An article from the Cathedral Times
by the Very Reverend
Sam G. Candler
Like many Episcopal parishes, the Cathedral of St. Philip has members and friends who have ministered in Haiti. For some time, we have realized its need for aid and development. When we heard news of the devastating earthquake last week, we grieved and prayed with the rest of the world; and we went about the work of disaster relief.
This Cathedral's continuing avenue of crisis relief will always be "Episcopal Relief and Development," which is the international disaster and relief agency of The Episcopal Church. We heartily commend its work, and we support it throughout the year. You can learn more about them at www.er-d.org.
However, our Cathedral community also includes committed parishioners who serve faithfully with other aid and development agencies. Indeed, we have members who are employed throughout these agencies, some in major leadership roles.
Two of these many such agencies merit our special attention. One is "CARE," certainly one of the leading humanitarian organizations fighting poverty throughout the world; people may not realize that the headquarters of CARE is here in Atlanta. Last week, they gathered several local Atlanta leaders together in order to initiate a special "Atlanta" commitment to Haiti aid, called "Atlanta Cares." You can learn about it at www.atlantacares.org.
Another organization, very familiar to our parish, is "Habitat For Humanity." Not only do some of our community provide leadership in that organization; but, of course, many of our members have worked with Habitat on houses throughout the Atlanta area. As you know, Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian organization seeking to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness in the world. You can learn more about them at www.habitat.org.
I commend all these efforts and still more. Haiti needs the generosity and skills of many of us, no matter which organization we choose to channel our resources through.
Meanwhile, I cannot refrain from commenting again on the latest news (AP story of 16 January 2010) regarding the scheme under which the Roman Catholic Church proposes to welcome certain disaffected Anglicans. It does not bother me that some Christians might find spiritual inspiration in a more centralized and universally hierarchical structure like the Roman Catholic Church. The Anglican Communion of Churches is more committed to local and indigenous structures of spiritual inspiration, and I am glad to be an Anglican!
I have commented more on these matters at my blog site, "Good Faith and the Common Good," found at www.goodfaithandthecommongood.blogspot.com. As I said there, I believe God uses both structures, the Anglican Communion of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church, to inspire different Christians and different gifts. So be it. I am glad Roman Catholics are proud of their church, and I am glad I am proud of the Anglican Communion of Churches. In whatever church we are in, and through whatever relief organization we choose, let us serve the world with confident identity and gracious generosity.