ATHOLIC
U000-80I.
News & Herald Volume 4 Number 13 • November 25, 1994
Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte
WE GIVE THANKS
Violence,
Women, Sex Abuse,
Dominate
Liturgy
WASHINGTON (CNS) — The topics
of violence, the role of women in the
Church and sex abuse of minors by Church personnel dominated the fall meeting of the U.S. bishops Nov. 14-17.
NCCB
is paralyzing and polarizing our communities. The celebration of vio-
of violence lence in
ap-
proved pastoral statements calling for action to confront a violent culture and urging an expansion of women' s roles in the Church and dialogue with those who
The
last
revised in 1975, and
Telecom-
During debate on Confronting a Culture of Violence: A Catholic Frameworkfor Action, bishops recited a litany
of violence they themselves confront.
The document was unanimously
ap-
proved on a voice vote.
The pastoral reflection on women, Towards Strengthening the Bond Peace, was conceived as a step toward of called
peacemaking with those who have
felt
—
spired
by two parents ended
in another
family's answered prayer as the
mem-
bers of St. Michael Parish dedicated their third Habitat for
Humanity house.
worker, spent
many
of her weekends
and roof her two-bedroom house. want to thank them very much for helping me to be in my home," she said in side
"I
Gunning
family members, including her grandfa-
Wofford
penter who traveled from Los Angeles to
the
family and labor from their parish.
"We had looked for something for a
ther,
Herman Hood,
the Habitat concept."
made
what our parents taught us," said Wofford' s sister, Betsy Bowers of
started building,"
"It's
osity
we
sure that
we prayed Wallace
before said.
topic of sex abuse also
was
The message passed
vote.
also heard a lengthy
from Bishop John F. Kinney of Bismarck, N.D., chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse, and received a detailed resource manual to help
them deal with issues of sexual abuse of minors by Church personnel. The document on violence "speaks to the moral and human consequences of is
"not a detailed analysis
by Priests held a press conference to announce what they called "the most dangerous dioceses in America for victims of sexual abuse by priests." The six were Camden, N.J.; Kansas City, Mo.; Providence, R.I. Milwaukee; Santa Fe, N.M.; and Chicago. But bishops heading the named archdioceses and ;
dioceses told Catholic News Service the
group's accusations were unjust.
At a meeting where
liturgical deci-
or a particular program," said Auxiliary
sions played a dominant role, the bishops
Bishop John H. Ricard of Baltimore, chairman of the bishops' Domestic Policy Committee. Violence, the message says, "is destroying the lives, dignity and hopes of millions of our sisters and brothers. Fear
approved segments one and two of a whole new translation from Latin of the Sacramentary, the official book of prayers used at Mass in the Latin-rite. See Bishops, Page
1
Gunning
the late Bruce and Florence Wofford,
led his parishioners and the
who moved
family in a dedication service.
know,
at least
Wofford said he liked Habitat' s philosophy of "sweat equity," which requires homeowners to help build their house and pay for it with a no-interest mort-
think about
gage.
goodness." a textile
when
made.
started crying."
Prayers of hope turned into prayers
That meant Gunning,
The
is
we
of thanksgiving as Father George Kloster
Gastonia and joined St. Michael Parish in the 1940s. Bud
an allegation
"Then
came early and often in the home of to
on education and pre-
vention and on a pastoral response
said
The lessons of gener-
Spartanburg, S.C.
special emphasis
help.
company put up the $30,000 needed for Gunning's home. "We liked recycling
Restoring Trust,
a professional car-
Deborah Wallace, Gunning's sister, it took steady hammers and steady faith to get the house built. "The first day we went up there, our grandmother, Mozelle Hood, called us all together and
long time to remember our parents by," said Bud Wofford, whose Gastonia metal
titled
dioceses to have written policies on sexual abuse of minors, with all
from other
also had help
took over her Gastonia on Sunday, Nov. 20; a home built
home with money provided by
The manual, urges
sign language.
Chinita Gunning, a deaf-mute since birth, officially
open."
the Survivors Network of Those Abused
equality.
violence" but
helping the St. Michael volunteers frame,
lems for women who feel pained by sexism and encourages the use of inclusive language whenever possible. On the sexual abuse issue, Bishop Kinney said he hoped the manual would help bishops deal the problem in a way that is "effective, strong, pastoral and
women's
report
By CHIP WILSON GASTONIA The generosity in-
Church and collaboration between
alienated as Catholics over issues of
The bishops
Gastonia Parish Dedicates Habitat For Humanity House
there should be
raised outside the hotel when members of
on a 228-10
relationship existing between human beings and creation which is entrusted to them by God as a gift to be accepted with gratitude and responsible engagement." The pope's comments were made during his midday Angelus address Nov. 13. Photo by JOANNKEANE
The statement says
increased roles for women in governing
singles out language as a source of prob-
munications Network of America.
"asks believers to reflect on the fundamental
of gifts."
They also heavily amended and then
financially troubled Catholic
,
"leadership in the Church,
equality of women and men and diversity
adopted a new version of the Ethical and Religious Directivesfor Catholic Health delayed a decision on funding for the
II
on women Churchwide dialogue on
women and men in serving the Church. It
Care Services,
Pope John Paul
poisoning our chil-
pastoral reflection
women's
the
feel alienated.
is
dren."
calls for a
The bishops overwhelmingly
"Thanksgiving," said
much of our media, music and
even video games
The meeting also featured extensive discussion of liturgical matters.
Meeting
it,
when we that
we
"We
all
stop and really are
all
blessed
people," Father Kloster said. "And we know we are not the source of those are the recipients of God' blessings.
We
See Habitat, Page 12
Bishops join in prayer at a session of the national bishops' meeting Nov. 14-1 7 in Washington, D.C. From left in front are Archbishop James P.Keleher of Kansas City, Kan.; Bishop John J. Myers of Peoria, III.; and Auxiliary Bishop John Elya of the Melkite-rite Diocese of Newton, Mass. (CNS photo by Al Stephenson)