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1 Comment ![]() By Nancy Frazier O'Brien Catholic News Service ROCKVILLE, Md. -- The sounds of joyful singing fill the first floor of the suburban Washington home of Irma and Celia Nissen. The downstairs is now dominated by Celia Nissen's hospital bed, which she has rarely left during the past two years. And the singing is part of what most might expect would be a sorrowful occasion -- the monthly visit by Catholic hospice chaplain Susan Mitchell, whose job is to provide pastoral care and spiritual direction for the dying and their families. The Argentine-born Nissen sisters, who also spent many years in Denmark, clearly enjoy Mitchell's company as she inquires about what has happened in their lives since she last saw them, asks about their Christmas plans and joins them in singing Christmas carols and their favorite hymn, "How Great Thou Art." "I'm happy; I don't have any problems," says 70-year-old Celia Nissen, shaking the hands of visitors with a surprising strong grip. "If I'm sick, I'm sick," she adds with a slight shrug. Not many in her situation would be so accepting. Diagnosed with what Irma Nissen called a "tumor of the cerebellum" in 1998, Celia Nissen has been in hospice care since August 2008 -- far longer than any of Mitchell's other patients. In general, patients only enter hospice care if a physician certifies that, given the normal course of events, it would not be surprising if the patient were to die within six months. Mitchell has an average caseload of 30-35 people, although she might see one patient only every six weeks or so and another four or five days a week, especially near the end of life. The hospice program Mitchell works for is associated with Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring. But only about half of the patients she sees at any given time are Catholic. "You don't have to be Catholic to have a chaplain; we have all different religious affiliations" and some patients with no religion at all, she said. For families who do not have their own priest or minister, Mitchell also sometimes leads memorial services at funeral parlors and/or graveside services for those she has come to know through hospice. "You have to have professionalism and detachment, but there are always those patients that really touch you," Mitchell said, recalling one patient who felt she was "going in and out of the presence of God" during her final days. "She reached a place of absolute peace and radiance," the chaplain said. "She left a mark on me." Mitchell said her own experience with the death of her father in 2000 was "transformative, a call experience" that led her to give up her work in parish religious education and pursue a theology degree and work as a chaplain. "Hospice is where I am supposed to be," she said. "To be near the end of life is like walking on holy ground. It's an area that too often we don't spend enough time reflecting on." About 40-45 percent of Mitchell's patients have some form of dementia, but nearly everyone responds well to prayer, song and -- if they are Catholic and can recognize what the sacrament signifies -- the Eucharist. "Even if they don't know how many grandchildren they have, they could be able to sing 'Adeste Fideles' in Latin, from back when they were singing in the choir," Mitchell said. While most patients experience hospice in their homes, Mitchell also visits some at nursing homes and assisted living centers. Holy Cross also has a small in-hospital hospice for those who cannot return home. In addition to what they can provide to the patient, hospice chaplains are a resource and support to the families of the dying. "I don't know if I would have survived without" the assistance of the hospice program, said Irma Nissen, 67, the sole caregiver for her older sister. In addition to the spiritual care provided by Mitchell, hospice includes the assistance of nurses, medical social workers, home health aides, specialized therapists such as the massage therapist who visits Celia Nissen periodically and hospice volunteers. Although she admits to being "a nervous wreck" for the first couple of days after the decision was made to begin hospice, because of all of the new people coming in and out of her house, Irma Nissen said those people "aren't strangers anymore." "We need people to come and talk with us," she said. "It's like we are in a little bubble here." Last Christmas, the Nissens made red-and-white Danish heart