Catholic News Around Indiana
Compiled by Brandon A. Evans
Diocese of Evansville
Almuly sisters to tell their story: Italian town of Amandola offered safety to Jewish refugees
By MARY ANN HUGHES (Message staff writer)
The clock is ticking, and soon there may no longer be an opportunity to listen as Holocaust survivors tell their stories.
That’s why Carol Abrams is so happy that the Almuly sisters will be in Evansville this April. She’s a charter member of Cypress, a committee formed to encourage teaching about the Holocaust in Evansville area schools.
Thanks to Cypress, the two women, Ena Lorant and Alisa Palmeri, have been invited to talk about their lives during World War II. Their presentation is scheduled for 7 p.m., April 19, at St. Mary Church in downtown Evansville.
The sisters’ story begins in 1941. They were living “a very comfortable, happy life” in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Alisa said.
One morning that April, they woke up and found their father wearing a military uniform and shining his shoes. Once he left the family home and headed to fight in the war against the Nazis, the dynamics of the family changed.
Alisa was five at the time, and remembers looking at adult faces to determine “were they happy? Were they scared?”
That year, she realized “they were very apprehensive. They knew we had to escape, and they knew we had to have false documents.”
Someone made the decision that eight members of the family — including Alisa, her mother, sister and grandmother — would travel by train from Yugoslavia into nearby Italy.
“I remember sitting in the train and not knowing where we were going. My mother was not sure where we would end up. There was a vague plan as to how we could reach Italy.”
As they traveled through their country, “Yugoslavs helped us. They were decent people. A taxi driver housed us in his own home, all eight of us.”
The family elected to flee to Italy because “word was that Italy was being helpful. The Italian government had designated certain towns as ‘internment camps’ where the people would share their homes, for a small stipend, and everyone, town’s people as well as refugees, would receive the same rations.
“In Italy, even the generals under Mussolini were known to close an eye and protect the Jews and other refugees.”
Photo caption: Sisters Ena Lorant and Alisa Palmeri will share their story of survival during a presentation at 7 p.m. April 19 at St. Mary Church in downtown Evansville. During World War II their family fled Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia and was hidden in towns in Italy.
St. Mary Church, Washington, slated for demolition
Structural cracks, water damage and mold in the former St. Mary Church building in Washington led to the decision to demolish the structure.
The Church of the Immaculate Conception, more commonly known as St. Mary’s Church in Washington was built for the local German Catholic population in August of 1876. The building has been vacant since its closing on August 17, 2008. On August 31, 2008 the congregation merged with St. Simon’s congregation and became Our Lady of Hope.
The bells were sold to Mary’s Children Retreat Center for the center’s new Friary in Bloomington, Ind., according to information provided by the Washington parish. The steeple cross will be erected in a place of honor at St. John’s Cemetery along with the cornerstone. The prayerful stained glass windows were removed by Adrian Hamers, Inc., and taken to New York where they are being shown to prospective buyers. The pews were sold at public auction. The Stations of the Cross and HVAC equipment were bartered in exchange for demolition work.
(For these stories and more news from the Diocese of Evansville, log on to the website of The Message at www.themessageonline.org)
Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
Light of Christ award winner is compassionate friend
By Kay Cozad
FORT WAYNE — “I’m not feeding people like Father Tom did, but comforting people in a different manner,” says Danielle Collins, this year’s recipient of the Father Tom O’Connor Light of Christ Award. The award was created in 2006 by St. Mary’s Church to honor individuals whose life activities and faith exemplify the type of servant leadership for which Father O’Connor was known during his years as priest in Fort Wayne.
Collins, a 21-year-old junior at the University of Saint Francis, was surprised to learn that she had been chosen to receive the award. “It’s overwhelming — in a good way,” she says.
She graduated from Montini Catholic High School, where she was involved with campus ministry, before coming to the University of Saint Francis (USF).
In addition to her full load of graphic arts classes, Collins takes additional classes to earn a minor in theology, a subject dear to her heart.
“My faith has always been really important to me,” she says. And that faith has sustained her through the challenges of life as well as in the many activities in which she is involved.
As a member of the USF student government Collins holds seats on several committees including Service Integrating Root Values (SIRV) where she is involved in organizing and connecting students for service projects such as Habitat for Humanity, the Trick-or-Treat canned goods drive and USF Feeds the Fort.
