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Volume
rving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte
he Gift Of Life...
1
Number 34 • May
National Right To Life Leader
Most Americans
8,
1992
Says
Basically Pro-Life
CAROL HAZARD
By
Associate Editor
GREENSBORO
— Most Americans
are fundamentally pro-life and believe abor-
banned com-
tion should be restricted if not pletely, said National
Right to Life Presi-
Wanda Franz at an N.C.
dent
conference in Greensboro
Right to Life
May
2.
Some 80 percent of the American public
approve of provisions
nia law
now
in the
Pennsylva-
under review by the Supreme
Court, said Franz.
These "modest and moderate" provisions include informed consent about the risks associated with abortion, parental con-
sent for minors, information about the de-
velopmental stage of the baby in the -life
Action League of Greensboro placed
Day and the gift of life. Each
rther's
this
and two other billboards
billboard bears the
:h.
in the city to celebrate
names of 240 contributors who gave $5 Photo by CAROL HAZARD
womb
and a 24-hour waiting period, said Franz. "Opponents are totally out of step with the American public," she said.
Day Of
They are trying to push through conFreedom of Choice Act, a bill that would cement unrestricted access to abortion through the ninth month of pregnancy
Yayer For Religious Vocations
and allow for abortions based on the baby's sex, Franz said.
gress a
)iocese Joins In World
National Right to Life President
was
workshop
would invalidate everything we have worked for in the last 20 the books," she said. "It
Associate Editor
CHARLOTTE
— On May
1
"The number of
0, general
has dropped
priests
years."
considerably in the past 20-30 years," says
Prayer for Vocations during Masses
Bishop John F. Donoghue. In some areas of
organization has dubbed the
oss the diocese.
dom
iational response.
by permanent deacons, religious women, and in some cases, lay couples. "Deacons, religious women and the laity can do many good things in a parish, but they cannot do the things that are most essential in our
lyer
spiritual
At a glance,
the country, parishes are being staffed
a day to offer up
it's
aitions for those
answering the
call to
day brings to the needs for increased
In reality, the
ve.
efront the specific
It's not just a day of and awareness, but an educational ightenment for the people in the pews.
"It's
"We
to Life
we can to stop this
radical piece
George Bush, the best friend the babies have had of anyone (in Washington)." Franz, a developmental psychologist,
Carolina Right to Life
at the all-day leader-
show fewer
Papal Document WASHINGTON
FATHER CECIL TICE
[uires
everyone's attention.
"It's
not just
esponsibility for the ordained or reli>us.
While
;ry (of
it
is
usually a priest or sister's
an individual) to consider voca-
everyone needs to be involved, as well
\\,
praying to increase vocations," says Fa-
neither promotes nor endorses break-
ing the law to stop
women from
"The Lord always
calls the faithful to
Him
through religious consecration;
profession of vows, the priesthood, or
i
gious communities. /
is
'S
to hear
Father Tice.
is
apostolic exhortation, based
on the recom-
which met
of Helena,
Com-
"I think
in
it
fathers of the
Rome
in
October 1990 to
reflects the
synod," Bishop Curtiss
He acknowledged
said.
many Ameri-
cans view the Church's requirement of celibacy for priests as an obstacle to voca-
a telephone
cultural conditions,
tions.
that
"The sexual revolution and
attitudes
toward sexuality are a problem," he
interview.
The document
"concentrates on the
he
contemporary factors
said, but
that
may
it
also cites
encourage
"He
(the
we need
pope) points out in
said.
this letter that
to recover a Christian attitude
toward sex,
in
marriage as well as in (the
question of) celibacy."
He described that as a catechetical chal-
priestly vocations.
The papal text, released by the Vatican
fully to the call,"
April 7, is titled Pastores Dabo Vobis (/ Will
understanding of sexuality
is
developed
Give You Shepherds).
among American
he
said, there
It is
forum
life
chains, pro-life
in the afternoon
drew
about six people running for office.
a post-synodal
will be more vocations to a celibate priesthood because "more people will see it as a positive gift and support rather than as
something negative."
outlining the problems for potential vocain
on sponsoring
A candidate
consensus of the
difficulty to-
The
and respond
and
looking for an office in Raleigh to be near
on Vocations. "The document does a good job of Bishop Curtiss said
Conference workshops included seschurch groups and letter writing campaigns.
mittee
tions,"
Washington
of the organization. Holt recently became a
discuss priestly formation.
Mont., chairman of the U.S. bishops'
in
sions
trays the challenges the church faces today,
j
ve
— A new
F. Curtiss
march
cut in half to 250,000 people after
abortions, said Barbara Holt, state president
mendations of the world Synod of Bishops
Bishop Elden
was
Park Service.
obtaining
document by Pope John Paul II on vocations and priestly formation accurately porsaid
Franz referred to a crowd estimate of an
On Vocations Seen As On Target
obstacles" presented by current social and
Tice.
ir
(CNS)
out."
a pro-life lawmaker questioned the National
sues.
registered lobbyist in North Carolina
See Tice, Page 16
Vocation awareness, says Father Tice,
American public that everybody is pro-abortion, and they have a willing media to help them get the message
that
statistics
"Abortion
"Pro-abortionists have tried very hard
grassroots efforts in support of pro-life
It
to die."
to convince the
cial
In 1991,
is
said Franz.
April 5 pro-abortion
were 864 reported, up from the 620
claim
they (pro-abortionists) can't deal with,"
from the unborn to the elderly, and mobilize is-
espe-
stops a beating heart." "That's an argument
The 1992 OffiCatholic Directory shows an increase
published seminary
diocesan director of vocations.
to Life slogan
reflects the national trend.
reported in last year's directory. Recently
«,
no one has
position,
The Right
educate the public about pro-life issues
rate
hit the
all,
women will die in the alley, said Franz.
then
of ordinations
has not
of
pro-life issues)
However, the current
there
you, too," says Father Cecil
Opponents (of
Charlotte Diocese, yet," says Father. Tice.
priesfless parish
life
unborn."
that if abortions are restricted or banned,
President
is
ship training and
is real.
in ordinations to the priesthood.
we need
values and the right to
cially the
"With our
of legislation," said Franz.
"Our ace-in-the-hole
The average person is going to vote for
majority of Americans support strong fam-
the "Free-
bill
have got to do
CAROL HAZARD
strong pro-life candidates," said Franz. "The
workshop conference. N.C. Right to Life, a 1,000-member organization with 25 to 40 chapters, seeks to
"The
t
'
spoke before about 150 members of North
While the decline has not affected the Diocese of Charlotte, the threat
to Kill Act."
everything
development; the offering of the
Eucharist and the forgiving of sins."
not so much to say we're here, but
The Washington-based Right
Greensboro.
legislators.
ily
Day
;rcessions will be offered for World
in
Photo by
"Informed consent would be wiped off
By JOANN KEANE
Wanda Franz
the speaker at a recent state organization
lenge for the Church. If arenewed Christian
Catholics,
'
The pope sees amore intense catechesis
as laying the
groundwork"
for increased
vocations, he said.
Bishop Curtiss said
that the U.S. bish-
Committee on Priestly Formation, of which he is a member, has been revising the Program of Priestly Formation, the bishops' national statement of seminary norms and policies. The committee had been waiting for the new papal document before putting the finishing touches on the revised edition, and now it can complete that job, he ops'
said.
See Vocations, Page
1