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CD O CL CO Sou Diocese of Savannah hem Cross Dioctse of Savannah Contents Headune Hopscotch 2 News 3 Commentary 4-5 Around the Diocese 6 DDA 7 Faith Alive! 8-9 Notices 10-11 Last But Not Least 12 Vol. 80, No. 10 $.50 PER ISSUE Thursday, March 9, 2000 Albany Deanery parishioners meet to plan tornado relief By Sister Jackie Griffith, SSJ Camilla n February 21, a group of parishioners from St. John Vianney Church in Camilla came together to talk about the response of the Catholic community to the recent disaster brought on by the tornadoes of February 14. The twisters killed 18 people, injured hundreds and destroyed more than 300 homes and businesses in Colquitt, Grady, Mitchell and Tift Counties. Several representatives of the local Catholic community, including Father Edward R. Frank, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Moultrie and Saint John Vianney in Camilla, Deacon Philip Walsh, also of Moultrie and Camilla, and Saint John Vianney parishioners David Sullivan, Bob Faircloth and Arch McNeil met with Rosemary Baughman and myself to assess the needs of the people and deter mine how best to respond to them. Baughman is director of Neighbors in Need, an outreach program sponsored by Saint Teresa Church in Albany. Faircloth, a volunteer firefighter and chief of a fire district in the area, and David Cagle, manag er for Cagle Foods in Camilla and himself a victim of the tornado, provided firsthand information on the plight of the people and the damage to fife and prop erty. Dr. McNeil, a local retired physician, gave updates on the medical community and its response. After a discussion of the problems and needs, the small group went to work brainstorming possible ways that the local Catholic community could be of assistance. A proposal will be sent to Bishop J. Kevin Boland, who has called for financial help from the diocesan-wide community. Bishop Boland initiated a diocesan response by asking diocesan personnel to meet to discuss a strategy for helping the people of the Albany Deanery. Monies will be available at the diocesan level, once the people of Saint John Vianney Church make their proposal to Bishop Boland. Because the tornado damage to life and property is widespread in the four county area, the Catholic community of Camilla will be networking with parishioners in Omega, part of Our Divine Saviour Church in Tifton; members of Saint Elizabeth Seton Parish in Cairo, a mission of Saint Augustine Parish in Thomasville; and parishioners in Pelham, a neigh boring community of Camilla. The hope of the small group from Saint John’s is to create a center in Camilla that will reach out to people in the four counties by using a network of Catholics to locate families in need, assess the problems and respond with the parameters set by Bishop Boland. The Bishop’s parameters are broad. He hopes to use the diocesan financial resources to participate in the rebuilding and reconstruction of people’s fives, home and livelihoods. The group from Saint John’s has begun to strategize toward this end. The faith and compassion of the small group from Moultrie and Camilla was very much in evi dence during the meeting. David Sullivan, his home damaged by the tornado, spoke of the “wake- up call” from God to use his gifts and resources, and those of the Catholic community, to respond to their neighbors in need. He is committed to leading the efforts of the Catholic community in the four counties. The response of the Catholic churches of Camilla and Moultrie began with a collection on Sunday, February 20; Deacon Philip Walsh described the monies collected as “substantial” and a good beginning toward disaster relief. With local collections, the diocesan contribution and financial assistance from Catholic Extension, Catholic Charities USA and other dioceses around the country, and the efforts of the Catholic commu nity of the Albany Deanery, especially in Camilla and Moultrie, the reconstruction and rebuilding needs of the people will be met. Sister Jackie Griffith, SSJ, is Director of Catholic Social Services for the Diocese of Savannah. Camilla tornado relief fund T he Diocese of Savannah has set up a fund to help the victims of the recent tor nadoes in the Camilla area. Those who wish to contribute directly to the diocesan fund may send checks marked “Camilla tornado relief’ to this address: Diocese of Savannah Catholic Pastoral Center 601 East Liberty Street Savannah, GA 31401-5196. This fund will go toward the rebuilding of homes, businesses and lives in southwest Georgia. Diocesan youth contributed $211.53 at the recent Youth Day celebrations in Valdosta. Bishop J. Kevin Boland said the diocese will match contributions from parishes and individuals up to $10,000 as a tithe from the Diocesan Development Appeal towards tornado relief. Bay Branch church restored Renovations at Saint Joseph Church in Bay Branch in rural Screven County were complet ed recently. These included exterior painting, a new roof and copper cross on the front of the building. A new fence and an addition to the ceme tery completed the project. Saint Joseph's was the first and for many years the only Catho lic church between Savannah and Augusta. It was dedicated by Savannah Bishop Benjamin J. Keiley on May 14, 1911.