2001: Year Begins with Hope, Ends in Tragedy

By Linda Busetti
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 1/3/02)

As 2001 dawned, the Jubilee Year for the Church was ending and the Arlington Catholic HERALD’s 25th anniversary year began. There was no way anyone could foresee the tragic events of Sept. 11 that would shake the nation to its core. But the year began with hope, as all new years do.

Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde (above) greets Fr. Chris Pollard at the annual Altar Boy Picnic in August.

On Jan. 6, Pope John Paul II closed the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde, who celebrated Mass at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More on Jan. 5, said, "As the Jubilee Year closes, we keep open the doors of our hearts to Christ, the only hope of the world."

Each month the HERALD interviewed someone who played a significant role in the diocese’s formative years, beginning in January with founding Arlington Bishop Thomas J. Welsh. The HERALD helped the diocese to "establish its own identity," according to Bishop Welsh.

On Jan. 4, thousands welcomed the new Archbishop of Washington Theodore E. McCarrick at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington.

Catholic Relief Services responded to the first of several natural disasters by pledging aid to victims of a Jan. 14 earthquake in El Salvador and Guatemala. A Jan. 26 quake in India brought estimates of 30,000 dead.

Pope John Paul II named a record 37 new cardinals on Jan. 21, including Cardinals-designate Theodore McCarrick of Washington, Edward M. Egan of New York and Avery Dulles, a Jesuit theologian. Days after the Feb. 21ceremony creating new cardinals, the pope called for an "extraordinary consistory" in May to discuss the Church in the third millennium.

The HERALD covered the 27th March for Life in Washington on Jan. 22, marking the 28th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Bishop Loverde celebrated the first-ever diocesan Mass to coincide with the March at the Cathedral. A standing-room only crowd included busloads of parishioners and high school students, many on their way to the March.

The Catholic Schools section of the Jan. 25 HERALD profiled Maureen Arroyo, a teacher at Cathedral of St. Thomas More School since 1977.

The consecrated life was celebrated in profiles of Sisters of Our Lady of La Salette and Sean Murphy, a consecrated member of the Youth Apostles Community (ACH 02/01/01).

In February, the St. Thomas More Cathedral Choir, directed by Richard Gibala, had the honor of singing for Pope John Paul II at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on (ACH 2/15/01).

On March 22, seven cardinals assisted President George W. Bush at the grand opening of the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington.

In the April anniversary profile, Father Jerome Fasano, pastor of St. Andrew Parish in Clifton, and others recalled famed theologian and radio and television personality Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen’s talks at the Cathedral in the late 1970s.

HERALD readers were reminded the Bishop’s Lenten Appeal "funds the education of seminarians who will serve the Arlington Diocese as priests at parishes and other institutions" (ACH 05/12/01). The 25th annual BLA exceeded its goal of $5 million in pledges.

The diocesan Office of Family Life collected 1,600 Easter bags, which were distributed by Exodus Youth Services to inner city Washington youths. Bishop Loverde joined diocesan seminarians in cooking breakfast Holy Thursday morning at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More School cafeteria prior to celebrating the Chrism Mass.

In early May, Pope John Paul II reached out to Orthodox Christians in Greece and Muslims in Syria. The pontiff’s words at a Damascus mosque foreshadowed world events: "It is crucial for the young to be taught the ways of respect and understanding, so that they will not be led to misuse religion itself to promote or justify hatred or violence."

On May 8, Bishop Loverde led school and civic officials in breaking ground for a new $6.5 million student activity center at Paul VI Catholic High School in Fairfax. The center will include space for the entire student body to gather, three classrooms, a gymnasium, locker rooms, weight room, movable stage, offices and laundry facilities.

Bishop Loverde celebrated the annual Sisters Jubilee Mass at Marymount University on May 16. Among the jubilarians were: 25 years — Daughter of St. Paul Sisters Maria Sanchez and Susan John Krause; and Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister Ruthanne Croley; 50 years — Benedictine Sister Henry Marie Zimmerman; Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart Mary Sister Marie Jeannine Dawson; Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary Sister Eymard Gallagher; and Servants of St. Joseph Sister Carmen Guerrero; 60 years — Holy Cross Sister M. Bernadette Sneeringer; Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister M. St. Kathleen Blaston; 70 years — Benedictine Sister Celine Hendley; 75 years — Religious of the Scared Heart of Mary Sister Elizabeth Gallagher.

