Feb. 23, 2001

The Catholic News & Herald 1

February 23, 2001

February 23, 2001 Volume 10 t Number 24

Inside Artists try to capture the face of Jesus

S e r v i n g C a t h o l i c s in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

College students share faith, friendship; find fellowship at weekend retreat

...Page 7

Catholic Church seeks Hispanics’ loyalty ...Page 8

Local News Operation Rice Bowl opens with Lent ...Page 4

Whom Shall I Send?

Franciscan reaches out to Hickory Vicariate

...Page 9

Every Week Entertainment ...Pages 10-11

Editorials & Columns ...Pages 12-13

If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you.

Matthew 6: 14

Photo by Joann S. Keane

College students impose a blessing on Bishop William G. Curlin during the annual campus ministry retreat at Camp Thunderbird on Lake Wylie. During a Saturday afternoon dialogue, the bishop challenged the students to see Jesus Christ alive in one another and in all those they meet. “I hope that as you leave this retreat, Jesus goes with you, that you realize that in whomever you meet, you see the face of God in that individual.” When that happens, “your life will be different from that day on.”

By JOANN S. KEANE Editor LAKE WYLIE, S.C. — Maura Proulx doesn’t mince words when it comes to her faith. “I love being Catholic.” Standing before a hundred of her peers, Proulx tells of her identity defined by her Catholicism. “There are aspects of the Catholic faith that have helped me develop into the person I am today, and challenge me to be a better person.”

To wit, Proulx emphatically shared her devotion during a group discussion on “Living Catholic,” one of many presentations during the annual diocesan college retreat.

Proulx told of faith challenges during her freshman year at Wake Forest, when she felt alone and incomplete. In retrospect, she knows it was a community in faith that got her through that tumultuous freshman year. “Difficulties made me want to grow further in my Catholic faith, to learn more and to be the example of love to which Christ calls all of us.” Prophetic words from a college student.

This year, student and campus ministry leaders selected “Living Catholic” as the theme, providing the framework for layer upon layer of stories of faith and the opportunity for teaching moments.

“While college students sometimes feel disconnected from organized religion, they have an authentic spiritual life,” says Colleen McDermott, diocesan director of campus and young adult ministry.

“They seek a deeper relationship with God, often in non-traditional settings, and respond to the invitation to explore their faith. And flexible formation that respects their searching faith and affirms their spirituality is critical.

The students may not have the language to express their faith, but there is no question, they do have faith.”

Moreover, McDermott calls retreats an opportunity for empowerment. “The church should discover, recognize, develop and share the gifts of young adults for the mission of Christ in the family, community, workplace, church and the world.”

An organized retreat weekend is the perfect vehicle for inspiring faith expression. With lakeside serenity as a

backdrop, ample opportunity exists for students to contemplate not only their faith, but also the natural beauty of their weekend home-away-from-home, Camp Thunderbird. Diocesan groups frequently use Camp Thunderbird for overnight retreats. The YMCA property provides an environment conducive for students of all ages.

“The [retreat] experience served as a reminder of what — as a member of the Catholic community worldwide — we’re called and asked to do,” says Wake Forest junior Brad Sherry, who served as one of the “team coordinators” for the weekend.

A returning retreatant from last year, Sherry traded his participating stature to one of helping others find their way on the weekend journey.

As for a specific recollection of the weekend, Sherry felt it unfair to single out any specific moment. “But,” he says, “the presence of the Holy Spirit was so powerful amongst everyone that was there, it’s impossible for anyone to suggest otherwise.”

During a Saturday afternoon dialogue, Bishop William G. Curlin challenged the students to see Jesus Christ alive in one another and in all those they meet. “I hope that as you leave this retreat, Je-

2 The Catholic News & Herald Presbyterian churches in Newark and Hanover, Ohio, started the network after he and his wife, Marilyn, became Catholics in 1992. The couple has three sons, ages 13, 9 and 5.

N.Y. deacons discuss their calling with Irish priests, lay people NEW YORK (CNS) — The permanent diaconate in the United States has been a great success and will become more important in years to come, a group of deacons in New York told priests and lay people in Ireland via a trans-Atlantic teleconference Feb. 9. The Irish bishops are working on establishing the permanent diaconate in their country, and the teleconference allowed the Irish audience to learn about the U.S. church’s experience with the diaconate since it was instituted in this country almost 30 years ago. The U.S. deacons reported that it has enriched parish life, expanded outreach ministries and enlivened lay Catholics in their baptismal vows. “There has been a widespread and enthusiastic acceptance of deacons in the parishes,” said Deacon Gerard Wilson, executive director of the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat for the Diaconate, who spoke at Fordham University in the Bronx through a hookup to a religious conference of 150 people in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Lilly Endowment to fund study of role of cathedrals INDIANAPOLIS (CNS) — The Lilly Endowment Inc. of Indianapolis has awarded a grant to a group of Catholic cathedral rectors to study the role of cathedrals as perceived by those they serve. Twenty cathedrals of varying size, age, geographic location and culture will participate in the study, which will solicit the opinions of parishioners of the cathedral parish as well as other parishes in a given diocese or archdiocese and those in the broader civic community. Results of the survey will aid cathedral rectors in planning various ministries, allocation of scarce resources, stewardship and orientation of new staff members.

Court to consider what after-school groups are ‘too religious’ WASHINGTON (CNS) — In a case being heard late in February, the

CNS photo from Reuters

Iraqi demonstration against air strikes against Baghdad A child holds up a toy pistol during a demonstration Feb. 17 against the Feb. 16 air strike at targets near Baghdad. The British- and U.S.-led bombing raid was targeted at facilities near the city. need “to humanize economic globalization by taking more fully into account the challenges of migration,” they said in a closing statement.

Coming Home Network supports former Protestants who join church COLUMBUS, Ohio (CNS) — An international organization that supports Protestant clerg y and lay people who become Catholics has moved its headquarters to the Columbus Diocese. Now based in Zanesville, the Coming Home Network International was founded in Steubenville in 1993 by former Presbyterian pastor Marcus Grodi.

Grodi is now a parishioner at St. Thomas in Zanesville. It provides fellowship, encouragement and support for Protestant pastors and laity who are on the journey to join the Catholic Church or have already joined it. Grodi, who had served in

Episcopal

c a l e n-

February 23, 2001 Volume 10 • Number 24

Bishop William G. Curlin will take part in the following events:

Publisher: Most Reverend William G. Curlin Editor: Joann S. Keane Associate Editor: Jimmy Rostar Staff Writer: Alesha M. Price Graphic Designer: Tim Faragher Advertising Representative: Cindi Feerick Secretary: Jane Glodowski 1123 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203 Mail: P.O. Box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237 Phone: (704) 370-3333 FAX: (704) 370-3382 E-mail: catholicnews@charlottediocese.org The Catholic News & Herald, USPC 007-393, is published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, 1123 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203, 44 times a year, weekly except for Christmas week and Easter week and every two weeks during June, July and August for $15 per year for enrollees in parishes of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte and $18 per year for all other subscribers. Second-class postage paid at Charlotte NC and other cities. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to The Catholic News & Herald, P.O. Box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237.

