Then, back in Boston, on Tuesday (8/14) I went to the Connors Retreat Center in Dover to participate in the Catholic Conversation Project. The CCP is an annual two-day retreat that brings together about two dozen young theologians from different backgrounds for a time of dialogue and discussion. Their topic for discussion this year was "Faith in the Public Square." Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville was there for the duration of their meeting, but I was also happy to be able to be with them for the afternoon. I joined them for lunch and then participated in the conversation with them. In my remarks I urged them to be true teachers of the faith. Many of them are teaching undergraduates at Catholic Colleges, which is a great responsibility, especially today, when so many young people arrive at college without really knowing the basics of the faith. I told them they had a very special opportunity -- even a responsibility -- to share our Catholic faith with the young Catholics who are in their classes.

St. Boniface Haiti Foundation

On Wednesday (8/15), I met with representatives of the St. Boniface Haiti Foundation. They gave me a report on the expansion of the hospital there and the other important work they are doing. They have a fundraiser coming up in September, which I will be attending. I was sorry to hear that cholera continues to be a pressing problem in Haiti. This seems to be something of a recent development. It is believed that, ironically enough, that the U.N. troops who came in to keep the peace after the earthquake are really what occasioned the outbreak of cholera, because Haiti had not had a cholera problem previously. But the Catholic hospitals are making a contribution and they are working together with Catholic Relief Services and the Catholic Hospital Association trying to strengthen the health care system there. They have a fundraiser coming up in September, which I will be attending. I urge you to join me in supporting the foundation's good works.