Campus ministry keeps this energetic young woman immersed in service events as well and as a peer minister. As sacristan she sets up for Mass on campus each Sunday evening as well as scheduling for each liturgy.
Off campus, when Collins returns home for summer, she continues to volunteer for the nonprofit bereavement support organization Compassionate Friends, whose national offices are in her home town area. Collins and her parents have been associated with Compassionate Friends since the death of her younger sister, Meghan, who died when Collins was only five.
Photo caption: Danielle Collins, a junior at the University of Saint Francis is this year’s recipient of the Father Tom O’Connor Light of Christ Award.
Annual Bishop’s Appeal attains highest total in 23 years
By Vince LaBarbera
The 23rd Annual Bishop’s Appeal in support of the ministries and services of the Catholic Church throughout the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend has resulted in a total collection of $5,745,113 — the highest amount ever raised in the history of the campaign.
Despite the poor economy and a decrease in the total number of gifts, the 2009-10 appeal was 128 percent over the goal of $4,500,000. This means if all pledges are kept, $1,745,113 will be returned to parishes.
Bishop John M. D’Arcy said, “The annual appeal has always been parish centered and that is the big reason for its success — that and our priests. I have always believed that the parish priests make it all possible. People here love their priests and follow them.”
“Credit for the 23rd Annual Bishop’s Appeal all goes to Bishop D’Arcy,” said Harry W. Verhiley, director of the diocesan Development Office in charge of the annual campaign. Speaking of the bishop emeritus of the diocese, Verhiley continued, “The generosity of our diocese to his last appeal is an expression of gratitude to Bishop D’Arcy’s selfless service to us.”
“John and I believe the amazing outcome is the result of a combination of things,” added Julie Kenny. She and her husband, John, served as general chairpersons of the recent campaign. “First and foremost is the love and support people in the diocese have for Bishop D’Arcy. It was a way of saying ‘thank you’ for everything he’s done. Second, Catholics who could give gave more realizing there were likely many who couldn’t donate this time due to the economy. … The faithful here are incredibly generous in sharing their gifts for the Lord’s work.”
The highest appeal previous to the 2009-10 campaign was the 2003-04.
The local diocese consists of 80 parishes comprising 57,345 households in 14 counties. A total of 22,473 families contributed to this year’s appeal — a 39 percent rate of participation.
(For these stories and more news from the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, log on to the website of Today’s Catholic at www.todayscatholicnews.org)
Diocese of Gary
Seder recalls liberation from slavery, physical and spiritual
Story by Steve Euvino
MUNSTER — Just out of the Navy, David Trotman was dating a Jewish girl and attended a Seder Meal but never learned the meaning of the symbols. Today, as a grandfather attending the annual Seder at St. Thomas More March 28, he learned the meaning behind the bitter herbs, the eggs, and the unleavened matza.
“This is the most important holiday of the year,” Trotman said of Holy Week, which started with Palm Sunday that day. “Each religious is different, but they’re all about being holy, atoning for yourself, and being a better person.”
Trotman was among 160 people assembled in the parish social center for the fourth annual Seder presented by St. Thomas More’s religious formation commission.
The Seder (literally, order or arrangement) is a Jewish ritual feast marking the beginning of Passover. It is held on the evening of the 14th day of Nisan in the Jewish calendar, late March or April in the Gregorian calendar.
The story of the Israelites’ freedom is found in Exodus, or Shemot in the Hebrew Bible.
Seder customs include drinking four cups of wine, eating matza, and having symbolic foods placed on the Passover Seder plate.
These include eggs, bitter herbs dipped in salt water, shank bone of a lamb, and haroset, a mixture of chopped apples, cinnamon, nuts, and wine. Haroset is a reminder of the mortar used by forced Hebrew laborers in Egypt.
The four cups of wine or grape juice represent the four stages by which Israel was delivered from slavery, as stated in Exodus 6:6-7.
The wine is usually red, for the color of blood which the Israelites sprinkled on the doorposts of their homes so that their first-born sons would be passed over by the angel of the Lord.
Traditionally, mothers coordinated activities at the Seder table, and St. Thomas More had “mothers” at each table to explain each segment of the Seder.
(For this story and more news from the Diocese of Gary, log on to the website of the Northwest Indiana Catholic at www.nwicatholic.com)
Diocese of Lafayette
No briefs available this week
(For news from the Diocese of Lafayette, log on to the website of The Catholic Moment at www.thecatholicmoment.org)