letter, Evangelium Vitae, I noted that the various techniques of artificial reproduction, apparently at the service of life, actually open the door to new attacks on life. Apart from the fact that they are morally unacceptable, since they separate procreation from the fully human context of the conjugal act, these techniques have a high rate of failure. And not just failure in relation to fertilization, but failure affecting the subsequent development of the embryo, which is exposed to the risk of death.

- Pope John Paul II, April 3, 2000 Discourse of Congress, “Fetus as a Patient”

FR. EDMUND V. KOLLAR

Fr. Edmund V. Kollar, a retired diocesan priest, died August 1st at his home in Crystal River, Florida at the age of 80. Fr. Kollar was pastor here at St. Charles from 1975 to 1976. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. William of York on August 7th.

DIVORCED, SEPARATED OR WIDOWED?

DSW is a group of divorced, separated or widowed Catholics, joined together in mutual support to serve the spiritual, psychological, familial, and social needs of its members. For information, contact President Betsy Corcoran at 703-815-2985, or write: DSW Catholics of Northern Virginia, P.O. Box 223983, Chantilly, Virginia 20153-3983.

RCIA NEWS

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) begins on Tuesday, September 5. There will be an informational session in the Parish Library on Tuesday, August 29, at 7:30 PM.

Also, we are looking for sponsors and team members interested in walking with those coming into the Catholic Church. No experience necessary. For more information or to indicate interest in either of the above, please contact Stacy Greene at 703-522-9467 or e-mail her at SGreene715@aol.com.

WANTED

St. Charles Parish Office is looking for a mature individual for part-time Front Desk Reception work. The individual must possess good public relations skills as well as computer skills (MSOffice) and be available to work on weekends and evenings. Bi-lingual a plus. Please send qualifications to the Parish Office c/o Tricia Clark. Thank you.

MOM –N-ME

Looking for a fun activity to do with your baby, toddler or pre-schooler? Join other mom’s and kids every Thursday at 10:00 AM in the Parish Library. Call Marybeth Connelly at 703-645-0033 for more information.

PILGRIMAGES FOR THE JUBILEE YEAR 2000

The Diocese of Arlington’s Hispanic Apostolate is sponsoring three pilgrimages for the Jubilee Year. These trips are under the direction of Fr. Jesus Navarrete and offer the unique opportunity to renew ourselves as Christians and at the same time continue the Jubilee mission of the church to change and grow. The pilgrims will be given the opportunities for devotion, prayer and reflection as they follow in the steps of our Lord Jesus Christ. These are bilingual pilgrimages – everyone is invited! Call Fr. Jesus for details, 703-780-4055 (English) or 703-360-5906 (Spanish).

IN OUR PARISH...

Fr. Creedon and the Parish Council invite the new members of St. Charles to a Welcoming Reception in the Cafeteria on Saturday, September 9 following the 5 PM Mass. Please come and share food, drink, and most importantly, the hospitality of your parish community.

Reminder to all Parish Council Neighborhood Representatives: the next meeting of Neighborhood Representatives is scheduled for Monday, August 21, at 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Library. Please make every effort to attend this key planning session for the coming year.

Reminder to all Parish Council and Pastoral Team Members: the next joint meeting of the Council and Pastoral Team will be on Wednesday, September 6, in the Parish Library.

PHOTOS & STORIES VOTED #1

St. Charles parishioners voted photos and stories from parish events as their favorite feature on www.stcharleschurch.org, according to the recently completed poll. You also asked for the lector schedule online, so we’re going to add that soon. One respondent suggested we print some of the survey feedback in the bulletin, so here are some examples. “The web site was how I found St. Charles . . . .” “I really found it useful to find the exact wording for certain prayers that I had forgotten . . . .” And, “I am really impressed with all of the information.” We always want to hear from you – send your comments, compliments and complaints to webteam@stcharleschurch.org.

• Last Week’s Collection: $14,414.00
• Last Week’s Tithe of $1,441.40 was for Covenant House.
• This Week’s Tithe is for St. Charles Outreach.
• Next Week’s Tithe is for Healthy Families.

Revised/reviewed August 15, 2000