St. Joseph's God's TYM (Total Youth Ministry) at 10 Croton Falls Rd., Croton Falls, NY 10519 US - Article from The Journal News about Bishop Taban's Visit

When Bishop Paride Taban of south Sudan last visited Westchester County, terrorism was still a concept most Americans experienced by watching newscasts from overseas. That was no longer the case yesterday when the Roman Catholic cleric spoke at St. Joseph's Church in Croton Falls. In his first time in the country since Sept. 11, 2001, Taban said he observed a change in people. He interacted with families of Sept. 11 victims and thought of the refugees back home who also lost loved ones in bloody attacks. "What happened here on Sept. 11 has happened to us for nearly 20 years," Taban said. "In spite of this, we believe in God. We believe in hope." Taban conveyed those words to about 3,000 parishioners in a half dozen Masses at the church over the weekend. He told congregants not to give up, to work for peace. The connection between Taban's parish and St. Joseph's dates back to 1996, when the church helped establish a school in the town of Ikotos in south Sudan. In July, the school and other buildings were bombed by the Khartoum government. Once again, the diocese there is appealing to the Croton Falls congregation to lend it support in a time of need. In reaching out to the Sudanese people, congregants are healing their own wounds inflicted by terrorists, said the Rev. James Borstelmann, pastor of St. Joseph's. "We think of him (Taban) as a sign of hope," Borstelmann said. "He's been living with death and destruction for many years." Children at St. Joseph's are working to raise $10,000 to rebuild the school. Among them is Christina Farella, 13, who donated her allowance two years ago to build the original school and believes it is her duty to help get it rebuilt. "I feel very sad for the hardships they go through," Christina said. "It is my way of showing gratitude." The concept of rebuilding a devastated area is now sadly familiar to people here, said the Rev. Matthew Haumann, a Dutch missionary who has worked with Taban in Sudan and accompanied him to St. Joseph's. Instead of getting revenge on the perpetrators, people should focus on non-violent solutions to conflicts, he said. "The world is a mess," Haumann said. "We all have to share the burden to find peace."

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