|
“Happy New Year!” in July might sound strange to most
listeners, unless they are acquainted with the Search for Christian Maturity
program in the Atlanta archdiocese. Since February 1972 there have been five
Search weekends where over 85 youths, 16 years and over, have participated from
18 parishes.
This national youth-to-youth program provides teens all over the
United States an opportunity to discuss, celebrate and share in the happiness
of a real Christian community while considering matters of their personal
faith. In addition, the follow-up program, Extension, offers youth and adults
an opportunity to share their Christian values in a variety of meaningful
experiences and through service to the needy.
For the past 16 months, the Search program has been based at St.
Thomas the Apostle parish under the coordination of Sister Barbara Lee Walter,
IHM, and the spiritual direction of Father Frank Bouchard, MS, of St. Francis
Church, Cartersville, and Father Joe McLaughlin, SM, of Marist High School,
Atlanta. In addition, numerous youth, young adults, adults, priests, and
religious education coordinators have volunteered their presence and service in
sponsoring the Search program.
Beginning this month, the one-year experimental program entitled
Search of Atlanta, Inc., will offer the entire program to youth throughout the
archdiocese with Sr. Barbara as full-time coordinator and St. Ignatius
Apostolic Center serving as the Search Center and office for its activities. In
sharing her hopes for this “New Year,” Sr. Barbara said: “I
believe the youth of Atlanta will continue to develop their special gift of
sharing their faith with others. After they have found the meaning of Christ in
their lives, I find youth are very willing to give of themselves to others. My
wish for youth is one of Christian love – for themselves, for Christ and,
flowing from these, love of others especially the needy.”
Mike Snow, active in the program from its beginning, has expressed
what the Search program means to him: “Search has given me a change to
make many good friends. They have shown me the kind of love that makes a person
give totally of himself without expecting anything in return. I have found in
Christ someone who is always there, someone to show me the way and someone who
loves me no matter what I do wrong.”
In making plans to continue this pilot program, Father Robert
Kinast, director of the Office of Religious Education, has given his support by
offering this independent program the collaboration of Walter Kahnle, director
of secondary education.
With confidence in the program, Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan
made efforts to secure financial backing through Extension Society funds.
Because support from Extension will not be forthcoming the entire program will
need to raise funds from individual parishes served by the program. To begin
this “Search” for $10,000, St. Thomas the Apostle parish had a
special collection last Sunday.
This summer’s activity offers to all youth, 15 years and
over, a four-week scripture study to be held for the coming Sunday afternoons,
July 22 and 29, August 5 and 12 at 3:00 in the new Search Center, 6700
Riverside Drive, Atlanta. Come September 28-30, all Searchers are encouraged to
participate in an interactive weekend at Camp Gwynn Valley, Brevard, North
Carolina, at a continuing means of growing in Christ. The first fall weekend
for new Searchers, Search No. 6 will be held October 26-28. Applications will
be accepted after August 25th by contacting the Search Center.
|