On May 25, Bishop Loverde celebrated the annual Priests Jubilee Mass at Blessed Sacrament Church in Alexandria. Among the jubilarians were: 60 years — Third Order Franciscan Father James Cleary; 50 years — Msgr. Edward P. Browne; Cistercian of the Strict Observance Father Edward McCorkell; and Missionhurst Fathers Roger Van Cauwenbergh and Paul G. Wynants; 45 years — Father Joseph Loftus; Msgr. Frank Mahler; and Missionhurst Fathers Frank Holscher, Howard Picard and Marcel Van Thillo; 40 years — Father Robert C. Brooks; 35 years — Father Richard B. Martin; 30 years — Fathers J. Stewart Culkin, Richard H. Ley, Franklyn M. McAffee. Tran Dinh Nhi, John T.B. Trong and order priests Third Order Franciscan Father James Angert, Franciscan Father Arthur J. Espelage, Atonement Father Edward F. Gallagher, Oblate of St. Francis de Sales Father William J. Metzger, and Franciscan Father Ronald J. Mohnickey; 25 years — Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity Father Gary Banks and Oblate of St. Francis de Sales Father John W. Crossin.

In May, EWTN filmed students at Bishop Denis J. O’Connell High School in Arlington for a planned four-hour documentary on the school’s pro-life program.

The Graduation issue (ACH 05/24/01) featured profiles of retiring St. Luke School Principal Peg Cahill and Holy Spirit librarian Pat Long and Sister Eymard Gallagher’s last Marymount University Commencement after 18 years as the Arlington school’s president.

In late May, St. Timothy School in Chantilly received great news when the U.S. Dept. of Education named it a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.

Four new deacons —Michael D. Weston, Keith M. O’Hare, Edward R. Horkan and Jerome A. Magat — were ordained by Bishop Loverde on June 2 at the Cathedral. Bishop Loverde ordained six men to the priesthood on June 9, including Fathers Richard T. Carr, Frederick H. Edlefsen, Stephen F. McGraw, Edwin E. Perez, James M. Poumade and James A Tucker.

The June departure of Sisters of the Holy Cross Sisters Bernadette Sneeringer and Beniti Scanlon ended the order’s 132 years of service to St. Mary School in Alexandria.

In June, Bishop Loverde celebrated his monthly Respect Life Mass at All Saints Church in Manassas before praying the rosary at a nearby abortion facility.

Faith, fun and work were all part of the June 24-29 diocesan WorkCamp attended by 157 youths at 28 project sites in the Montross, Va., area.

HERALD columnists dealt with controversial stem cell research as President Bush prepared to make a statement on the subject in August.

The July anniversary profile featured Father John Adams, the founder of Christ House, the Alexandria homeless shelter run by Catholic Charities.

The efforts of Charlie Sloan, who grew up in St. Mark Parish in Vienna, to build a school in Tanzania were chronicled July 5. The former Peace Corps volunteer formed a non-profit organization to make the dream of Nianjema Secondary School a reality for 90 students.

Father Francis Peffley was named founding administrator of the new Church of the Holy Trinity Parish in Gainesville. The first parish gathering was July 14 at the St. Benedict Monastery in Bristow.

In July, the diocesan Office of Catholic Charities put into action VISION2005+ Strategic Plan, which will enable Catholic Charities to better serve the diocese and its changing needs through 2005.

Make a note — the U.S. bishops’ national organization became the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on July 1.

Catholic social activists gathered for the 15th annual Social Action Summer Institute at Marymount University July 15-20 and the National Association of Catholic Home School Educators (NACHE) held their 10th annual convention and vendor fair at Hylton Chapel in Woodbridge July 20-21.

Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Vienna received sad news that Oblate of St. Francis de Sales Father Louis R. McCartney, who was parochial vicar from 1965-70 and 1984-89, died on July 17.

HERALD founding editor Charlie Carruth, Michael Govan, who designed the banner and logo, and Father Paul Grankauskas, once a HERALD intern, shared their memories in the August anniversary profile.

The diocese bid farewell to Msgr. John Hannan, a "priest’s priest" for 54 years, who died on Aug. 3. Msgr. Hannan was the founding pastor of Queen of Apostles Parish in Alexandria before serving as pastor of Good Shepherd Parish in Mount Vernon and St. Leo Parish in Fairfax. After serving briefly as administrator of the diocese in 1983, Msgr. Hannan was named founding pastor of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Clifton in 1989.

Bishop Loverde joined many parish priests for the annual altar servers picnic on a hot, humid August day at Lake Fairfax Park. The bishop spoke to a sold-out crowd of young adults at Whitlow’s in Arlington as part of the Theology on Tap series.

Dr. James E. Bundschuh, the first lay president of Marymount University, was profiled in the Back to School issue (ACH 08/23/01) along with Principal Al Burch and Athletic Director Darrell Snyder, both of Bishop O’Connell High School, and Diane Elliott, the new special services coordinator in the diocesan Office of Catholic Schools.

Father Christian Connelly, former parochial vicar at St. Mary Parish, described his new role as an Army chaplain headed for the peacekeeping force stationed in Bosnia/Herzegovina (ACH 08/30/01).

