Sept. 18, 1992

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Mews & Herald

Volume 2 Number 3 • September

Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

'When God Puts A Little Ufe Let

f

Respect

It

Shine,'

By

CAROL HAZARD

Little Caitlin

Kuhn

wrapped her arms around Bishop John F. Donoghue. Michael Hoover blew soap bubbles, while his little sister, Anna, studied

weren't through raising their family, even though they thought they were biologically,

know what

dress, didn't

to

make

of

the

all

Now,

In the midst of the action

was

bishop, surrounded by children

As a

all

The

pictures will be

used for a poster for Respect Life Sunday, Oct. 4, as a special diocesan tribute to the

movement.

shine."

The message,

let

in kid's handwrit-

be printed on the poster, which will

be distributed to parishes throughout the diocese.

What however,

Each

is

the story behind each child.

is

unique. Each

is

precious.

Here are

Michael, age

surrounded by children posing for a poster for Respect Life Sunday.

are (clockwise,

1-r)

Anna Hoover, Evan Thurbee.Michael

Winfield, Michael

3,

single

mother of

and Anna, age

pregnancy was a

2, said

surprise, the

her

second

was a shock. Not knowing how she would nrovide for the children or raise them on her own, Hoover put her faith in God, she says. "Without prayer and God in my life, I would never have survived

Photo by CAROL HAZARD

it."

Although anxious, she tossed

aside her worries and figured

God had

a

better plan for her than she did for herself,

she says. Now, she lives in a house that was owned by her uncle, has a job she likes and

Poor Economy Affects Schools WASHINGTON (CNS) — The new He

"I count

my

blessing every day," she

"God has given me two healthy, happy children. And there's been a lot of says.

The Catholic University of

grams

America

he

be persistent in advo-

instead of giving good grades to retain them.

make

The students of today's "MTV genera-

Marianne Grubbe, another single mom,

have a negative attention span,"

became pregnant while teaching ballet in South Africa. She avoided verifying her

cating that

all levels

of government

incoming students,

to help prepare

higher education possible for young people

tion often

who want to go to college but can't afford it.

he

said,

During a Sept. 11 press conference,

to

images than the written word.

Christian Brother Patrick Ellis called federal aid to students

"an investment on the

part of the government, not charity."

He said tough economic times have not only affected student aid, but they have turned each university into "a buyer's market" where "students are customers."

Brother Ellis called

this

because they are more accustomed

Brother Ellis,

August,

is

phenomenon

who became president in

a Catholic University alumnus.

run by the Christian Brothers.

La

Salle,

he also

his tenure, the school received university status.

when

Pope John Paul

they might just be good."

He

indicated that

some schools

in

an

and keep enrollment have lowered their academic standards. "Today's high school students are courted by so many institutions," he said. And because the university musthave "happy customers, staff members have no choice but to be terminally nice."

effort to get

Brother Ellis said an unfortunate result

of

this trend is often

school

is

grade

inflation. "If

so comfy and unchallenging that

we don't lose any students, then the degree is

meaningless." he said.

select

Grubbe came home 3.

group of delegates II in

who met

with

1989 to discuss the

Vatican's role in worldwide Catholic higher education.

As president of the

national university

of the Catholic Church, he succeeds Jesuit Father William Byron,

who was

president

of the school for die past 10 years. Brother Ellis said the school is "in good

shape for the long haul."

it all

specific."

He

stirred but

He compared his

5, is the

Thurbees

many

in 1985, their son, Allan, died at

The

— were

years.

But

age 7 from

a brain tumor. Allan was a light in their lives, said Thurbee.

The Thurbees waited four years before adopting Evan, so they could be certain they weren'ttryingtoreplace Allan, saidThurbee.

Then, they traveled to Colombia, South America, and brought

home

their

new

2-

The idea

for the poster

was Linda

Winfield's, a pro-life activist from Greensboro.