February 23, 2001

The World in

February 24 — 7 p.m.

Charlotte Catholic High School Benefit Retreat, Charlotte February 25 — 7:30 p.m.

Hispanic retreat St. Thomas Aquinas, Charlotte

of

March 2 — 7:30 a.m.

Mass with Knights and Dames Malta St. Patrick, Charlotte 10:30 a.m.

Sacred Heart School Mass Salisbury March 3 — 9:30 a.m.

Social justice session

Supreme Court will consider whether a public school can exclude a club from using classrooms after hours because its activities are “too religious.” In Good News Club vs. Milford Central School, the court on Feb. 28 will hear oral arguments about the disagreement.

The Good News Club is a community youth group sponsored by the national missionary organization Child Evangelism Fellowship. After the Milford, N.Y., school district ended bus service to a church where the club met, the organization asked to meet on school property. The district rejected the request on the grounds that, unlike other outside organizations using the school, the Good News Club’s activities were “the equivalent of religious worship ... rather than the expression of religious views or values on a secular subject matter.”

Eventually, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the district’s deci-

Diocesan

plan -

a Lenten conference and faith sharing; are taking place this evening and on March 21 beginning at 5 p.m. at the Living Waters Reflection Center, 103 Living Waters Lane. The retreat concludes with a Eucharistic celebration at St. Margaret Church, 1422 Soco Rd. For details, call the center at (828) 926-3833.

9 MAGGIE VALLEY — The Knights of Columbus Father Michael Murphy Council of Maggie Valley and Waynesville are having a K of C weekend retreat presented by the Augustinian Friars this weekend through March 11. The event is open to all Knights of Columbus, both individual and council groups. For further information, call (828) 926-3833.

10 HOT SPRINGS — The Jesuit House of Prayer, 289 NW Hwy. 25/70, is hosting “A Day Set Aside:

sion.

In latest attack, South African priest shot to death CAPE TOWN, South Africa (CNS) — A 34-year-old South African priest was shot dead at his home in one of a spate of attacks described by a church leader as a low-intensity war. Father Bongani Eric Shozi, a parish priest in Dundee Diocese, was shot twice in the face after he struggled to fight off five men who had entered his home, said Bishop Michael Rowland of Dundee. Cardinal-designate Wilfrid Napier of Durban, president of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference, said, “There is a low-intensity war against ordinary people in South Africa, and one gets the impression that the authorities are not taking it seriously. The measures they say they have put in place are not making an impact,” he said, noting that the attacks “are taking an especially heavy toll on those whose job is to serve people.”

Vandals burn controversial Vatican Christmas tree ROME (CNS) — Vandals burned a controversial Christmas tree given to Pope John Paul II by a right-wing Austrian politician and later replanted in southern Italy, police said. Only the top branches of the 89-foot-tall fir tree remained after the arsonists struck Feb. 12 near the city of Acerra. The tree had been replanted two days earlier at the site, where a dispute has raged over plans to build a large treatment plant for garbage. The tree was the object of protests in December at the Vatican, where it was erected in St. Peter’s Square. It was presented by a delegation led by the governor of Austria’s Carinthia province, Jorg Haider, who is known for his anti-immigrant views and past statements of sympathy for some Nazi policies.

Preparing for First Eucharist” today from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. This day; led by Diane Sepsy and Mercy Sister Peggy Verstege, director; is for parents and their children who are preparing for First Communion and serves as an opportunity for parents and children to deepen their understanding and experience of the Eucharist. The session includes quiet time for parents and children, lunch and a closing liturgy at 4 p.m. To register by March 1 and for more information, call (828) 622-7366 or e-mail vpaul@madison.main.nc.us.

17 GASTONIA — The Knights of Columbus Council 6700 of Gastonia is sponsoring a St. Patrick’s Day Dance tonight at the St. Michael Church parish center, 708 St. Michael Lane, at 6:30 p.m. Dinner includes corned beef and cabbage with Irish tea and coffee, and dancing lasts from 7:30-11:30 p.m. including a performance from eight Irish dancers.

The deadline for purchasing tickets is March 5. Contact Joe Delaney at (704) 865-0008 or Frank Pilieci at

February 23, 2001

The Catholic News & Herald 3

The World in

Worldwide student organization to focus on bioethics issues NOTRE DAME, Ind. (CNS) — Undergraduates from the University of Notre Dame, Boston University and the University of Toronto have founded a worldwide student organization focusing on the full spectrum of bioethics issues. The International Student Bioethics Initiative was scheduled to hold its first meeting March 3 on the Notre Dame campus in conjunction with the third annual National Undergraduate Bioethics Conference March 1-4.

The goal of the new organization is to encourage and enhance education, awareness, dialogue and involvement in topics such as the Human Genome Project, stem-cell research, cloning, beginning- and end-of-life issues, AIDS and health care.

Pope marks 1,700th anniversary of Armenian Christianity VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Persecution and bloodshed have marked the history of Armenia, but they never erased the Christian faith which the Armenian people embraced 1,700 years ago, Pope John Paul II said. Presiding Feb. 18 at the celebration of an Armenian divine liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica, the pope prayed that the anniversary of Armenian Christianity would be an occasion to strengthen the faith and to work toward unity with Armenia’s Oriental Orthodox church.

Pope John Paul also issued an apostolic letter marking the anniversary of the “birth of the new identity of the people, which became a constitutive and inseparable part of being Armenian.”

Church, social workers in Pakistan seek to end child labor TOBA TEK SINGH, Pakistan (CNS) — Church and social workers in Pakistan say that child labor is a serious problem that can be eradicated only if tackled at its roots. The government has promulgated laws to curb child labor, but the economic conditions of the people — forcing so many children to work as factory workers, cleaners and in other occupations — render the laws ineffective. Ayub Anjum, a worker of

the church-led Human Development Center in Toba Tek Singh, told UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand, that even collecting information about child labor is difficult.

Parents are often uncooperative, he said, for fear that they might lose their source of income.

Bishop Hughes of Baton Rouge named coadjutor of New Orleans WASHINGTON (CNS) — Pope John Paul II has named Bishop Alfred C. Hughes of Baton Rouge, La., as coadjutor archbishop of New Orleans.

The appointment was announced in Washington Feb. 16 by Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, apostolic nuncio to the United States. Archbishop Hughes, 68, will assist Archbishop Francis B. Schulte in the governance of the archdiocese, the second-oldest diocese in the United States, and will succeed him as the 18th leader of the archdiocese

when Archbishop Schulte steps down.

“Life is full of surprises!” Archbishop Hughes said at a news conference at the Notre Dame Seminary chapel. “I thought that after Baton Rouge there

March 1 HENDERSONVILLE —Immaculata School, 711 Buncombe St., is hosting an open house for the 2001-2002 school year today from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Parent volunteers are available for tours and questions, and parents may register children in pre-kindergarten through 8th grade. For more information, call William Meehan, principal, at (828) 693-3277.

