Christians plan parade of faith for springtime

BY PAT PASTERNAK
STAFF WRITER

Pasadena has the Rose Bowl Parade, New York City has the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Albany will soon have its own unique march, if organizers of the Capital Parade of Praise succeed.

Scheduled for May 17, the parade is being organized to show that the "Body of Christ" is alive and well in Albany. Planners expect the parade to include floats that highlight Christian themes and teachings.

"Our plan is to have over 100 churches and ministries from the Capital Region participate in this unique witness to Christ," said Robert J. Paeglow, MD, chairman of the organizing committee.

Coming together

Dr. Paeglow is a co-founder of the Capital Region Prayer & Healing Center, located in Albany. The parade committee that he heads is a group of local church leaders that formed two years ago when they saw the need to make positive change in the neighborhoods of West Albany and Arbor Hill. Dr. Paeglow grew up in Arbor Hill.

"The idea of the parade is to bring Christians of different faiths together to unite them on a march through the streets of Albany's inner city," Dr. Paeglow said. "We see this as a great opportunity to demonstrate the beauty and diversity of the entire Body of Christ. We want to share with the Capital Region our love for our Lord as well as our love for one another.

"We're doing this primarily to let the residents of these neighborhoods know that they can be filled with hope, not despair. We want to change the neighborhoods and bring them back to what they once were: nice places to live and raise a family."

Catholic involvement

Rev. Martin Fisher, pastor of Corpus Christi parish in Round Lake, has been involved with the parade group for about two years.

"I am very impressed with Dr. Paeglow and his dedication to this mission in Albany's inner-city area," Father Fisher noted. "He is sincere in his ecumenical approach to improving those neighborhoods. The parade is a wonderful opportunity for Christians of different denominations to celebrate what we all have in common, rather than [linger] on what divides us."

Father Fisher believes that participation in the parade is an opportunity for Catholics to "break down those barriers that keep us apart. It will give people of other faiths a chance to see that Catholics are just like them -- believers in the Body of Christ on earth. It will be a great opportunity to shatter the myths that we have."

Bill and Jeanette Schultz, parishioners of St. Ambrose parish in Latham, are also members of the steering committee for the parade festivities.

"We are looking for help from parishes in the Albany Diocese," Mr. Schultz said. "In particular, we need lay volunteers to help in the leading and organization of this effort. We are hoping to see a strong Catholic participation in this wonderful effort."

(For further information or to volunteer, call Bill Schultz at 885-0060, ext. 206, during the day, or at 899-4446 at night.)