Aug. 19, 1994

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ATHOLIC

News & Herald

U000-801

(•ving

Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

Volume 3 Number 43

August

Diocese,

19,

1994

Abbey

Lose 'Man Of Vision' BELMONT— The Diocese of Charand the Benedictine community of Belmont Abbey lost a priest of vision, compassion and understanding. Benedictine Father Nicholas Frederick T. Gibilisco died at age 59 from a year-long battle with cancer on Wednesday, Aug. 3 at Belmont Abbey. "He was probably the best listener I lotte

have ever been with," said Lila Glankler, former chairperson of the Family Life Commission for the Diocese of Charlotte.

"He had an unbelievable way of making you feel hopeful in what appeared to be defeat. Whenever I was facing something seemingly impossible,

Pope John Paul greets Archbishop John F. Donoghue of Atlanta as the former bishop of Charlotte receives the pallium Rome. He was one of 20 new archbishops who received the symbol of authority at a ceremony in St.Peter's Basilica. II

in

(Photo L'Osservatore

Romano)

FATHER NICHOLAS GIBILISCO

abortion:

A Conspiracy

CAROL HAZARD

By

Consider, too, the proliferation of post-abortion groups.

Associate Editor It's

Although abortion is touted as a safe iicedure, the aftermath can be bloody liotionally if not physically. .6

million abortions are per-

in the

United States each year,

1

I

Imed

about one in IXX), the American College of Obstetri-

lie risk of a cervical tear is

iins and Gynecologists reports. The Ik of death to the patient is lower than le in 100,000 for suction curettage, the last

common type of abortion.

Yet, the figures don't

tell all.

They

I

Id

n't reveal the

Kiiotional

>)men

long-term physical and

scarring that leaves

infertile

some

and others unable to

Nor do they show why more than tfXK) women a year call the American ights Coalition, an 800-number for cpe.

pbdical

K>m

and legal help regarding injuries

abortions.

By

WEB A — Women

Abortion is a national organization with 90,000 members in 45 states. Other national groups include Columbia, Mo. -based Open Arms and Minneapolis-based Conquerors. What's more, the Catholic-sponsored Project Rachel is one of the fastest growing postabortion groups in the country. "The emotional fallout alone is epidemic," said Maggi Nadol, Respect Life coordinator for the Diocese of Charlotte. "The unseen and invisible (problems) are very deep and emotionally difficult to handle," said Father Ed Sheridan, pastor of St. Gabriel Church, Charlotte. "People can never seem to get it out of their minds. The Church tries to help people heal. But it's an ongoing process of healing and trying to assure Exploited

not a pretty picture.

Some

Of Silence, Misinformation

them of God' s forgiveness." Newspapers across the country

re-

ported the shooting death of an abortion-

Church Dedicated St.

Dorothy, Lincolnton, dedi-

cates

new

Page

11.

church. See story on

of a Florida abortion center. Few, however, ran a story about a 30year-old woman who died this past June ist in front

following an abortion at the same center. "It' s a cover-up, a well kept secret,"

said

he assured me things would get better and they always did. He was a neat, neat

Diane Hoefling, Respect Life coor-

guy-"

On the Family

dinator for St. Vincent de Paul Church, Charlotte.

"The abortion industry is pro-

Life

Commission

in

the 1980s, Father Gibilisco presented

...

family enrichment workshops. He worked

whole has

with senior citizen groups and the wid-

not taken responsibility for letting the

owed, separated and divorced. Father Gibilisco, born on Nov. 22, 1934 in Omaha, Neb., was the son of Frank and Louise Marino Gibilisco. His father died on May 15, 1983; his mother died recently, on Jan. 25, 1994. He attended Lincoln Elementary School and Central High School in Omaha, and completed his high school work in San Jose, Calif. He earned his B.S. degree in education from San Jose

tecting a multi-billion dollar business

The medical community

as a

details out."

What's more, women who suffer from abortion perpetuate the cover-up. They remain silent, because they don't want to admit they've had abortions, Hoefling

said.

Listen, however, to

women who are

willing to speak out. Their stories are chilling.

The government and the world says is an easy, simple way to solve a problem. People like myself bought into that story ... I was 18, pregnant and

abortion

not married. Abortion was sold to

was

me

most wonderful thing in the world. Regardless of a little voice inside myself that said "no, " I squelched like

it

the

not all that uncommon for a girl have an abortion and get pregnant right away. So, I had my "atonement baby. " I got pregnant on the anniversary of my first baby's due date. it.

It's

to

See Aftermath, Page 2

State University, his master of social

work degree from the University of Michigan

at

Ann

Arbor, and his master of St.

Vincent Semi-

Father Gibilisco

entered the

divinity degree

from

nary, Latrobe, Pa.

Beriedictine novitiate at Belmont Abbey in July

monk He was

1981 and was professed a

of Belmont

Abbey

ordained a priest

at

in

1982.

Belmont Abbey

in

1987.

See Gibilisco, Page 13


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