A real highlight of traveling around the country and taking CNEWA’s message to the world is getting the chance to meet some of CNEWA’s friends and supporters. When I went to the L.A. Religious Education Congress in Anaheim a couple weeks ago with the Rev. Elias Mallon and Deacon Greg Kandra, I had just that opportunity. We got to break bread (or butter some pancakes) with a delightful pair of CNEWA donors, Ralph and Dorothy.
Deacon Greg and I met them over breakfast at the Original Pancake House in Anaheim (the sourdough pancakes are amazing!). Ralph and Dorothy, pictured above, were married just 20 months ago on the 4th of July. They are as happy and energetic as any newlyweds could be. Dorothy, a native Californian is a special education teacher with a M.A. in Theology — she started her teaching career at age 53. Ralph, a retired Aerospace Engineer, was born in the Bronx but moved to California after college.
Dorothy’s love for helping others was instilled by her grandmother, who would always take time to feed the hungry. Like her, Dorothy has an affinity to care for the less fortunate, and especially loves to help children and mothers in need. She joked that she has worn Ralph down to see things her way and together they have shared their love with suffering families in Iraq and Syria. For that kind of heartfelt generosity, CNEWA remains profoundly grateful.
Equally as heartwarming were their stories about their longtime friendship, recent marriage and their two beautiful families — 10 children in all, with a bevy of grandchildren and great grandchildren.
It was the perfect culmination to a weekend filled with energy, spirituality and friendship at the L.A. Religious Education Congress.
CNEWA was invited to participate in the L.A. Religious Ed Congress for the first time this year. The theme of the congress was “Embrace Trust,” befitting for CNEWA, because embracing trust is the essence of our work. Each day we place our trust in the Lord to guide us on our mission — protecting our partners and the people we serve in the most troubled countries in the world. We excitedly accepted this invitation to share a celebration of God’s love and the lessons of the Catholic Church.
The Congress promised a weekend of new and renewed friendships and it did not disappoint. With an estimated 40,000 attendees, there was constant activity in the Exhibit Hall, where we enjoyed greeting participants and sharing our mission of mercy and hope with our friends on the West Coast. Youth groups, clergy, religious educators and laypersons all united by faith and kindness of heart.
One would think manning a booth for eight hours a day for three days would be tiresome. But with so much energy and personal encounters, Deacon Greg, Father Elias and I found it anything but. The time passed quickly as we connected with old CNEWA friends — like the Rev. Brian Escobedo representing the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Pheonix. Father Brian had graciously hosted us at his parish in San Diego last October to speak on the crisis in the Middle East. The Rev. James Babcock, representing the Melkite Catholic Eparchy of Newton, joined us at our booth, speaking with visitors about the Eastern Catholic Churches — he even took the survey we were conducting.
It was an exciting and rewarding weekend, making new friends and re-connecting with old ones, and we hope to visit Anaheim again next year.