MAGGIE VALLEY — The 55th Men’s Weekend Ultreya is taking place at Living Waters Reflection Center, 103 Living Waters Lane, today through March 4. The 57th Women’s Weekend Ultreya will take place at St. Pius X Church, 2210 N. Elm St., in Greensboro from March 29-April 1. For details, call Dan Hines at (704) 544-6665 or Aliceann Coon at (704) 540-8696.

2 HICKORY — The Annual World Day of Prayer ecumenical worship service is being held tonight at 7 p.m. in the chapel of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. The theme is “Informed

Prayer and Prayerful Action” and is drawn from the biblical wisdom of Esther. Men and women of all denominations are invited, and childcare will be provided. Refreshments are also being served. Contact Carole Marmorato at (828) 256-8956 for further details.

WINSTON-SALEM — The St. Leo The Great Church Children’s Clothing and Toy Sale has been rescheduled for this weekend through March 3.

All are invited to sell gently used children’s books, games, puzzles, furniture, baby equipment and spring and summer clothing. Call Teresa Whalen at (336) 924-9118 to schedule a shift and for more information.

5 CHARLOTTE — The widowed support group for those grieving the loss of a spouse meets from 6-7 p.m. tonight and March 19 in the family room at St. Gabriel Church, 3016 Providence Rd. For further details, call the church office at (704) 364-5431.

CHARLOTTE — Christians in Career Transition is a ministry of St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne

Commons Pkwy., devoted to helping people in career crises. The meeting takes place tonight and March 19 from 7-9 p.m. in the office area of the parish center’s conference room. For more information, call Rev. Mr. Jim Hamrlik at (704) 542-6459.

CLEMMONS — Holy Family Church, 4820 Kinnamon Rd., is celebrating a charismatic Mass tonight at 7:30 p.m. with Father Frank O’Rourke, pastor.

The sacrament of reconciliation is being given at 7 p.m., and the laying on of hands is taking place after Mass.

The next Mass takes place on April 7 with Father John Putnam, pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury. For more information, call the church office at (336) 778-0600 or Jim Passero at (336) 998-7503.

7 CHARLOTTE — Churches in the Charlotte area are having cancer support group meetings for survivors, family and friends on the following days: St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., this morning and every first Wednesday at 10 a.m. in

CNS photo from Reuters

Would-be immigrants from Africa on deck of ship Some of the nearly 200 Africans being smuggled to Europe aboard four boats await processing aboard a Spanish civil guard boat at Tarifa, in southern Spain.

was only heaven!”

Cohabitation a challenging issue for church leaders ERIE, Pa. (CNS) — When engaged couples send applications to the family ministries’ office in the Erie Diocese to attend marriage preparation programs, Mary Maxwell has noticed a disturbing trend. A growing number of engaged men and woman share the same address. Maxwell, director of the diocesan Office of Family Ministries of Catholic Charities, said there has been a 45-percent rise in couples cohabiting, without being married, since 1970.

Marriage, she added, does not have the central place it once had in our society.

“It’s such a pervasive phenomenon. It’s an anti-marriage kind of a climate out there,” she said in an interview with the Lake Shore Visitor, Erie’s diocesan newspaper.

Bishops of Americas discuss greater ties on migration issues WASHINGTON (CNS) — Bishops from the Americas, meeting Feb. 12-14, pledged greater cooperation on migration issues and asked government leaders to solve economic p r o bl e m s t h at c a u s e m a s s i ve migrations. Closer cooperation is needed to find pastoral responses to the causes and effects of migration, said the bishops from Latin America, Canada and the United States. More than 20 bishops representing the Latin American bishops’ council, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States met in Clearwater, Fla., to talk about migration in the Americas. Government leaders

room 104 of the parish center and St. Gabriel Church, 3016 Providence Rd., on March 12 at 7 p.m. in the ministry center library tonight only because of the upcoming parish mission. For more information, call: St. Matthew - Marilyn Borrelli at (704) 542-2283 and St. Gabriel - Eileen Cordell at (704) 352-5047, Ext. 217.

For further information, call Bob Poffenbarger, Sr., coordinator, at (704) 553-7000.

GREENSBORO — The Adult Education Program at Our Lady of Grace Church, 2205 W. Market St., continues tonight at 6:30 p.m. in the activity center. Wanda Smith, a recent convert to the Catholic faith, is presenting “What Do I Say,” a session concerning how to answer questions from Protestants about the Catholic faith. Join the group for a potluck at 5:45 p.m. in the cafeteria. For further details, call the parish religious education office at (336) 274-0415.

MAGGIE VALLEY — Twilight evenings of reflection; involving dinner,

4 The Catholic News & Herald

By ALESHA M. PRICE Staff Writer CHARLOTTE — The season of Lent brings to mind images of sacrifice, prayer and a pledge to keep Jesus’ life at the forefront. Dioceses around the country are participating in a yearly Lenten program geared toward helping men, women and children who lack some of life’s simple necessities and aiding them in becoming more self-reliant.

Operation Rice Bowl (ORB), one of the programs of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), is an educational program that sends collected money from the familiar cardboard rice bowls for projects benefiting the most needy people in the world.

The Operation Rice Bowl slogan — pray, fast, learn, give — reflects the season of Lent and is expressed in the activity calendar that accompanies the rice bowl for money collection.

“As we prepare for Easter, ORB invites us to enter into solidarity with our neighbors throughout the world,” said Joe Purello, diocesan director of the Justice and Peace Office. “ORB is a fund-raising arm of CRS, and the funds go toward developing programs to empower those who are poor to bring about positive changes in the community and families.”

The calender, rice bowl and other information will be available for every family through the parish and school coordinators. The calendar includes activities and reflections for every day of the season of Lent, including recipes, biblical passages and focuses for prayer for family participation in coordination with this year’s theme “Who is your neighbor?”

“The main thrust of Operation Rice

Around the Di-

Operation Rice Bowl supports disadvantaged worldwide, throughout “The main thrust of Operation Rice Bowl is to educate people and to help them identify with those who are poor, their experiences and their daily lives...”

—Terri Jarina Bowl is to educate people and to help them identify with those who are poor, their experiences and their daily lives,” said Terri Jarina, diocesan Operation Rice Bowl coordinator. “Individuals may also take part with the envelopes provided and available for contributions through the parish.”

Seventy-five percent of the money collected from Operation Rice Bowl goes to the national CRS office for micro-enterprise efforts in Third World countries.

Women primarily receive the money, anywhere from $30 to $500, to start their own small businesses.

Twenty-five percent of the collected money remains within the diocese to fund mini-grants for $500 and over. Catholic parishes, schools and other organizations may apply for the grants, which can be used for any program or service with an immigrant or migrant focus, said Jarina.

Many parishes sponsor a sister parish in another country, and there is much work

with immigrants and migrants in various local areas around the diocese. “The primary focus of the mini-grants is to help bridge cultures, and one key aspect is to help immigrants and people from other cultures to become part of a parish family.”

