Page 1878 – Archdiocese of Baltimore

This could be their year and head coach William Wells knows it. The St. Frances Academy, Baltimore, boys’ basketball program has reached new heights this season and is knocking at the door to be recognized as number one. Currently, Towson Catholic is standing in their way, but at 12-3, 4-1 in the Maryland Interscholastic Association and 3-1 in the Baltimore Catholic League, the Panthers could be a top contender again this year to bring home the championship title in late February.

Would-be trash becomes cash for St. Alphonsus

Though a new roof for Shrine of St. Alphonsus, Baltimore, can’t be constructed with discarded aluminum cans, cell phones, printer cartridges and copy machine toner units, it can be helped along by recycling those items. With the help of several parishioners, church officials have been selling the items to local recycling centers and earned cash for the estimated $650,000 for the capital-improvement project. Roofing contractors are expected to begin work on the church within the next month. “It’s a win-win situation,” said Irene Mann, director of development for the 162-year-old parish.

Dons pool money for 100-mile swim

The Loyola Blakefield, Towson, swim team proved they knew the ‘reason for the season’ when they began their Christmas break by diving into charity work. Thirty-six swimmers participated in a 100-mile swim at the school Dec. 20-21, raising more than $5,000 for the new Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Baltimore. Proceeds will be presented to Father John Swope, S.J., president of the co-educational school set to open in 2007. The first swimmer hit the water at 9 a.m. sharp on Dec. 20 and the last mile was clocked in 27 hours later. “It’s just a fun event, especially when we get close to the finish mile,” said team captain and chairman of the event, senior Andrew Balhoff.

Grap breaks school record

On Dec. 8, two minutes into the second half of a 52-35 non-conference basketball victory over Havre de Grace High School, senior Briana Grap hit a three-point field goal giving her 1,143 career points and the career scoring record for women at Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School, Middle River. Grap has twice been named to the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland’s All- Conference team, and led the Cougars to the 2005-06 IAAM C Conference championship.

Woodmont celebrates Epiphany

In the Hispanic culture, the Epiphany is almost as important as Christmas. It is the day when the three kings traveled far from home to visit a newborn baby, in the City of Bethlehem. For the past four years, Woodmont Academy, Cooksville, Spanish teacher Patricia Stack has been helping to educate students from pre-kindergarten to third grade about this joyous event as they learn about the Hispanic culture. This year she organized holiday festivities for her 150 students from Jan. 4-5.

Scouting helps youths discern vocations

IRVING, Texas (CNS) — Participating in Boy Scouts is a great way for youths to meet people in all walks of life and help them discern their own vocations, says Monsignor John B. Brady, a 65-year veteran of Scouting. In an interview with Scouting, a family magazine published by the Boy Scouts of America, Monsingor Brady said jamborees — nine-day national or international gatherings of Scouts and their leaders — provide opportunities for vocational discernment “not equaled in any other environment.”

Current events spark interest of homeless

Aaron Wiggins may be homeless, but it doesn’t mean he isn’t interested in discussing current events. Mr. Wiggins is among the six to 10 individuals who come weekly to St. Vincent de Paul’s Beans & Bread Outreach Center in Fells Point, ready to discuss the issues of the day. “A lot of the missions and shelters in the city don’t want you to be near their building until they are ready to let you in for the night, because the neighbors don’t want to look at us,” Mr. Wiggins said. “They want us to be invisible, like we don’t exist. At least here…, at this group, I don’t feel like I’m invisible. I feel like what I have to say matters.”

Retreat helps men discern calling to priesthood

As David Tolar sat in the sun-filled lobby of St. Mary’s Seminary and University, Roland Park, the son of a Baptist father and Lutheran-baptized mother reflected on how far he has come in his journey to Catholicism and possibly the priesthood. Mr. Tolar joined three other men chosen by their pastors and pastoral life directors to attend the annual Discernment Retreat on Diocesan Priesthood Dec. 28-29 at the seminary. During the invitation-only event begun by Cardinal William H. Keeler 10 years ago, the men have the opportunity to get to know seminarians, Father Gerard Francik, director of vocations for the archdiocese and the cardinal on a one-on-one basis as they seriously consider their call to the priesthood.

Archbishop takes over despite helping communists

OXFORD, England (CNS) — Archbishop Stanislaw Wielgus has become the new head of the Warsaw Archdiocese, despite findings by a church commission that he collaborated with Poland’s former communist secret police. “From the material presented, it seems various bad intentions and attitudes about the church are being attributed to me,” Archbishop Wielgus said in a Jan. 5 statement. “This is a falsification. There is absolutely no documentation to prove it, beyond the words of functionaries who viewed my person and the whole issue in their own way. “I never betrayed Christ and his church in deeds, words or intentions. I never inflicted any harm on anyone,” the bishop said.

Catholic officials back advice to end death penalty

TRENTON, N.J. (CNS) — Catholic officials have praised the recommendation by a New Jersey panel that the state abolish the death penalty in favor of life imprisonment without parole. The New Jersey Death Penalty Study Commission, created in 2005, submitted its findings Jan. 2 to Gov. Jon S. Corzine. In their report commission members said they did not find compelling evidence in support of capital punishment and also found that it costs taxpayers more than it does to incarcerate prisoners for life. The commission voted 12-1 in opposition of the death penalty and said capital punishment is “inconsistent with evolving standards of decency, serves no legitimate penological purpose such as deterrence or retribution and is not worth the risk of making an irreversible mistake.”

Current events spark interest of homeless

Ambassadors to Vatican have diverse backgrounds