|
By Monsignor Noel C. Burtenshaw
One year ago, the Catholics of the Archdiocese of
Atlanta responded to the tragedy of the murdered and missing children in many
ways. They offered their services to support projects in their communities.
They gathered in prayer for those wounded by the loss of children. They
collected funds for summer programs in the city and, finally, they held a most
successful summer camp project for Atlanta's children.
Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan has announced that
the summer camp project will again be held in Atlanta this year.
Three parishes will host the camps. The parishes
involved are St. Anthony's, Sts. Peter and Paul, and Our Lady of Lourdes. St.
Anthony's camp will operate from June 21 to July 16, Sts. Peter and Paul from
July 6 to July 30, and Our Lady of Lourdes from June 28 to July 23.
Last year Sister Margaret McAnoy coordinated the
project for the archdiocese. The three parishes hosting the camps this year
will provide their own coordinators and formulate the four-week program for the
children.
To help finance the camps, Archbishop Donnellan
has asked every parish in the archdiocese to take up a collection at all Masses
on the weekend of June 5 and 6. In his letter to the pastors, the Archbishop
reminds them that "problems remain and our camp efforts this year aim at
dealing with them; chiefly providing safe, enriching, supervised summer care
for children who otherwise would not have it."
The Archbishop goes on to remind the pastors and
their parishioners that the summer camps are projects in these three locations
"representing all of us in this ongoing effort to make Atlanta a safer place
for children, especially poorer children."
The generosity of Catholics and others last year
made the camps an experience in Christian service during the summer. That same
generosity is looked for once more this year.
The funds collected at each Mass on June 5 and 6
will be forwarded to the Chancery Office for distribution to the three parishes
for the expenses of their camps for Atlanta's Children.
|