Thirteen parishes received the minigrants awarded in the summer for their efforts with people from other countries for the year 2000. St. Aloysius Church received a grant to begin providing materials and to have parishioners available for the Lahu community in the Hickory area to improve their English language skills.

“We see the need to do anything we can to help people become part of the greater community,” said Joyce Corbett, CRS parish coordinator and CCHD coordinator for St. Aloysius Church. “There is no way that you cannot see the obvious needs, and the fact that some of the money stays in the diocese is a positive thing to keep in mind.”

Members of the Korean community

February 23, 2001

in Arden at St. Barnabas Church have benefited from efforts of some of their fellow parishioners. The church received a grant, included in the 1999 group of mini-grant awardees, to begin English as a second language classes with adults, and some of the American parishioners are still learning basic Korean to be able to better communicate.

“We wanted to make sure they knew that they were a part of our community because they enrich the parish,” said Cheryl Peyton, director of religious education at St. Barnabas.

“We not only try to teach the Koreans about our culture but it also gives us the opportunity to learn about their culture.”

CRS was established in 1943 by U.S. Catholic bishops to aid the poor and disadvantaged worldwide. ORB, started in 1976, operates in more than 80 countries, and nearly 14,000 schools, parishes and other organizations participate in the fund-raising program.

For free ORB materials and other information, call Terri Jarina at (704) 370-3231 or email justicepeace@charlottediocese.org or call Catholic Relief Services at 1-800-2220025, Ext. 800 or check their webpage at www.catholicrelief.org.

Contact Staff Writer Alesha M. price by calling (704) 370-3354 or e-mail amprice@charlottediocese.org.

February 23, 2001

Around the Di-

The Catholic News & Herald 5

Grace Award bestowed

By JIMMY ROSTAR Associate Editor BELMONT — Each February, Belmont Abbey College presents an award to someone who, through their actions and example, contributes to and inspires the community. This year’s honoree, Father Mauricio W. “Mo” West, said his life’s work is a journey led by God and shared with others.

“All that I am able to do for the community is because of God’s grace and the support of people like you who are present tonight,” said Father West, the Diocese of Charlotte’s vicar general and chancellor. “And I am so happy to share this award with you.”

The Grace Award is presented by the Belmont Abbey College Associates and the college’s board of advisors. It is named for Charles L. Grace, president of Cummins Atlantic, Inc., a longtime supporter of Belmont Abbey College who is a current member and past chair of the college’s board of trustees.

An annual fund-raiser, the award dinner provides scholarship funding for Belmont Abbey College, the only Catholic college in the Carolinas.

Mauricio W. West was ordained as a Benedictine monk in 1979. He held a variety of administrative and educational roles during his time in the monastic community, including as vice president of Belmont Abbey College, vice president for student affairs and an instructor of theol-

ogy, business and computer science.

He served as associate pastor and business manager at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte.

Father West was incardinated into the Charlotte Diocese in the winter of 1994, eight months after Bishop William G. Curlin was installed as Charlotte’s third bishop. Bishop Curlin appointed Father West as chancellor in December 1994, and Father West’s additional appointment as vicar general came shortly thereafter.

During more than 20 years in the priesthood, Father West has shared his ministry and talents with the church, civic, human services and business communities in western North Carolina.

As vicar general of the diocese, Father West is the bishop’s “alter ego,” a role that entails mutual support with the bishop in the daily overseeing of an ever-growing community of faith. He is the bishop’s chief deputy — an administrator and a priest who has much of the authority and privileges the bishop himself has.

The chancellor’s primary responsibility is to keep the official records of the diocese. By nature of the role, he or she automatically becomes secretary of the diocese’s central administration and is an authorized notary.

During the award ceremony Feb. 15, Bishop Curlin praised Father West as a gifted leader, a caring confidant and, above all else, a dedicated servant

Photo by Joann S. Keane

Pictured from left: Dr. Robert A. Preston, president of Belmont Abbey College; Abbot Placid Solari, a Benedictine monk and the abbot of Belmont Abbey; Bynum Carter, chairman of Belmont Abbey College Associates; Father Mauricio W. “Mo” West; Bishop William G. Curlin; Harding Stowe, chairman of the Belmont Abbey College Board of Advisors; and Charles Grace, president of Cummins Atlantic, Inc., and the Grace Award’s namesake.

The Grace Award is presented by the Belmont Abbey College Associates and the Board of Advisors. It is presented to an outstanding individual whose contributions and commitments have significantly improved the quality of life throughout the region and whose life serves as an example to others. of God. “When I first came here, I was his bishop,” said Bishop Curlin. “Later on, technically and canonically, I became his boss. But after seven years, I consider Father Mo one of the best friends in my life — a real brother in Christ.”

Bishop Curlin thanked Father West for the service he brings to the

diocese and his ability to bring God to countless others.

“He has so much to offer,” the bishop said. “What he offers you is a priestly heart — his patience, his kindness, his generosity. Even when he has to make a hard decision ... there’s always that serenity. He always has that

See FATHER MO, page 15

6 The Catholic News & Herald Bishop asks Bush for U.S. support of East Timorese WASHINGTON (CNS) — The bishop of Dili, East Timor, called on President Bush to support the international peacekeeping mission in East Timor and to help the population rebuild from 1999 violence by Indonesian troops. Congratulating Bush on his inauguration, Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, apostolic administrator of Dili, said in a Feb. 12 letter that he wanted to “make a few suggestions about the way in which the power and prestige of the United States may be directed that would be of great help to my people in East Timor.” He urged Bush to support the presence of the international peacekeeping force under U.N. leadership, saying it would be “badly needed in East Timor for the foreseeable future” to protect against attacks by militias and Indonesian forces.

Priest says Pius XII knew Rome institutions sheltered Jews ROME (CNS) — The Catholic convents, parishes and institutions in Rome that hid and saved more than 4,400 Jews from the Nazis would not have taken such a risk without the approval of Pope Pius XII, said Jesuit Father Peter Gumpel. The priest, who is working on Pope Pius’ cause for beatification, said the stories of Jews sheltered by Catholic priests and religious in Rome have been “unknown or purposefully ignored” in discussions about the pope’s actions during the war. Within one of the most “barbaric periods of history, there were lights of humanity, courageous actions by a wide variety of people, including Pius XII in an exceptional way,” he said.

Father Gumpel spoke Feb. 16 during the presentation of an Italian language book, “The Jews Saved by Pius XII” by Antonio Gaspari.

Son of late priest claims right of residence in parish house DUBLIN, Ireland (CNS) — The son of a deceased priest in Ireland has refused to leave his father’s former parish house, claiming right of residence.