The Sept. 6 cover featured innocent children enjoying the International Festival at Good Shepherd Parish in Alexandria. A week later, the news was very different — smoke billowed from the Pentagon following a terrorist attack on Sept. 11, shortly after two planes had flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York. The Sept. 13 HERALD chronicled diocesan response to the tragedy and Bishop Loverde’s expression of "heartfelt sorrow" to the victims and families. Bishop Loverde stressed peace and forgiveness as he celebrated Masses throughout the diocese and concelebrated a Memorial Mass for victim Barbara Olson at the Cathedral.

The diocese made grief counselors available and offered funeral funds to victims of the Pentagon attack (ACH 09/20/01). Parish schools throughout the diocese responded by raising thousands of dollars for disaster relief.

HERALD columnists addressed topics such as evil in the world, "just wars" and forgiveness as President Bush declared war on terrorists and attacked bases of operation in Afghanistan in search of Osama bin Laden.

When Pope John Paul II visited the former Soviet Republic of Kazakstan Sept. 22-25, he condemned terrorism and begged God to prevent war. Bishop Loverde joined clergy of various faiths who prayed with and advised President Bush on Sept. 20.

At a Sept. 17 Mass at the Cathedral, Bishop Loverde commissioned Parish Vocation Promoters to chair parish committees promoting awareness of vocations.

The Youth and College issue (ACH 09/27/01) profiled Father Michael Taylor, the new chaplain at O’Connell, and reported that 600 teens attended the Diocesan Youth Rally on Sept. 22. Kevin Bohli, newly appointed diocesan Director of the Office of Youth Ministry, promptly contacted parish youth ministers to plan for World Youth Day in Toronto in July 2002.

Ground was broken on Oct. 1 for the new Isidore the Farmer Catholic Church in Orange County. Two existing parishes — St. Mark in Gordonsville and St. John in Orange — will unite when the church is completed.

The October anniversary profile featured Bob and Cathy Marshall, the first staff of the diocesan Committee for Pro-Life Activities in the 1970s.

During October, Bishop Loverde celebrated the 25th anniversary of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Lake Ridge with Mass and a reception.

The Bishop Ireton High School community received sad news that Oblate of St. Francis de Sales Father Paul T. Frey, a former teacher and assistant principal at the Alexandria school from 1971-78, died on Sept. 28.

Several parish schools, including Holy Family in Dale City, Bishop Ireton and St. Rita in Alexandria held Walks for the Homeless in October to raise money for agencies that serve area needy.

Father Julius Cilinski, who served Virginia parishes for more than 55 years, and Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister Patricia Helene Earl, assistant superintendent of schools for secondary education in the diocesan Office of Catholic Schools, were profiled in the Oct. 25 Vocations issue.

Father J. Stewart Culkin, former pastor of St. Mark Parish in Vienna, who was remembered as having "a tremendous compassion for all people," died on Oct. 27.

A series of articles on farm issues in Appalachia, which resulted from a Catholic Press Association Study Tour of the region, began on Nov. 8.

In the Nov. 15 HERALD, Nick and Dianne Monje, diocesan coordinators of Worldwide Marriage Encounter from St. John Parish in Leesburg, discussed their involvement in Encounter Weekends.

Catechists from every county in the diocese continued their education as 450 gathered for the annual Diocesan Catechetical Conference in Fair Oaks on Nov. 17.

Bishop Loverde and more than 250 others joined the Oblate Sisters of St. Francis de Sales on a pilgrimage to Rome for the Nov. 25 canonization of St. Frances de Sales Aviat, foundress of the Oblate Sisters.

Holy Cross Sister M. Victoria, who taught at St. Mary Academy in Alexandria from 1949-50 and 1955-57, died on Nov. 5.

Students at Corpus Christi School in Falls Church contributed Thanksgiving baskets to Annandale Christian Coalition for Action (ACCA). As usual, parish volunteers helped to serve the Thanksgiving meal at Christ House.

Father Kenneth Baker recounted his role as a weekly HERALD columnist starting in 1976 in the last of the anniversary profiles (ACH 12/06/01).

Long years of service were recognized in December. Bishop Welsh was honored at an 80th birthday celebration in Alexandria on Dec. 1. The 65th anniversary of the ordination of Msgr. Francis Bradican, founding pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Springfield, was celebrated at Holy Spirit Church in Annandale on Dec. 19.

Hispanic parishioners throughout the diocese, including a colorful procession at Holy Family Parish in Dale City, celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12.

As the year ended, Bishop Loverde issued a Christmas Letter reminding his flock, "This Christmas, when we once again relive the birth among us of God’s only-begotten Son, the memory of Sept. 11 and its aftermath continue to overshadow us. Yet we cannot and must not succumb to this darkness because the birth of Christ proclaims the coming of the One who is the Light of the world." 

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