ornaments for each of the people who had helped them through the Holy Cross hospice program. Calling the ornaments "something you make with love," Irma Nissen said the hospice professionals and volunteers "don't come to us with money; they come with their love and their time." ![]() By Jimmy Patterson Editor West Texas Angelus AUSTIN — There are more than a handful of Austin insiders who will tell you that the next big charismatic political figure to emerge on the national scene is a Catholic from West Texas. Popular sentiment last year was that Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams, a Midland native and graduate of St. Ann’s School, was to be hand-picked by Gov. Rick Perry to fill what was to have been a vacant U.S. Senate seat. But then Kay Bailey Hutchinson did not vacate that seat during her unsuccessful bid to win the Republican nomination for Texas governor. And that was, as they say, all she wrote. Now, instead, Williams is left to work hard for what he gets. Instead of being named to fill a senate seat, it is believed that he will campaign for that seat. Even he strongly hints at that possibility, but will say little more at this time. “Nobody knows if Kay will stay,” Williams said in November. “And then I’d have to mount a challenge to a sitting senator. Right now, though, we’re gonna focus on the people’s business between now and June and then go straight into the campaign.” Currently a parishioner at Blessed Sacrament in his hometown of Arlington, Williams counts as his early influences former history teacher James Bradford and student council sponsor Olga Banks, fellow Catholic and former Midland mayor Ernie Angelo, former Midlander President George W. Bush, and Sister Bonafee and Sister Leonardene at St. Ann’s School. When we talked on Election Day at his downtown Austin office, Williams also shared his feelings about the current president, Barack Obama. His review wasn’t exactly glowing. “We know there’s some real buyers’ remorse going on right now. If you were listening closely to the president and not just to the style but to the substance — if anyone had actually scratched the surface and looked deeper than just the performer — we probably should have known this was coming,” Williams said. “The president has truly overplayed his hand. Maybe he’ll do what President Clinton did in 1994, but I don’t see him pulling back into the center. I just don’t see him doing that. When he said he was for hope and change, people had no idea how much change he was really talking about.” Williams is different from a lot of public officials in that he personally authors his own Tweets and Facebook posts. He has long recognized the power of not only the media, but the new media today that is social networking. “I love social media,” Williams said. “We have to find new ways to talk to people and new ways to have a new conversation. Voters want to sit down and have a conversation with you now. And they want to be with you, and be an authentic voice and if they can’t, they’re gonna let you know about if. “Do you realize that we are going to end an election cycle where the person at the top of the ballot (Gov. Rick Perry) says ‘I’m not going to do editorial boards and, oh by the way, I’m not gonna do a debate, I’m going to have my conversation directly with the voters, unfiltered by the print media. That’s a turn of events. That’s a fundamental change of the landscape. And he got away with it.” Williams said he posted a YouTube video regarding a topic in the Railroad Commission office and a constituent responded by sending him a video response on YouTube. Another example of a fundamental change in communications that we are all currently involved in. “Is it all positive?” Williams asked. “No. There are no filters. My chief of staff is concerned because her job is to see that I stay out of trouble and my habit is to drive the car as fast as I can in the direction I think it should go. “There are going to be certain problems but we’ll figure out what the rules are. If a guy goes out and posts something there are millions of spell checkers and fact checkers, and if you post something silly, a bunch of folks are gonna respond to it. I love the way the game has changed. Now, everybody is a publisher, and everybody is a fact checker. Now, everybody can participate.” Holy Land pilgrimage Msgr. Maurice Voity, rector of Sacred Heart Cathedral in San Angelo, has announced that he will lead another pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The