The following is the text of an evaluation of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council’s “Operation Eye Opener” at the three-month point. The report was prepared by Sr. Janet Valente, director of the Office of Urban Affairs and Fr. Jerry E. Hardy, priest secretary of the archdiocesan Pastoral Council.

Operation Eye-Opener is almost three months old. Someone once said that the difference between a world of fantasy and a kingdom of hope was precisely a dream-that vision of life within each of us which calls us forth to work for its realizations and to build a kingdom upon it. “By dreams, we mean a vision of life worth the effort, never impossible of achievement nor certain of accomplishment.” And hope for the Christian poses the challenge that tomorrow can be and will be different if one chooses to make it so.

Responding to the challenge issued by the Pastoral Council in September and October, many in the Church of Atlanta have chosen to make tomorrow different, and to shape the dream of eradicating some of the causes of the poverty in our midst. Here are some highlights:

CHRIST THE KING

Day Care- Many meetings and much planning have gone into an ecumenical collaborative effort towards a pre-school enrichment program hopefully to begin this spring. Covenant Presbyterian Church has offered their facilities and Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church will provide a bus for transportation. The program is designed for children ages three and four on a racially integrated and economically scaled basis.

Housing-While not officially adopted as a parish program area, a study group has been meeting under the direction of Tom Rafferty to shape a parish educational program.

Domestic Workers-Under the leadership of Sr. Mary Ann, extensive planning and development of a three-phase educational Domestic Workers program for both employees and employers has been underway.

ST. JOSEPH’S, ATHENS

Day Care- Athens parishioners are already involved in a child care center operating on the property broader than Headstart and federally funded, which will expand to an after school program. They are also administering a summer day camp program, an ecumenical involvement budgeted at over $12,000 through Model Cities and Community Chest monies as well as parishioner donations.

ST. PAUL OF THE CROSS

Day Care- Under the leadership of Mrs. Angus Boone and Fr. McKenna, day care center plans are moving ahead. A board of directors has been established, a budget submitted, a facility obtained and two fund raising projects completed.

HOLY CROSS

Housing- The parish has joined InterFaith. In conjunction with several area churches, a one-day seminar on housing will be held in early Spring.

Family to Family-Underway primarily through involvement with the Lawson Apartments by providing transportation for medical care and surplus foods and in obtaining furniture. Social activities have included ball games and camping.

A general parish meeting in December attracted 150 parishioners. A commitment was made to active parish involvement in four out of five poverty program areas. A parish meeting to assess progress will be held this month.

ST. JUDE’S

Day Care-Parishioners have been working in close collaboration with EOA in an effort to find suitable property for a day care center in Alpharetta, as well as broadening present day care facilities in Roswell.

Skill Bank- This idea has enthusiastically received approximately 250 volunteer responses from all professions and interests. Hopefully from such a pool of resources suitable personnel for a medical out-patient clinic in the Roswell area may be established.

Housing- Parishioners have been meeting with the Roswell Citizens Advisory Committee on the possibility of buying FHA appraised land for single-dwelling, low-income housing.

ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE

Family to Family- Two families are currently involved in the program and four other families are in the process of meeting and establishing relationships with poor families by working with a Cobb County social worker. They are transporting people to food distribution centers, clinics, etc. as a means of getting acquainted and discerning needs.

Day Care- The use of a building has been obtained. It is to be moved from its present location and search is underway for a new suitable location. About 10 parish women are participating in the Headstart Program at Rose Garden School in Smyrna, thereby gaining experience which will aid in volunteer work in the day care center. A center which will initially care for 20 to 25 children for 12 hours per day is being projected. Fr. Morrow and Sr. Barbara are actively involved with the Lutheran, Episcopal, Methodist and Presbyterian churches of the Smyrna area.

Summary: There have been some parishes where, for one reason or another, no programs have been adopted and no action planned. The Office of Urban Affairs and the Pastoral Council will continue to provide whatever assistance is needed in these areas.

At the Eye-Opener sessions it was emphasized that groups should feel free to adapt the program areas suggested, or create others to speak more effectively to their own local needs. Responding to this, several groups took up the challenge designing some interesting variations much worth noting.

St. Gerard’s-Fort Oglethorpe–An ALERT Program has been set up. Parishioners inform the committee and priests of needs they become aware of; a volunteer program has been set in motion involving direct work with the county to try to fill whatever need they are called on for. So far this has involved setting up a “Clothes Closet,” “matching” parishioners with elderly who need visitation, setting up a two-day-a-month arts and crafts volunteer program at a nursing home and meeting transportation requests from Family and Children’s Services.

St. Peter and Paul-youth project-the youth in this parish have enthusiastically thought of various ways to help. Their first concern has been the March of Dimes Organization called BIB (Better Infant Births), which helps needy mothers in the Atlanta area. In an all out effort on Dec. 12 a campaign began to collect baby and maternity clothing and furniture for the BIB project.

Newman Club, Georgia Tech- The students at Georgia Tech are sponsoring projects to help needy children: North Fulton Child Development Association and Home Park School Lunch Program. They are also working actively with Volunteer Atlanta and Techwood Tutorial Program.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help-In Carrollton, parishioners actively supported an ecumenically sponsored camp program for low-income children during the Christmas holidays. A follow-up is underway to further develop and maintain the family relationships and contacts established through this camp venture.

Sacred Heart-On the second Monday of every month, Sacred Heart Parish will host an educational forum that will present an overview of existing facilities and services offered to the elderly here in Atlanta. Speakers from each denomination now involved with the elderly will make a presentation.

Clergymen of the inner city are also meeting together each Tuesday with Fr. Mulroy to discuss and study the emergency assistance offered in the city and the problems that they face. The group is trying to work together to bring about a coordination of all emergency assistance efforts.

Several other parishes have chosen to reach out through existing local EOA and welfare agencies. Among these St. Philip Benizi parishioners are active in a food and economics educational program. St. Mark’s Clarksville and St. Peter’s LaGrange are assisting in transporting children for tutoring and families in need.