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ierving Catholics in

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iATHOLIC

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News & Herald

Western North Carolina

Volume 3 Number 18 • January

in the Diocese of Charlotte

7,

1994

Accord Between Vaticanjsrael Opens New Era Of Relations VATICAN CITY (CNS)

The

agreement," signed as 1993 came to a close, paves the way for full diplomatic

schools, welfare institutions and

relations within a

few months and a new two entities. The pact was signed in Jerusalem Dec. 30 by Msgr. Claudio Celli, a Vatican assistant secretary of state, and

spect for the traditional rules regulating

era of dialogue between the

activity at the Christian holy places,

deputy minister of foreign affairs, Yossi Beilin. A joint Vatican-Israeli commission, meeting at the Vatican Dec. 29, approved the seven-page text of the accord, ending 17 months of intense negotiations. The agreement outlines general principles of religious freedom in civil society and includes a strong condemnation of anti-Semitism.

the agreement completes the "first phase"

Vatican

spokesman

Joaquin

Navarro-Valls called the agreement a "historic opening" that could have a positive influence

George Kloster, pastor of from With them

St.

Michael Church, Gastonia, prepares

and her brother, Jhon Ospina, prior

luarez (second

right)

>peration.

are Suarez' daughter, Stacey,

to a

to anoint

Maria

kidney transplant

and friend Maria Teresa Srivoraphan. Photo by

Mew Year Means New

CAROL HAZARD

Life

r or St. Michael Parishioner CAROL HAZARD

GASTONIA

— Christmas comes

once a year. But not for Maria luarez. The best gift is yet to come. The St. Michael parishioner is reviving a new chance on life for the New (ear. Her brother is giving her one of lis two kidneys. Parishioners gave Christmas to Juarez and her two girls. But of all the >nly

— including bikes

;ifts

for Jennifer, 9,

and clothes for Suarez match the one her brother

ind Stacey, 6,

lone could

ibout to give her.

nade

it

all

And yet,

is

parishioners

possible.

They took up a special collection so Jhon Ospina, could fly here or the transplant operation from his tomeland in Colombia, South America. Vhat's more, they paid for Maria's nother, Elbia Tej ada de Ospina, to come is well so she could support her daugher and take care of the girls while Suarez s in the hospital. About $3,000 was

ler

brother,

aised.

As project coordinator, Notre Dame Carol Symons worked through

iister

Lauch Faircloth's

>en.

office to expe-

Ospina he country. She also accompanies lite

the process of bringing

|»uarez to doctor's

"We

into

appointments.

Maria and her and doing whatever we can to them," says Sister Carol, pastoral are praying for

iamily talp

issociate at St. Michael.

"Every day I say God bless all these people who help me," says Suarez. luarez is a single mother who worked as

became

On

ill.

dialysis 10 hours a day, Suarez,

38, nearly lost her

March when She was on a

from a cadaver, but the process could have taken years. Although kidney transplants have become standard medical procedure, the problem is a shortage of donors, says Dr. Joe Chandler of Metrolina Nephrology Associates, Charlotte. An estimated 10,000 kidney transplants are performed every year. However, 25,000 people are on the waiting list. The recipient has a 90 percent or better chance of surviving during the waiting

first

list

for a kidney

year after the operation

receives a kidney from dler says.

The

percent range

survival rate if

if

he or she

a relative,

the donor

is

is

in

Chanthe 80

unrelated.

donor is the same as with any major surgery, Chandler says. "Basically, we need to determine if the donor is healthy enough to undergo a major operation and has no health problems that would put him at risk." Ospina, 21, is the second youngest of Suarez' nine living brothers and sisters. He underwent preliminary tests in Colombia before he came to the United States. He has been undergoing final testing this week. The surgery is expected to be scheduled sometime this month. If all goes well as expected, Ospina will be in the hospital for about one week. Suarez will

The

be

in a

risk to the

week

to 10 days.

tian pilgrimages.

The Vatican has emphasized

commission, formed in mid- 1 992. provides, in fact, that negotiations will continue on a full range of Israeli

The accord issues.

Israeli and Jewish leaders hailed the agreement as a milestone, largely because it meets the longstanding Israeli

request for diplomatic

both sides predicted

Experts on would have a

ties.

it

positive effect on Jewish-Catholic dia-

logue.

"All of us

who have been

the occupied territories and Jordan, would remain open in Jerusa-

lics in Israel,

lem.

Vatican and

sources have

Israeli

said that if conditions are right, Pope John Paul II could follow up the diplomatic developments with a trip to Jerusalem during the coming year or two. Beilin, speaking to reporters in Rome Dec. 29, said the agreement "has much to do with the relationship between the Jewish religion and the Catholic faith. It is an important change after 45 years of the existence of Israel and,

perhaps, 2,000 years of separation between us and the Christians."

all

but

it

lays the

for further negotiations.

It

Is-

peace accord to all Christians, Muslims and Jews, said the rabbi, a member of the permanent Vatican-Jewish dialogue commission.

The "Fundamental Agreement Between the Holy See and the State of Israel," includes a

preamble, 15 articles

and a separate protocol on diplomatic representatives.

The preamble,

citing

the hji^oric process of reconciliation

between Catholics and Jews, says the accord should offer a sound and lasting basis for improvement in Vatican-Israeli relations.

The

text of the

agreement provides

the following:

— Both

Israel

and the Vatican pledge

to respect the principles of religious

groundwork

religious intolerance." The Vatican takes

subcommissions will be named to deal with delicate issues regarding the Church's property holdings, and its legal and tax status. Navarro-Valls said that immediately

two subcommissions dealing with the tax issue and with would be the Church' s legal standing named. after the signing

The Vatican's "recognition" of rael will help legitimize the

specifies that

the thorny church-state

problems in Israel and Israeli-controlled territories,

Rabbi Henry I. Sobel of Brazil told the pope in a private audience Dec. 29 as the joint commission was meeting. "I believe this much-awaited step will benefit not only relations between Catholics and Jews, but will also act as an impetus to help implement the peace agreement signed between Israeli and Palestinian leaders," he said.

freedom and freedom of conscience. Both sides promise to cooperate "in combatting all forms of antiSemitism and all kinds of racism and of

The "fundamental agreement" does not solve

involved

and Jews, accomplishment,"

are grateful for this

said the apostolic

that

of the work undertaken by the Vatican-

Beilin said the Vatican and Israel have agreed that full diplomatic relations would be established within four months of the ratification of the formal agreement by the Israeli government. Navarro-Valls said Dec. 30 that full relations could be established even sooner than four months. He added that the nunciature would be based at a Franciscan monastery near Jaffa, on the outskirts of Ter Aviv.

life last

both her kidneys failed.

and promoting Chris-

in dialogue, both Catholics

which is the Vatican' s channel to Cathoa spinner in a textile mill before she

states ajoint interest in

com-

also declares re-

It

East peace process.

delegation to Jerusalem and Palestine,

Associate Editor

property and to run

munications media.

on the entire Middle

The spokesman

By

own

basic right to

Israel's

'ather

The agreement affirms the Church'

Vatican-Israel landmark "fundamental

the opportunity "to reiterate

its

condem-

nation of hatred, persecution and

all

other manifestations of anti-Semitism directed against the Jewish people and

individual Jews anywhere, at any time

and by anyone."

A Moment Of

See Accord, Page 13

History

Because of the historic accord between the Vatican and

Israel, the second

part of the U.S. bishops' pastoral message to families will be in the Jan. 14 issue of The Catholic News & Herald. Additional stories relating to the Vatican-Israeli accord are on Pages 89 of this issue.


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