In the early 1990s, it was learned that Father Michael Cleary, one of Ireland’s best-known priests, had fathered two sons by Phyllis Hamilton, his house-

February 23, 2001

People in the

Courtesy photo

Seminarian installed to ministry of reader James Ebright, a seminarian of the Diocese of Charlotte, was installed to the ministry of reader by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington Feb. 5. The son of Mabel Ebright of Mocksville, Ebright is a pre-theology student at Theological College in Washington, D.C. The office of the reader, or lector, is primarily to read the word of God, except the Gospel, during the liturgy. The lector may also recite the psalm between readings and the intentions during the prayers of the faithful. The ministry of reader is one of the preparatory ministries a seminarian enters on his journey to receiving holy orders. keeper, whom he met in 1967 when she was 17 and he was 34. News of their relationship was made public only after Father Cleary’s death, because Hamilton feared she would be evicted from the parochial house where they had lived. She remained in the house, with parish clergy living elsewhere. But before her death this year, Hamilton’s younger son, Ross, moved into the house, and now the 24-year-old claims right of residence. Father Cleary’s former parish is not unusual in having six different home addresses for the parish’s six priests.

Pope presides over biggest

consistory in history VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope John Paul II presided over the biggest consistory in the church’s history, creating a record 44 new cardinals during

three days of ceremonies at the Vatican.

Many of the cardinals brought hundreds or even thousands of guests, so the scale of the celebrations is unprecedented. The main events were held in St. Peter’s Square, the only place big enough to accommodate the crowds. At a Liturgy of the Word Feb. 21, the pope held the consistory proper, formally inducting the new members into the College of Cardinals. On Feb. 22, the pope returned to St. Peter’s Square to concelebrate a morning Mass with the new cardinals. On Feb. 23, he was to greet the new cardinals and their families in a final audience.

New HUD secretary honored as Legatus ‘ambassador’ NAPLES, Fla. (CNS) — Even before they knew President Bush would name Mel Martinez the new U.S. secretary of housing and urban development, members of a national Catholic association of business executives had decided Martinez was their “ambassador.” Thomas Monaghan, a Michigan businessman and founder of the Domino’s Pizza chain, said, “Our honoree is the model of an ambassador for Christ and his church; he has lived the Gospel in his daily life, and has used his success in business and his position in the community to glorify the power and goodness of God.” On Feb. 10, Monaghan presented Martinez with the Ambassador of the Year award on behalf of Legatus, a network of Catholic business executives Monaghan established more than 10 years ago. More than 500 members and Legatus chaplains from 36 of the organization’s 40 chapters met Feb. 8-10 in Naples.

February 23, 2001

From the

What did Jesus look like?

No one knows; still, artists

By MIKE LATONA Catholic News Service ROCHESTER, N.Y. (CNS) — Over the centuries, artists have created thousands upon thousands of images depicting Jesus Christ in his human form.

And yet, according to a retired art professor from Nazareth College in Rochester, few of these images — if any — offer a completely authentic representation of Christ.

“Nobody knows what he looked like,” Roger Adams said. “We don’t have any indication that Jesus was thin, fat, tall or short.”

The face of Jesus and the effort expended by artists through the centuries to depict him is the focus of a new Catholic Communication Campaign-funded feature, “The Face: Jesus in Art.” The film will debut March 31 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and will be available to PBS affiliates nationwide surrounding the Easter and Christmas feasts this year.

After artist Deborah Zeller of Glen Ellyn, Ill., painted “I Am the Resurrection,” she discovered many people have definite ideas about what Jesus would have — or would not have — looked like.

Her depiction of Jesus does not show him with the traditional, solemn expression. She has sold about 3,000 prints of her painting, but said there has been a strong outcry against it because it is a nontraditional portrayal.

“Even in my family ... they think I’ve

become almost like a Jesus freak. It’s like a forbidden area you don’t touch,” Zeller told the Catholic Courier, Rochester’s diocesan newspaper, in a telephone interview from her residence in Illinois.

One of Zeller’s champions is Cal Samra of the Fellowship of Merry Christians, which once featured “I Am the Resurrection” in an issue of its newsletter.

“The artists are reaching out and searching for something besides depressive and stern representations

have varied greatly in different time periods and cultures.

According to Adams, the widely accepted portrayal of Jesus in the United States and Europe became standard in the 11th century.

But can a light-skinned Jesus be considered the real thing? Not according to Father Michael Upson, administrator of Immaculate Conception Parish in Rochester.

“What we have in the States is a Jesus who has become very European, very ‘Anglocized,”’ he said.

Artistic depictions of a black Jesus began to show up throughout the United States during the 1960s — including a mural at Immaculate Conception, a predominantly AfricanAmerican parish in Rochester.

The earliest images known to have survived are from the years 240-260, based on Jewish art that was discovered when the ancient Syrian city of DuraEuropos was excavated in the 1920s and ’30s. of Jesus,” Samra told the Courier.

He asked whether “a gory and grotesque image” really represents “the Lord.”

Some U.S. Catholics would be surprised — and even offended — by images that fail to show Jesus with light skin, brown hair, a beard and a solemn expression. Yet, depictions of Christ

It displays a black Jesus with short, curly hair. Immaculate Conception parishioners “just like it,” Father Upson said. “I have never heard of a problem.”

Jesus’ actual background was that of a Middle Eastern Jew who likely resembled modern-day Palestinians with dark hair and olive skin.

Adams asserts Americans would have a hard time accepting the possibility that Jesus’ likeness is linked with a culture often torn by war.

“In our society, can you imagine if Jesus looked like one of those Arab terrorists?” he remarked. “But that’s probably closer to what he looked like.”

Since Jewish culture disapproved of religious imagery, there are no known representations of Christ from the first years of Christianity.

The earliest images known to

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have survived, Adams said, are from the years 240-260, based on Jewish art that was discovered when the ancient Syrian city of Dura-Europos was excavated in the 1920s and ’30s.

But the two-centuries time lapse lends doubt to the possibility that the Dura-Europos works can be regarded as Christ’s true image, Adams said.

Christian art became openly established in the early fourth century when the Edict of Milan officially recognized Christianity. “In the fourth and fifth centuries, he was an emperor,” a parallel to Christianity’s rise, Adams said.

In the West, early paintings of Jesus depicted him with short, blond hair and no beard — and as the Good Shepherd or a miracle worker, not as a crucified or resurrected Christ.

Art from the Byzantine Empire of the sixth through 15th centuries portrayed Jesus as a “ruler of the world, stern and strong,” Adams said.

But Western art focused on the crucified Jesus, depicting him as “pathetic, suffering, broken in body and spirit.”

Adams said current images of him may also be derived from the supposed image of the crucified and entombed Christ on the Shroud of Turin, which turned up in the 16th century and is held by some to be the actual burial cloth of Jesus.

Maria Jauodi, formerly an assistant professor of religion at Nazareth College, suggested that the 20thcentury cheerful images of Jesus may be a response to a world torn by war, hunger and poverty.

“People are trying to keep that childlike dimension. Today there’s so little innocence,” she said.

Most artists have presented Christ without physical imperfections. “What if we did have a real portrait of Jesus and it turned out he was homely or had moles, or a weak chin, or a hooked nose?” Adams wondered.

Whatever the time period or culture, Father Upson suggested any artistic portrayal of Jesus should appeal strongly to its intended audience.

