A prototype for peace: Bishop seeks to mend war-torn Sudan

by Joseph Young
Visitor Interim Editor
ST. CLOUD — A modern-day adage spoken by Pope John Paul II goes, “If you want peace, work for justice.” An ancient African proverb says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Those two nuggets of wisdom could have inspired a dream-come-true imagined by a bishop from Africa called Holy Trinity Peace Village.

In 1989, Bishop Paride Taban first began envisioning Holy Trinity Peace Village in Kuron, a village in the Diocese of Torit in southern Sudan It was the diocese he served as the ordinary (bishop responsible) from 1983 to 2004.
Ironically, the tenure served by this man of peace has coincided with a bloody civil war between northern and southern Sudan, which also began in 1983 and has been raging ever since, with only recent glimmerings of hope for cease fire and resolution.

Early in 2003, Bishop Taban’s dream began being realized, and by October of 2004 his Peace Village began being settled. Since then, Holy Trinity Peace Village has been developing as an oasis of peace where communities from different ethnicities, tribes and even religions can live in full harmony while exploring their full potential to transform their lives and villages and form a true Sudan. (See the Peace Village Web site at www.kuronvillage.net/ vision.htm.)

Bishop Paride Taban, left, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Torit in Sudan, Africa, and Father Bill Vos, retired director of the St. Cloud Diocesan Mission Office, discuss the bishop’s vision for Sudanese peace. (SCV Photo by Sue Schulzetenberg)	Father Bill Vos, left, and Bishop Paride Taban, vested in colorfully patterned African threads, pause during preparation for the taping of the St. Cloud Diocese’s Television Mass Nov. 14 at the Diocesan Pastoral Center. (SCV photo by Joseph Young)

The Peace Village, which has been registered in Sudan as a tax-exempt trust, at present consists of about 80 families that settled in Kuron after a bridge was completed, connecting the regions of Equitoria and Jongole (the Upper Nile).

Bishop Taban was in the St. Cloud Diocese Nov. 8-15 to visit old friends — including Father Bill Vos, former diocesan Mission Office director — and to report on the mission and progress of his vision.

Faith will mix with fun for seventh- and eighth-graders at Winter Spectacular

by Sue Schulzetenberg
Visitor Staff Writer
COLLEGEVILLE — Spring has its cleaning, summer its vacations and fall its colors. But with winter less than a month away, plans are underway to celebrate a Winter Spectacular in the St. Cloud Diocese.

The tenth annual Winter Spectacular junior high youth rally will feature an array of cozy indoor and colder outdoor activities as well as opportunities for youths to learn more about their faith.

“The day is about gathering as the young diocesan church to celebrate being Catholic through the Eucharist, learning about our faith, and having winter fun through activity and prayer,” said Kent Schmitz consultant for youth ministry and religious education for the diocese’s Catholic Education Ministries.

This year’s Winter Spectacular is scheduled for Jan. 7 on the campus of St. John’s Preparatory School in Collegeville.

During the Winter Spectacular, seventh- and eighth-graders from across the diocese will have the opportunity to participate with their peers in a variety of outdoor activities, including ice fishing, cross country skiing, sledding, hiking, broomball, and touch football. Or they can hunker down indoors and engage in swimming, basketball, volleyball, indoor hockey, soccer, walleyball, a volleyball tournament and a basketball tournament.

St. Boniface, St. Paul parishes ‘Open Doors’

by Joseph Young
Visitor Interim Editor
COLD SPRING — Opening Day of the Major League Baseball Season. The opening strains of a Mozart piano sonata. A Sicilian Defense chess opening that flummoxes your opponent.

Those are all good things. So is the Opening Doors Award, given annually in the St. Cloud Diocese to publicly recognize parishes, programs or individuals that have significantly empowered persons with disabilities to be included as active members of the faith community.

Gene Kramer from St. Boniface, Cold Spring, holding the plaque, is one recipient of the 2006 Opening Doors Award, presented Nov. 19 at St. Boniface Parish in Cold Spring. The entire St. Boniface Parish community was also recognized for their history of fine inclusion of persons who are deaf (interpreted services) and for including persons with intellectual disabilities in the life of the parish. Surrounding Kramer are, from left, Benedictine Father Cletus Connors, Roger Johannes, and Sister Chrisann Mortensen SSND, consultant for persons with ability differences for the diocese’s Office of Catholic Education Ministries. (Photo courtesy of Sister Chrisann Mortensen SSND)

Gene Kramer and Parishioners of St. Boniface, Cold Spring as well as St. Paul Parish in St. Cloud are the 2006 Opening Doors recipients.

Kramer, a member of St. Boniface, was presented his award Nov. 19 at the 8:30 a.m. Mass by Sister Chrisann Mortensen SSND, consultant for persons with ability differences for the diocese’s Office of Catholic Education Ministries, which co-sponsors the award with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud.

Misconceptions about Islam damage the unity among faiths

by Mohammad
Mahroof-Tahir

Editor’s note: Mohammad Mahroof-Tahir is a board member of the Islamic Center of St. Cloud and associate professor of the Department of Chemistry at St. Cloud State University.

There are more than 1.2 billion Muslims in the world. Islam, the religion of Muslims, is the fastest growing religion in the world and is found in every part of the globe. The Arabic word Islam means “submission” to the will of Allah. Allah is simply the Arabic word for God. It is exactly the same word which Jesus Christ used in Aramaic when he prayed to God and which the Jews, in Hebrew, use for God (Eloh).

Many media reports portray an ingrained hostility toward the Christian faith within Islam. However, the fact is that it is impossible to be a Muslim and hate Christians who follow the prophet Jesus (peace be upon him). In fact, a Muslim who does not love Jesus is not a true Muslim.