event will take place from February 25 to March 7, 2013. The pilgrimage will depart from Christ the King Retreat Center in San Angelo. Mass will be celebrated at a different holy site each day, and other devotions will be held as we travel the Fifth Gospel, the Holy Land where Jesus lived, suffered, died, and rose from the dead for us. Among the places visited will be: The Sea of Galilee, Capernum, Mount of the Beatitudes, Cana, Nazareth, Mount Tabor, Jericho, the Baptismal Site of Jesus on the River Jordan, Qum Ram, the Dead Sea, many holy sites in Jerusalem and Bethlehem: including the Holy Sepulchre, Via Dolorosa, Calvary, Garden of Gethsemane, Basilica of the Nativity, the Western Wall, Dome of the Rock, Room of the Last Supper, Emmaus, and many other places. All lodgings are in first-class hotels, with breakfast and dinner daily. Current of cost of the pilgrimage is $3,395 per person sharing a twin room (subject to change if air taxes and fuel supplements rise). Pilgrims will be accompanied all along the way with an English-speaking Christian guide. Join Msgr. Voity as he once again offers a remarkable and memorable Holy Land Pilgrimage to the people of the diocese. For more information, contact Sacred Heart Cathedral at (325) 658-6567, or email Msgr. Voity at mjvoity@hotmail.com Andrews Golf Tournament SATURDAY — September 15, 2012 Our Lady of Lourdes CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT ANDREWS COUNTY GOLF COURSE (920 Golf Course Rd., Andrews TX) 432-524-1462 4-PERSON TEAM SCRAMBLE 8:30 SHOTGUN START ENTRY FEE - $280.00 PER TEAM (long drive, closest to pin, mulligans) Cart rental $11 per person, not included Register by 4:30 p.m. Sat., Sept. 14 More info contact Mr. Sid Theriot, stheriot@212resources.com / 432-557-1825; Noel Pando 432-230-1891, or Aaron Gibson, agpharrngg.com 432-296-2170 Our Lady of Lourdes: (432)-523-4215 St. Thomas Anniversary St. Thomas the Apostle Parish of Miles, Texas, will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. Please join us for our 50th Anniversary Celebration on September 22, 2012. Festivities begin at 5 pm with Mass at St Thomas Church and will continue with a reception and dinner at 7:30 pm at the Young Farmers Complex both in Miles, Tx. Everyone is welcome, especially former members of the parish. Life in the Spirit Seminar The Heart of Mercy Prayer Group would like to invite you to attend a Life in the Spirit Seminar. Learn how to receive and use all the gifts and blessings that God has waiting for you. Our Seminar will run 7 Mondays, starting on Monday, Sept. 17, from 7-9 PM and ending on Monday Oct. 29. It will be held at Christ the King Retreat Center in San Angelo. Please call 223-1509 for more information or with questions. For complete details, see our web site, sanangelodicoese.org, and the October Angelus. Marriage Encounter-Midland Only you can set marriage fires! Want to find out how to keep yours burning? Take each other on a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. The next weekend is October 5-7, 2012 at the Grand Texan Hotel in Midland. To receive more information, call Tom & Susan Williams at 432-697-9904 or visit mewesttexas.org Soldiers of Christ MIDLAND — The West Texas Catholic Men’s Organization welcomes Jesse Romero and Robert Rogers to the inaugural Soldiers of Christ Men’s Conference, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (Registration begins at 8 a.m.), Saturday, October 6, at St. Stephen’s Church in Midland. Early Registration is $25. Registration at the door on the day of the event, $35. A continental breakfast and lunch is included in the price of the registration. For more information, visit www.wtxmen.com or call: Tommy Flores, 432.349.2236 or Rey Sanchez, 432.260.7776. Bishop’s Golf tournament The 7th annual Bishop’s Golf Tournament benefiting Catholic education scholarship funds, will be Saturday, October 27 at Quicksand Golf Course in San Angelo. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. with a 9 a.m. tee time. First-third place prizes awarded, longest drive and closest to the pin. Entry fee is $100 person. Format is 4-person scramble. For more information, contact Ernest Aguirre, 325.212.7613, St. Mary’s in Odessa, 432.337.6052 or St. Ann’s in Midland, 432.684.4563. Holy Angels tour of Ireland SAN ANGELO — Holy Angels is hosting a 10 day "Treasures of Ireland" tour from July 8-17, 2013. Cities visited will include: Dublin, Glendalough, Cobh, Kinsale, Cork, Kenmare, Adare, Limerick, Connemara and Galway. Travel the Ring of Kerry! See St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Trinity College, the Book of Kells, the Rock of Cashel, the Blarney Stone, the Cliffs of Moher, Kylemore Abbey, and Castles! For more information, call Lori Hines at 325-942-8192. If you would like a brochure emailed to you, send a request to haedu61@verizon.net. SEAS pilgrimage to Italy ODESSA — Join the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Choir and Parish on a ten-day pilgrimage to Majestic Italy, March 5-14, 2013. Attend various sung liturgies, including the Solemn Mass at the Altar of the Chair of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, and the opportunity to sing for the Holy Father during his weekly general audience. In addition to singing and celebrating Mass at the Basilica of St. Mark in Venice and the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Choir will also perform a formal, public concert at the Church of St. Ignatius for the City of Rome. Besides offering unique liturgical and musical opportunities, this pilgrimage will take us to the sacred sites of our Catholic faith, including the Sistine Chapel, and to pray at the tomb of Blessed John Paul II, in St. Sebastian’s Chapel. We will also take in the historic venues of Rome, including the Coliseum and the Roman Forum. Visiting Venice, Padua, Florence, Livorno and Assisi will certainly round out what promises to be a spiritually rewarding and altogether unforgettable experience. The package cost is $3,195.00 plus taxes and fuel surcharges.For more information or to obtain a brochure, contact Christopher Wilcox at 432-367-4657 or seasmusicodessa@ gmail.com, or Peter’s Way Tours at 1-800-225-7662. Scheduled Executions The Angelus publishes the execution dates of Texas offenders on death row each month so that the faithful in the Diocese of San Angelo can pray for them. The following offenders face upcoming execution dates. Please pray for them as well as the victims, families and all who are affected by violence: Offender/Scheduled Execution Date Robert Harris / September 20 Anthony Haynes / October 18 Donnie Roberts / October 31 Mario Swain / November 8 Cleve Foster / September 25 Bishop’s Calendar DECEMBER 11 -- COLEMAN, Sacred Heart – Mass of Thanksgiving for Father Romanus at 10:30 a.m. 12 -- MIDLAND, Our Lady of Guadalupe – Mass for the 50th Anniversary of the Parish at 1 p.m. 13 -- SAN ANGELO, Sacred Heart Cathedral – Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass at 6:30 p.m. 14 -- EDEN, Detention Center – Mass at 1:00 p.m. 15 -- MIDLAND, St. Stephen’s – Advent Night of Prayer for Priests, Sisters and Deacons of the Midland/Odessa Deanery at 6:30 p.m. 16 -- SAN ANGELO, Baptist Memorial Hospital – Mass at 2 p.m. 17 -- SAN ANGELO, Sacred Heart Cathedral –Christmas Mass for Angelo Catholic School and Personnel at 8:30 a.m. 18 -- CARLSBAD, San Angelo State School – Prayer Service at 11 a.m. 19 -- MIDLAND, Our Lady of San Juan –Dedication of New Church at 3 p.m. 21 -- SAN ANGELO, Shannon Hospital – Mass at 11 a.m. 21 -- SAN ANGELO, Sacred Heart Cathedral – Penance Service at 7 p.m. 22 -- SAN ANGELO, Pastoral Center – Staff Mass at 8:30 a.m. and Staff Christmas Luncheon at 11 a.m. 24 -- SAN ANGELO, Tom Green County Jail Masses at 9:00 and 10 a.m. 24 -- SAN ANGELO, Sacred Heart Cathedral – Christmas Vigil Midnight Mass 25 -- SAN ANGELO, Goodfellow AFB, Christmas Day Mass, 9 a.m. 26-29 -- Rest and Prayer JANUARY 1 - SAN ANGELO, Sacred Heart Cathedral – New Year’s Day honoring Mary the Mother of God Mass at 9:00 a.m. 2 -- MERETA, Holy Family – Mass at 10:45 a.m. 3-7 -- SAN ANTONIO, Bishops’ Annual Retreat 9 -- LENORAH, St. Isidore – Mass at 11:00 a.m. 10-11 -- CORPUS CHRISTI, Meeting of Kenedy Memorial Foundation 12 -- SAN ANGELO, Newman Center – Mass at 12:00 noon 13 -- SAN ANGELO, Diocesan Pastoral Center – Staff Meeting at 11:00 a.m. 14 -- BIG SPRING, Holy Trinity – Diaconate Ordination of Patrick Akpanobong at 6:00 p.m. 15 -- MIDLAND, CJM Conference Day –Mass at 3:30 p.m. 16 -- STERLING CITY, St. Paschal –Mass at 12:30 p.m. 17 -- SAN ANGELO, Diocesan Pastoral Center – Staff Mass at 8:30 am. 17 -- SAN ANGELO, Sacred Heart Cathedral – Prayer Service Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. –Noon 18-19 -- Rest and Prayer 21 -- MIDLAND, Pray the Rosary In front of Planned Parenthood at 12:00 Noon 21 -- ABILENE, Pray the Rosary in front of Planned Parenthood, 3:30 p.m. 22 -- SAN ANGELO, Sacred