“In your own environment, it’s important to be able to look up to people who look like you, who you can identify with,” he said. “It’s important to be able to relate to the image of

8 The Catholic News & Herald

In the

Catholic Church needs loyalty of Hispanics, says

By KEVIN LUPERCHIO Catholic News Service WORCESTER, Mass. (CNS) — Without the loyalty of Hispanics, the Catholic Church’s role as the country’s largest faith denomination will erode, Ana Maria Diaz-Stevens told a Worcester audience.

The future of the U.S. church depends on the religious identity of the Latino people, according to the professor of church and society from Union Theological Seminary.

She and her husband, Anthony M. Stevens-Arroyo, delivered the 12th annual Bishop Bernard A. Flanagan Lecture on Religion and Public aAffairs Feb. 8. Sponsored by the school’s Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture, the talk drew about 35 people.

Diaz-Stevens quoted estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau showing that by the year 2020 more Latinos will be added each year to the U.S. population than African-Americans, Asian-Americans or Native Americans combined.

Without “the presence and input of the Hispanics,” the church’s well being, and even its survival, may be threatened, she said.

Diaz-Stevens pointed out, however, that the church’s attempts to attract Latinos may be hindered by decreasing numbers of clergy. As it stands today, she said, a way must be found to open the church to Latinos without “abundant clergy or religious personnel.”

The solution, she explained, lies in a resource that has been largely ignored: the ever-expanding Latino laity.

Latino laity, she said, can teach other Catholics “how to nourish their faith even in the midst of religious and priest shortages and decreasing material resources.”

As an example, Diaz-Stevens pointed to Encuentro 2000, a gathering of 5,000 people held last July in Los Angeles, which she said presented a new Catholic Church model and “a vivid experience of unity in diversity.”

Previous Encuentros, in 1972, 1977 and 1985, focused on Hispanic Catholic identity and priorities in ministry and evangelization, but for Encuentro 2000 the Hispanic Catholic community invited all Catholics to come together to promote unity and solidarity among the peoples of the church.

Encuentro 2000 did not stress “the assimilation of each ethnic and regional tradition into a single Americanized stew but the cultural uniqueness of many groups,” she said.

She also talked about the role of the Catholic Hispanic woman, or Latina, in the United States as “an extension of her role in her country of origin.”

In their homelands, Latinas do not hold official positions in the church’s hierarchy, she said, but they serve as the “matriarchal core” of religion in

their communities.

When, through immigration to the United States, Latinas are afforded the opportunity to develop a more substantial role in the church, their experience as mediators, between church and community and even church and family, will serve them well, DiazStevens said.

Father Jose A. Rodriguez, associate pastor at St. Peter’s Church, said he felt Diaz-Stevens overdramatized Latino Catholics’ make-or-break status in the future of the U.S. church.

However, Latinos “will definitely have a big impact,” Father Rodriguez said. “We’re not just an appendix or a side part, we are key players in the growth of the church.”

Father Rodriguez agreed with Diaz-Stevens’ point about Latinas’ leadership role in the church. He has seen Latinas take on bigger community and diocesan roles in the Worcester Diocese, he said.

In Webster, Mass., Father Rodriguez noted, the Latino community survived for several years without its own priest. A priest came to celebrate weekly Mass, he explained, but organizing the Catholic community fell on the able shoulders of a schoolteacher who was married and had two children, he added.

Stevens-Arroyo, professor of Puerto Rican and Latino studies at Brooklyn (N.Y.) College, delivered the second half of the lecture. He said the emerging importance of Latino Catholics calls for a re-examination of their historical role and their contribution to church history.

He sketched a brief history of the U.S. church from a Latino perspective,

February 23, 2001

discussing several influential Latino Catholics he said have been largely overlooked by historians.

These included: Jos de Diego, a member of the Puerto Rican parliament who earned the title “mystical patriot” for his defense of the Catholic soul; Jesuit Bishop Antulio Parrilla Bonilla, who preached the message of Catholic nationalism in Puerto Rico throughout the 1960s; and Pedro Albizu Campos, who launched a “crusade to form a Puerto Rican republic to be governed by the principles of papal social encyclicals.”

Those three men helped ensure “the survival of Catholicism in this country,” he explained.

Stevens-Arroyo’s lecture “gave a real sense of the Hispanic roots in our country,” said Worcester Auxiliary Bishop George E. Rueger.

In the future, the bishop added, people will look back on important Latino figures and recognize their contribution to the church.

Following the lecture, Diaz-Stevens and Stevens-Arroyo took some questions. One man asked what percentage of the U.S. Catholic population consisted of Latinos.

Saying it was difficult to estimate, Diaz-Stevens said she figured that Latinos comprised 35 to 40 percent of the general U.S. population, though that percentage would vary depending on the region of the country.

The man then asked what response Catholic colleges could offer to the growing numbers of U.S. Latinos.

Stevens-Arroyo said he hoped to see a higher percentage of Latino students at Holy Cross, a Jesuit-run

February 23, 2001

Around the Diocese

The Catholic News & Herald 9

Sister spreads joy in Hispanic

By ELLEN NEERINCX SIGMON Correspondent LENOIR — Sister Andrea Inkrott decided to enter a convent in the 1960s, but she still had to choose the order that she would join.

She felt drawn to the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi in Tiffin, Ohio, because of “the joy and simplicity I found in the sisters that I knew, and then later, the story of St. Francis,” she said.

She made her decision, though, when she visited another religious community that she was considering. This community was newer and had marble floors, while the first had wooden floors. “They were old and like home,” she said.

The decision she made eventually took her far away from home, and started her on the path to her current position as coordinator of Hispanic Ministry for the Hickory Vicariate.

The Sisters of St. Francis have been working with the Hispanic people since the 1940s, said Sister Andrea.

While she was with them in Ohio, the sisters went out weekly to visit the farm workers in the camps in north-

west and central Ohio. In 1969, the sisters started a mission in Chiapas, Mexico. Sister Andrea spent seven years there in the late 1970s and the early 1980s until an illness forced her to return to the United States.

She spent some time at St. Peter and Paul Churches in Toledo, Ohio, and then relocated to San Antonio, Texas, to get her master’s degree through the Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC) and Incarnate Word College.

She met Father John Pagel when he came to the MACC for a time to study Spanish. At lunch one day, Sister Andrea told him that she hoped to continue working with the Hispanic people once she completed her degree.

Father Pagel suggested that she come to North Carolina, and he put her in touch with Father Joe Waters, administrator at Holy Trinity Church in Taylorsville, who was working with Hispanics in this area.

Sister Andrea came to work for the Diocese of Charlotte in August of 1990 as the director of the Hispanic Center in Yadkinville and then moved

File photo by Ellen Neerincx Sigmon

In her ministry to Hispanics in the Hickory Vicariate, Franciscan Sister Andrea Inkrott is sensitive to the spiritual, cultural and material needs of a rapidly growing community. Her involvement in last December’s Our Lady of Guadalupe procession in Taylorsville helped bring dozens of Hispanics together for a high-visibility pilgrimage honoring Mary. to her current position in February of 1999.

