Cardinals raise funds for Catholic University with Las Vegas dinner

Published: 2007-05-02

LAS VEGAS (CNS) -- Five U.S. cardinals and other prelates were in Las Vegas April 27 for the 18th annual American Cardinals Dinner, which raised $1.2 million for the scholarship fund of The Catholic University of America in Washington. About 500 attended the dinner. Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, which is in the Las Vegas Diocese, received the American Cardinals Encouragement Award, a feature at the annual dinner. In his homily at a Mass in Las Vegas' Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer before the dinner, Vincentian Father David M. O'Connell, Catholic University's president, preached on conversion; the first reading of the Mass dealt with Saul of Tarsus' conversion into the apostle Paul. "For most of us, our conversion of heart is much less dramatic than that of Saul of Tarsus," Father O'Connell said. "In fact, for most of us, conversion is not a moment or an event but, rather, the work of a lifetime -- a journey, a pilgrimage filled with joys and sorrow, successes and failures, triumphs and tragedies."

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