Heart Cathedral – Pro Life Mass at 12:00 Noon 23-28 -- Trip to the Holy Land 30 -- MIDLAND, St. Stephen – Youth 2000 Mass at 10:00 a.m. 31 -- CORPUS CHRISTI, Kenedy Foundation CHRIST THE KING RETREAT CENTER DECEMBER 4 -5 --Promises for Families Retreat – Epis. Dio. 6 -- Heart of Mercy Prayer Group 7 -- Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament 5-6 pm 9 -- Presbyteral Council Lunch Bishop’s Clergy Christmas Party 10 -- Catholic Daughters Christmas Party 13 -- Heart of Mercy Prayer Grp 14 -- Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament 5-6 pm 18 -- San Angelo ACTS Christmas Party 20 -- Heart of Mercy Prayer Grp 21 -- Adoration, 5-6 pm 24 -- Office Closed ½ Day – Christmas Holiday 27 -- Heart of Mercy Prayer Grp 31 -- Office Closed ½ Day – New Year’s Eve NECROLOGY 10 -- Rev. Francis Beazley, OMI (1992) 13 -- Rev. Joseph Walter (1989) 16 -- Rev. Cyril Lange (1971) 16 -- Msgr. Timothy Murphy (2004) 18 -- Rev. Patrck Ryan, OMI (1975) 19 -- Fr. Robert Kelly (1999) 24 -- Bishop Thomas Tschoepe (2009) 26 -- Deacon D. J. Goetz (2003) 26 -- Deacon Jack Peterson (1987) Catholic Engaged Encounter The Diocese of San Angelo Family and Married Life Department will conduct an Engaged Encounter Team Recruiting Day February 26, 2011 at Christ The King Retreat Center in San Angelo. Catholic Engaged Encounter is a weekend retreat away with other engaged couples with plenty of time alone together to plan for a sacramental marriage. It is designed to give couples planning marriage the opportunity to dialogue honestly and intensively about their prospective lives together-- their strengths and weaknesses, desires, ambitions, goals, their attitudes about money, sex, children, family, their role in the church and society--in a face to face way. If you are interested in attending this informational day and being an EE team leader, please contact your parish priest. Career Opportunity Due to the growth of the Knights of Columbus in Texas we have openings in various places such as Wichita Falls. This is a unique opportunity to run your own business as a Knights of Columbus Field Agent. Perfect for an outgoing self-starter, selling Fraternal Benefits to our members. If qualified you’ll earn better than average income. Excellent benefits and training. You need to have some sales experience, a good work record, ambition to succeed and good people skills. For more information or an interview, please contact James Seideman, General Agent at (806) 797-7146 or Toll free (877)797-5632, or e-mail: james.seideman@kofc.org Feast of Our Lady St. Stephen’s in Midland will host a two-day celebration/observance of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Fr. Gilbert Rodriguez will celebrate a Mass at 10 p.m., December 11, which will be preceded at 7 p.m. by a “Serenade to Our Holy Mother.” On December 12, Our Lady of Guadalupe Feast Day, at 12:30 p.m. there will be a celebration of the Holy Mass. Q108 FM Radio in Odessa will also broadcast the Mass live. St. Stephen’s will present the Ballet Folkloric group Tonantzin under the direction of Mrs. Berta Mata, the Matachines of Odessa and also the presentation of local actors with the theatrical play of the apparitions of the Virgin of Guadalupe to Juan Diego at 6:30 p.m., Dec. 12. For more information on times, please contact St. Stephens. Holy Angels Cruise Holy Angels Parish is hosting an Alaska Sawyer Glacier Cruise on July 1-9, 2011. You’ll cruise through the Inside Passage with its majestic fjords, islands and bays and see the lush greenery of Tongass National Forest, the world’s largest and northernmost temperate coastal rainforest. Alaskan ports of call will include Juneau & Skagway. In addition, you will spend a day in Victoria, British Columbia and a day & night in Seattle, Washington. A brochure can be found on Holy Angel's website (www.talleypress.com/ holyangels/) or you can call Lori Hines at Holy Angels to request one. For more information call Lori at (325)942-8192. Pilgrimage to Ireland Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish has announced the dates for its annual trip to Ireland. The third annual trip will be held from August 3-12, 2011. The Irish adventure will visit Dublin, Glendalough, Blarney Castle, Waterford, Killarney, the Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Moher, Galway, and other points of interest. Also included are pilgrimage stops at various Irish cathedrals and ancient monasteries, as well as the Basilica of Our Lady of