Sister Andrea works with the parishes in the Hickory Vicariate to help them to be effective in their rapidly growing Hispanic ministries. St. Aloysius Church in Hickory, for example, has 300 to 400 people attending the Spanish Mass held there each Sunday, and the numbers are increasing.

She works to foster collaboration and communication between the Hispanic community and other communities in each parish and within the vicariate. She does this by working with the pastors, parish councils, Hispanic volunteers, outreach ministries, youth groups, faith formation and

See SISTERS, page 15

1 0 The Catholic News & Herald Book Review

WHY RELIGION MATTERS

February 23, 2001

Read-

— as facts, thereby diminishing other worldviews of traditional religions.

“Science has erased transcendence from our reality map,” Smith writes. “We have turned science into a sacred cow and are suffering the consequences idolatr y invariable exacts.”

In part two, “The Light at the Tunnel’s End,” Smith appeals for intensifying a dialogue between the sacred, Reviewed by Mark Lombard faith-oriented world and the proCatholic News Service fane, mundane world, notThe importance and contributions of ing that “science can prove nothscience in our lives cannot be underestiing about God, because God lies mated. outside its province.”

And yet, breakthroughs in mediIf humankind is truly interested in cal research, technological advances and an accurate description of reality and our understanding of the physical world a search for the truth about existence, and universe have had unintended and then “binocular vision” which accepts profound consequences that threaten both religious and secular perspecour humanity. tives is necessary, That is the he says. “The gulf assertion of Husthat separates this ton Smith, infaith-oriented ter nationally projection of reliknown scholar in gion’s future from the field of rethe worldly one ligious studies that was described and author of the is vast; but we live best-selling book, in the uni-verse, “The World’s Reso in some way we ligions.” must try to bring In his most the two together.” recent work, “Why While he is Religion Matters: most effective in The Fate of the identifying the Human Spirit in problem and in an Age of Disbepointing society lief,” Smith chalin the right direclenges Wester n tion, Smith is less society at large successful in inin a critique that dicating how scitakes aim at — ence will “share among other tarthe knowledge gets — modernproject equitably ism, postmodern- WHY RELIGION MATTERS: THE FAITH with other ways ism, naturalism, of knowing.” He secularism, rela- OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT IN AN AGE OF does suggest that tivism and deterDISBELIEF, by Huston Smith. HarperCollins s c i e n t i s t s a n d minism. “religionists” In the book’s Publishers (San Francisco, 2001). 290 pp. need to stick to well-reasoned, their own discicompelling first $25.00. plines, unless it part, he tracis to correct es history’s oversteps of the traditional, modother, and the ern and postmodcreation of an orern periods, highlighting the achieveganization or organizations to watch ments and deficiencies of each. and report when and “where science While noting the modern era’s modulates into scientism.” successes in advancing democrat The average readic and personal freedoms, ecologier might be caught up in the cal awareness and scientific and variety of “isms” and disciplines extechnological breakthroughs, Smith plored, but Smith, ever the patient argues that humankind has afflicted teacher, works to make them underitself with tunnel vision, a blindness standable and applicable. that is leading it in the 21st century to “Why Religion Matters” ultia purposeless, valueless, ego-dominatmately offers the reader what Smith’s ed, individualistic, disoriented, deconlifework has attempted to reveal — the structed, disconnected existence. existence of the transcendent and the He describes the tunnel that has being constructed with scientism as its foundation, higher education and the law as its walls and the media as its roof, all working to marginalize and trivialize the role religion plays in the life of the culture.

Smith offers a withering criticism of scientism (as distinct from modern science) as a worldview that presents its base assumptions — “first, that science is our best window onto the world and, second, that matter is the foundation of everything that exists”

Word to Life

February 25, Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle C Readings: 1) Sirach 27:4-7 Psalm 92:2-3, 13-16 2) 1 Corinthians 15:54-58 3) Gospel: Luke 6:39-45

By BOZENA CLOUTIER Catholic News Service It felt as if I had been kicked in the stomach. I walked the remaining few yards back to our house and there, behind closed doors, I wept. That was 30 years ago, and the memory is so vivid that I can still remember the clothes and shoes I was wearing.

What was it that assaulted me so violently in my own peaceful neighborhood?

Words. Words spoken in a pleasant enough tone by a neighbor on a military base where we were stationed. Her name was Sarah. Her husband had just been listed as up for promotion to full colonel, and soon the entire family would be moving from our neighborhood into “bird colonel” quarters.

Seeing Sarah, I had stopped to offer congratulations. She thanked me, and then after a slight pause and a penetrating look she said, “I hear that you too might be moving soon.” The comment was innocuous enough, but not really. The meaning was coded.

Her upcoming move was a source of justifiable pride to her. Our story was very different. My husband had just been notified that because his last two efficiency reports were less than superlative and because the military was drastically

downsizing after the Vietnam War, he was being forced out of the Army.

Over the years this incident has been significant in my spiritual life, chiefly as I have faced the hardness of my own heart and struggled with issues of forgiveness.

On this last Sunday in Ordinary Time as we prepare to enter Lent, I have thought of it again in the light of the Scripture readings, which raise questions about the words we speak, how we speak them and about finding fault with our neighbor while failing to recognize it in ourselves.

As people who have been graced and saved by the Word that dwells among us, we are challenged to make our words the best they can be. The words we use have repercussions and go on for a long time, not just for 30 years but maybe even for eternity.

In a culture glutted with words that are spoken, sung, printed and e-mailed, we have become careless with ours and need to use that sieve of which the prophet Sirach speaks to sift out the husks in both what we say and what we listen to.

When Sarah spoke those few words to me, I was so quick to see the splinter in her eye and to impute malice to her.

I know I could have reacted differently and perhaps been left with very different memories. But God’s word is ever active and fruitful. It has redeemed that incident and brought me slowly to a point where I can now risk looking at the beam in my own eye.

Weekly Scripture Readings for the week of Feb. 25 - Mar. 3, 2001 Sunday, Sirach 27:4-7, 1 Corinthians 15:54-58, Luke 6:39-45; Monday, Sirach 17:19-27, Mark 10:17-27; Tuesday, Sirach 35:1-12, Mark 10:28-31; Ash Wednesday (Fast & Abstinence), Joel 2:12-18, 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18; Thursday, Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Luke 9:22-25; Friday (Abstinence), Isaiah 58:1-9, Matthew 9:14-15; Saturday (St. Katherine Drexel), Isaiah 58:9-14, Luke 5:27-32 Readings for the week of Mar. 4 - 10, 2001 First Sunday of Lent, Deuteronomy 26:4-10, Roman 10:8-13, Luke 4:113; Monday, Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18, Matthew 25:31-46; Tuesday, Isaiah 55:1011, Matthew 6:7-15; Wednesday (Sts. Perpetua & Felicity), Jonah 3:1-10, Luke 11:29-32; Thursday (St. John of God), Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25 or 4:17, Matthew 7:7-12; Friday (St. Frances of Rome), Ezekiel 18:21-28, Matthew 5:20-26; Saturday, Deuteronomy 26:16-19, Matthew 5:43-48

February 23, 2001

Entertain-

The Catholic News & Herald 11

“Oprah Winfrey Presents: Amy and Isabelle” March 4 on ABC

By ANNE NAVARRO Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) — A widowed mother and her daughter struggle through personal shame, growing pains and some disturbing events in the moving “Oprah Winfrey Presents: Amy and Isabelle.” The film, which is based on a novel by Elizabeth Strout, airs Sunday, March 4, 9-11 p.m.

