Herndon Youths Share Gifts, Humor with Bishop Loverde

By Linda Busetti
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 8/22/02)

ARLINGTON — The youth group from St. Veronica Parish in Herndon wanted to find some special way to thank Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde for joining them at World Youth Day in Toronto last month.

After all, Bishop Loverde had endured the heat and rain with them, celebrated Mass for them and shared his own vocation experience with them during a question and answer session. He had patiently posed for photos, autographed their backpacks and eaten the same boxed dinner picnic-style under a tree.

So, what did the dozen youths led by Father Marcus Pollard bring Bishop Loverde one evening last week?

Among the gifts were movie passes with a note, "Just as parents need an occasional escape from their kids … You also deserve a ‘bishop’s night out."

If the bishop wants to practice his golf game, he now has everything he needs — a chipping practice net, plastic golf balls and a putting cup for his office. The teens advised, "Between meetings it’s important to relax. Hopefully this will help ‘putt’ your mind at ease." Bishop Loverde responded, "Yes, this will ‘putt’ my mind at ease."

If the golf balls get lost in the rough, that won’t be a problem. The youths included a tiny flashlight keychain, a compass and a telescope to help the bishop find them. Enclosed with the telescope, was a note, "Bishops need to be far-sighted. May this help you keep an eye on your diocese." Bishop Loverde responded, "I couldn’t see St. Veronica! A stronger lens?"

If all else fails, the teens included another gift — a St. Jude Novena.

If golf is not the bishop’s game, the youths included a bottle of wine with a note, "This should help high matters of Church and State be more warmly resolved," to which Bishop Loverde replied, "In vino — veritas."

In morning’s light, the bishop discovered one final gift left by St. Veronica’s youths — a parade of 30 pink plastic flamingos marching across his front lawn. 

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