Knock. Mass will be celebrated at several locations. There will also be a festive medieval banquet in an Irish castle, as well a dinner and cabaret night in Dublin. Msgr. Maurice Voity, Cathedral Rector, will again be the pilgrimage leader. Cost of the trip is currently $3,195 per person in twin, with departures available from San Angelo, Midland, Abilene and Dallas/Fort Worth. For more information, or to request a trip flyer, please contact Msgr. Voity at the Cathedral, 325-658-6567, or e-mail at mjvoity@hotmail.com. Scheduled Executions The Angelus publishes the execution dates of Texas offenders on death row each month so that the faithful in the Diocese of San Angelo can pray for them. The following offenders face upcoming execution dates. Please pray for them as well as the victims, families and all who are affected by violence: Offender/Scheduled Execution Date: Cleve Foster/January 11, 2011 Australian healer to WT Bishop Michael Pfeifer has invited Australian evangelist and healer, Alan Ames to return to West Texas in February. Alan’s schedule: Mon Feb 7—Abilene-St Vincent Tues Feb 8—Odessa-Holy Redeemer Wed Feb 9—Midland-St Stephen (All masses at 7 p.m.) Alan’s story and God’s messages that Alan delivers are so powerful you won’t want to miss his talk and buy his books and other materials to understand God’s messages on how we must live our lives in order to gain eternal salvation. Alan lives a deeply mystical prayer life with a close relationship with The Lord and has been graced with the gift of Healing. There have been many documented healings both physical and spiritual. Some healings occur immediately; others occur over time. Documented healings may be found on Alan’s web site:www.alanames.org. Alan travels throughout the world to evangelize and heal those in need. Alan’s service consists of a Mass, then Alan will speak for about 40 minutes, and then Alan will individually pray over people who come to the altar (it seems that everyone wants to be prayed over after listening to Alan). Please invite your family, friends and neighbors to come and listen to his experiences. Please note that anyone unable to attend may have another stand in and receive a blessing in their behalf. During the month of August 2010, the Catholic Diocese of San Angelo completed an audit of its Safe Environment Programs with auditors of the Gavin Group of Boston, an independent firm commissioned by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB), to insure compliance with the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The Charter, originally adopted by the USCCB in November 2002, sets forth specific requirements which enable dioceses across the country to establish safe environment programs to protect children and youth from sexual abuse. During this audit, Diocesan Safe Environment Policies; Safe Environment Programs for church personnel, parents, and children; as well as procedures for assisting victims of abuse were examined. As Bishop, I am happy to report that the Gavin Group has informed the Diocese that, based on the analysis of the audit results, the Diocese will continue it’s status of being in compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People for 2010. Since implementation of the Charter, the Diocese has undergone six previous annual audits in which we were found to be in full compliance with all articles of the Charter. I am pleased with the results of this audit and grateful for the hard work of so many people throughout our diocese; pastors, deacons, religious, and lay leaders; to provide a safe environment for all of our children and youth in the many programs through which we minister to them. Once again, this audit has given us a great opportunity to step back and see what we have accomplished and explore areas where we can make adjustments or improvements. Since 2002 the Diocese of San Angelo has conducted background checks and provided Safe Environment Training for almost 6,000 individuals who work with children and youth throughout the Diocese. In addition, over 13,000 parents and other interested parties have attended seminars that the Diocese has presented on Preventing Child Sexual Abuse. We will continue to move forward, continuing our efforts, not only to provide a safe environment for our children and youth in our church programs, but to raise the awareness of child sexual abuse and steps that everyone can take to help protect our children. |


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