Editor's Desk: The Transition Begins

By Michael F. Flach
Herald Editor
(From the issue of 1/11/07)

In recent months the HERALD bid farewell to two anchors of our editorial department: staff writers Mary Frances McCarthy and Angela E. Pometto. McCarthy returned to her alma mater, Catholic University, to work on the school’s alumni magazine. Pometto is now the youth minister at St. Mary of Sorrows Parish in Fairfax Station, where she will be working with another HERALD “graduate,” Father Paul Grankauskas.
We are sad to see these two outstanding Catholic journalists depart our ranks, but at the same time we are excited as we welcome two new members to our editorial department. Kirk Kramer, a native of Oklahoma and a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, started as an editorial assistant in early December. He worked on daily newspapers in Oklahoma and Arkansas before spending a year in Iraq as a mail clerk at the Baghdad Airport. His first article on the pre-school students at Holy Spirit School in Annandale appeared in the HERALD’s Christmas issue.
Henrietta Gomes, who recently received her master’s degree in theology and Christian ministry from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, joins Gretchen R. Crowe and Alfonso Aguilar as our newest staff writer. Gomes received her undergraduate degree from Catholic University. She was an award-winning staff writer for the Catholic Standard, the weekly newspaper of the Archdiocese of Washington. During her three years in Washington she covered World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto, as well as the Maryland General Assembly. Gomes’ first story for the HERALD is on local opposition to a new state prison. We look forward to seeing their many contributions in the weeks and months ahead.

Wedding Photos Welcome
The Arlington Catholic HERALD’s annual Catholic Marriage Issue will be published on Feb. 8. As in recent years, we are looking for photographs from weddings that took place in Arlington Diocesan churches during the 2006 calendar year. Each submission should include the complete name of the couple, the photographer, the date, the church and the priest or deacon who officiated. If you want the photo returned, please send a self-addressed stamped envelope. Deadline for submissions is Tuesday, Jan. 30. Sorry, but we can't guarantee publication. Send your photo to: Marriage Issue, c/o Arlington Catholic HERALD, 200 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 600, Arlington, Va. 22203. We also are accepting high resolution digital photos this year. They can be sent to: editorial@catholicherald.com. – M.F.F.

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