Rest in Peace
Marie Doty, one of CNEWAs most loyal friends, died on 24 September 2008 at her home in New York. She was 91.
Over the years, Mrs. Doty, her husband, George, and their children have selflessly and generously supported CNEWAs mission with their time, energy and financial resources.
Mrs. Doty played an active role in many agency works, including the restoration of the dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the development of the first recreational parks in Palestine. On a visit there more than a decade ago, she quietly observed, The children have no place to play.
Determined to remedy the situation, Marie and George Doty provided CNEWA with the funds to build and equip playgrounds and related facilities in Bethlehem, Gaza and Ramallah. In addition to swings and slides, handball and basketball courts, the parks feature fountains and green lawns, luxuries Palestinian children once associated with Israeli settlements.
May God reward Marie Doty for her generosity and loving concern. May her memory be eternal.
New Board Members
Archbishop Thomas Collins of Toronto and Archbishop Martin William Currie of St. Johns, Newfoundland, and Grand Falls were elected to the Board of Directors of CNEWA Canada on 23 September during the agencys annual board meeting.
Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, S.J., of Ottawa chairs CNEWA Canada and Cardinal Marc Ouellet, S.S.P., of Québec City serves as vice chair. Ukrainian Greek Catholic Metropolitan Lawrence Huculak, O.S.B.M., of Winnipeg and Archbishop Raymond Roussin, S.M., of Vancouver are also members.
With our two new members we now have representation from each episcopal region of Canada, said Archbishop Prendergast.
During the meeting, the board approved plans to initiate a promotional and fund-raising campaign to support Christians in the Middle East, especially displaced Iraqis.
Strengthening Partnership
Mill Hill Father Guido Gockel, CNEWAs assistant secretary general, represented CNEWA at the annual assembly of Catholica Unio at Chevetogne Abbey in Belgium, 28-30 October. The meeting brought together Catholica Unio representatives from Austria, Germany and Switzerland, who reported on their activities and discussed their goals for the coming year.
Catholica Unio, a movement for the union of the Catholic and Orthodox churches, began in Vienna in 1921. For the past few years, CNEWA and Catholica Unio have strengthened their partnership.
CNEWA collaborates with Catholica Unio Deutschland in strategic planning and promotional and fund-raising activities, including the publication of the German-language edition of this magazine.
Preparing Knights and Ladies
CNEWA continues its ongoing program to assist in the formation and education of members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, which is charged by the Holy See with supporting the Christian presence in the Holy Land.
In the past few months, Msgr. Robert Stern, Chorbishop John Faris and Brother David Carroll, F.S.C., addressed members of the U.S.A. Eastern, Northeastern, Northern, Northwestern, Southwestern and Western lieutenancies.
North American Eritreans
The Geez Catholic bishop of Asmara, Eritreas capital city in the horn of Africa, recently completed a pastoral visit to Canada and the United States. Abune Menghesteab Tesfamariam, M.C.C.J., was warmly welcomed by his compatriots, who include an estimated 20,000 people living in major cities of North America.
Abune Menghesteab also visited CNEWAs headquarters in New York City on 17 September. There he discussed with senior staff his pastoral work and the agencys assistance to his eparchy.
An estimated 141,460 Geez Catholics live in Eritrea, a country of 5.5 million people. Some 60,000 Catholics make up the Eparchy of Asmara.
Ethiopias Food Problems
While much of Ethiopia has thus far enjoyed rain and good harvests, the nations lowland areas have been hit by a prolonged drought that has accelerated already skyrocketing food prices, reported CNEWAs regional director for Ethiopia, Gerald Jones.
Rising food costs, especially in Addis Ababa, have pushed Ethiopians to the brink of malnutrition and have paralyzed many of CNEWAs child-care partners, especially schools with feeding programs and orphanages, he said.
While huge aid agencies and donor governments are working on food shortages in the lowlands, we are helping our partners cope with the much less publicized impact of soaring food prices.