Her son, Michael,

because he came along

1 1

at

,

is

in the picture,

a time

when Bill

and Linda Winfield thought their family was complete. They had 1 1-year-old twin daughters and a 1 3-year-old son at the time.

coordinated the poster,

because she, too, had tackled and mastered

an unplanned pregnancy. Hannah's

birth

completely changed the lives of her and her

"The challenges of an unplanned pregnancy can make beauty out of your life, give it new meaning and bring your life all together," she says.

to

Greensboro

to

Charlotte Catholic High

now age

"I've changed a lot since I had Benedict,"

In

National Spotlight

I

appreciate

my faith a lot more."

Jonathon,

1, is

have two biological children, ages 15 and 19. "It's

a promise

I

made to God (to

love

and nurture parentless children)," says Antoinette Taylor, whose mother died when she was very young. The Taylors, who are foster parents, "fall in love" with children

the minute they

CHARLOTTE

the third adopted child

of Sturks and Antoinette Taylor. The Taylors

come under their care,

she

Charlotte Catholic

game. Barring any weather changes,pictures of CCHS were beamed via satellite into

homes across the country. The broadcast was part of the news show's three-day visit to Charlotte this week.

An ABC

said. Caitlin, 6, is the

High School was the backdrop for an ABC evening news broadcast on Sept, 17. Peter Jennings broadcast "World News Tonight" live from a CCHS junior varsity football

daughter of Father

lotte

Catholic

spokesman said that Charwas chosen as the site for one

Dennis Kuhn of St. Ann and his wife, Carol.

of the broadcasts because

Korean by birth, Caitlin spent most of the first two years of her life in an orphanage before she became part of the Kuhn family. The Kuhns, with three older children,

location."

again and says one evening he'd like to drive

adopted son of

with three children

wooden spoon,

hopes to teach Shakespeare

the student shuttle bus.

Evan Thurbee,

Elizabeth and the late Lee Thurbee.

not doing anything

role to that of a "long,

keeping

on in life. Hoff expected rebuke from her family, but received support and encouragement. Regarding 2 1 -month-old Gabriella, she says, "She is truly a blessing in my life." often can't get pregnant later

she says. "I appreciate my parents more, and

He has been a leading spokesman for

Catholic higher education and was among a

who get pregnant should have and girls who get abortions

'

give birth to red-headed Benedict,

at

girls

have to deal with the option of an abortion. It wasn t one she could exercise, even though the father tried to convince her.

While president

her that

husband, Kevin, she says.

life."

For the last 15 years he was president of La Salle University in Philadelphia, which is

young people a false sense of reality, making them think they are "very good

gives

my

pregnancy for four months, so she wouldn't

taught Shakespeare courses. And, during

"a revolution going on under our noses" that

healing in

she said.

it,"

Hoff about her suspicions, but told

rectly to

Mary Clark

president of

will

do

didn't

parently

recently got a raise.

suggested that schools offer pro-

I

also thanks her grandmother,

year-old son.

pregnant with her second child, Hoover was told to leave.

New University President Says

have an abortion.

God

who apknew intuitively that Hoff was pregnant. The grandmother didn't talk diShe

When her landlord discovered she was

Hoover, Caitlin Kuhn, Jonathan Taylor, Heather Clark and Benedict Grubbe.

Nancy Hoff was become pregnant.

prepared to be parents for

Mary Hoover,

is

to

"I thank

can't be seen in the pictures,

their stories:

first

distraught to learn she'd

their babies

"When God puts a little life in you, it

19-year-old college student with

her career ahead of her,

the

adopted or from unplanned pregnancies for a photo session.

ing, will

lo

She decided

strangers.

pro-life

Kuhn. So, they adopted Caitlin. and behold, they're expecting an-

said Carol

other child, due in November.

brightly colored barrettes to match her pretty

said

You,

In

Poster Says

Life

Gabriella Hoff, her hair done up in

With the bishop

1992

Associate Editor

CHARLOTTE

the flowers she held in her hand.

Bishop John F. Donoghue

18,

The

News

&

"we

liked the

Sept, 25 issue of The Catholic Herald will carry a story on the

broadcast.


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