May 8, 1992

Page 1

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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


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