May 29, 2008

DeNeuville Learning Center Earns 2008 Literacy Award

The GED program at the DeNeuville Learning Center (DLC) of Memphis is the recipient of the Tennessee Literacy Coalition's 2008 Award for Excellence in Adult Literacy Service.

DeNeuville is a non-profit agency in Memphis with a GED program that serves women from diverse backgrounds and cultures who are living in poverty, are unemployed or underemployed, and have not completed high school. Staff and volunteers teach academic and computer skills in very small classroom settings, with one-on-one attention as needed.

The award review panel considered a group of excellent applications from programs that are making a strong impact in Tennessee, but ultimately selected DeNeuville because they were able to show not only excellent student progress in grade level gains and GED graduation, but also tracked students in significant numbers into job placement and/or college enrollment beyond DLC program completion.

When she was notified that DeNeuville Learning Center would receive the third annual Award, Director Sr. Lakshmie Napagoda said, "We are so excited about the award. It is nice to know the work we do makes a difference in people's lives."

To learn more about DeNeuville Learning Center and the full range of services offered, visit www.deneuvillecenter.org.

The Award for Excellence in Adult Literacy Service was established in 2005 to recognize the outstanding work done in Tennessee by service providers that help adults who lack adequate literacy skills. Previous Award winners are Read To Succeed (Murfreesboro) and the Memphis Literacy Council.

Local Scouters Participate In National Scouting Conference

Father Wayne Arnold, pastor of St. Mary Church in Bolivar and St. Jude Church in Selmer, and Chuck Schadrack of Memphis were two of more than 175 Catholic Scouters who recently participated in the 40th Biennial Conference of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS) held in Louisville, Kentucky from April 1-6.

Father Arnold is the Chaplain for the Memphis Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting (MDCCS). Chuck Schadrack, a member of St. Louis Parish, is the Chairman of the MDCCS and is a member of the National Training Committee for the NCCS. During the week, they participated in workshops, seminars and business sessions, focusing on the renewal of Catholic Scouting as a vital program of youth ministry within the Church. Featured speakers at the conference included the Most Reverend Gerald Gettelfinger, Bishop of the Diocese of Evansville, Ind. and the NCCS Episcopal Liaison to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Robert J. Mazzuca, Chief Scout Executive, Boy Scouts of America.

The NCCS is a church committee of concerned Catholic lay people and clergy whose mission is to promote the constructive program of the Boy Scouts of America as a viable form of youth ministry with Catholic youth.

For further information about the Memphis Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting, contact Chuck Schadrack, Chairman MDCCS, at 901-767-8768.

May Crowning an Honored Tradition at Cathedral

An honored Catholic tradition was unfolded on May 6 for the 87th time in as many years as students from Immaculate Conception Cathedral School convened for the annual May Procession.

More than 600 students, family members, alumni, and faculty members gathered in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception for the celebration.

Cathedral Rector Father Valentine Handwerker explained the centuries-old practice of May Processions. "They originated as a means of bringing school children and their families to a public devotion of the Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ. The procession of children is meant not to worship Mary but to honor her life of sacrifice; such processions always culminate at the altar, symbolic of the Catholic belief that respect and emulation of Mary inevitably leads to love of Christ," said Father Handwerker.

The ICCS May Procession was led by members of the First Communion class and the Eighth Grade graduating class. Senior Maureen Sullivan was awarded the honor of placing a crown of spring flowers on an image of The Blessed Virgin.

Retreat for Singles Offered

Our Lady Queen of Peace Retreat Center is offering a retreat for single persons age 25 and older on June 7 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

The theme for the retreat is Becoming Who You Are Called to Be.

This day will focus on the central question of God _ centered identity and the personal call God has for each person.

There will be opportunity to dialogue together on ways to foster community and spirituality.

To register, call the retreat center at 731-548-2500 or visit www.cdom.org and click on OLQP registration.