EST on ABC. Set in 1971, “Amy and Isabelle” is a provocative yet tender story which observes the strange mixture of love and loathing sometimes found in a motherdaughter relationship. The tale unfolds at a deliberately slow pace, allowing the viewer to become acquainted with the characters and soak in the stifling atmosphere of the small New England mill town in which it is set.

With her hair tied in a low, severe bun, Elizabeth Shue is Isabelle Goodrow, the very proper, lonely and hard-working mother of Amy (Hanna Hall). Isabelle, whose voice-over narration fills in some story gaps, has built her life around a safe routine to conceal her own shameful past.

Each day she reports for work at the mill’s accounting office, where she quietly fantasizes about having a life with her oblivious, married boss (James Rebhorn).

She keeps her distance from the gossiping ladies in the office, thinking these workingclass women are beneath her. But her care-

ful, protected way of life has made her blind to her daughter’s present isolation, which is leading Amy to trouble.

For Amy, an awkward, shy teen-ager, the attention paid to her by charismatic new math teacher Mr. Robertson (Martin Donovan) is both thrilling and dangerous — an irresistible combination for the loner teen. But when girlish infatuation turns into adult passion, Isabelle must confront her child and face down some of her own past demons.

The oppressive summer heat which envelopes their town of Shirley Falls is as readily felt as the desperation and sadness in the hearts of Amy and Isabelle. Yet while the character-driven story is compassionately told, some of the events are unsettling.

However, at its core, “Amy and Isabelle” is about redemption, forgiveness and growth.

The finely wrought performances attest to the strength of the human spirit and the determination and unconditional love of a mother. But while the first hour-anda-half of the film is developed leisurely, the conclusion is rushed. Family secrets hinted at earlier are divulged in a fast and furious pace. And the ending’s happy spin doesn’t do justice to troubles the two characters have faced.

The film’s mature content, including some strong sexual innuendo, makes it adult fare.

CNS photo from Walt Disney Pictures

Scene from feature ‘Recess: School’s Out’ ‘Miss Grotke’s fourth grade class celebrates the end of the school year in the animated feature “Recess: School’s Out.” The U.S. Catholic Conference classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G -- general audiences.

Video reviews

By CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE NEW YORK (CNS) — The following are home videocassette reviews from the U.S. Catholic Conference Office for Film and Broadcasting. Each videocassette is available on VHS format. Theatrical movies on video have a U.S. Catholic Conference classification and Motion Picture Association of America rating. All reviews indicate the appropriate age group for the video audience.

“Bless the Child” (2000) Absorbing thriller in which a psychiatric nurse (Kim Basinger) suspects that her 6-year-old niece (Holliston Coleman) is being targeted by members of a Satanic sect planning to misuse the child’s extraordinary powers to fulfill a biblical prophecy. As directed by Chuck Russell, the familiar good vs. evil premise has a convincingly spooky edge with a refreshing emphasis on the selflessness of love, but is marred by a cheesy ending. Recurring violence with some gore, occult theme, brief drug use and minimal rough language. The U.S. Catholic Conference classification is A-IV — adults, with reservations. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted.

(Paramount) “Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2” (2000) Putrid sequel in which four young people and their local guide go into the woods where a previous group supposedly vanished only to experience similar paranoia and murderous violence. Director Joe Berlinger’s crass attempt to further a “Blair Witch” movie and merchandising franchise is a debasing film whose cop-out ending should disgust anyone unfortunate enough to endure this shrill, pointless mess. Recurring stabbings, sexually violent situations, recreational substance abuse, intermittent nudity and constant rough language. The U.S. Catholic Conference classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. (Artisan) “Digimon: The Movie” (2000) Virtually unwatchable Japanese ani-

mated muddle aimed at children in which youngsters witness constant hostility between Digimon creatures, such as a giant monster who inflicts much mayhem before being destroyed. Based on a Fox TV series, three directors can’t make sense of their cobbled-together shorts so settle for chaotic action scenes stressing aggressive behavior. Frequent angry confrontations. The U.S. Catholic Conference classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. (Fox) “Get Carter” (2000) Ineffectual remake of a 1971 British thriller in which vicious Las Vegas hit man Sylvester Stallone seeks revenge against the thugs who murdered his brother. Director Stephen Kay’s gimmicky camera work and stylized visuals fail to disguise a nonsensical plot, atrocious performances and senseless violence. Much gratuitous violence, brief drug content, fleeting lesbian sexual encounters, recurring rough language and brief profanity. The U.S. Catholic Conference classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted.

(Warner Home Video) “Goodnight Mister Tom” (1999) Engrossing drama set in a World War II English village where a curmudgeonly senior (John Thaw) is transformed when forced to take in a 9-year-old London boy (Nick Robinson) who has suffered much at the hands of a mentally ill mother (Annabelle Apsion). Handsomely directed by Jack Gold, the sentimental story uplifts with its charming depiction of community, caring and tolerance. The U.S. Catholic Conference classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America. (PBS Home Video) “A Walk Up Broadway” (1999)

1 2 The Catholic News & Herald

February 23, 2001

Editorials & Col-

The Pope Speaks

POPE JOHN PAUL II

Pope warns peace prospects diminishing in Middle East VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope John Paul II

lamented the increase of Palestinian-Israeli violence and said the prospects for peace were growing dim.

Speaking at a Sunday blessing Feb. 18, he appealed for both sides to resume negotiations and reach a just settlement in the region.

The pope’s remarks came four days after a Palestinian rammed his bus into a crowd of Israelis near Tel Aviv, killing eight of them. Earlier in the week, Israeli helicopter gunships attackeda and killed a high-ranking Palestinian security official.

“Unfortunately, violence continues to rage in the Middle East,” the pope told several thousand people from his apartment window above St. Peter’s Square.

“We learn with sorrow every day that more human lives are being sacrificed to the logic of hatred and revenge, while the prospects for peace grow more distant,” he said.

“Let us pray that the spiral of violence which has been particularly atrocious in recent days will give way to the search for trust and mutual respect, so that the way of dialogue can be taken up again with determination and can finally reach peace in justice,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Vatican nuncio to Israel, Archbishop Pietro Sambi, has urged pilgrims not to abandon Jerusalem and the Holy Land. In a statement Feb. 16 to the Vatican missionary news agency, Fides, he said pilgrims can be “an army of peace” in the region.

“Pilgrims come to pray, they come with respect and charity for all the other communities here.

They can be a courageous sign of hope and a seed of peace,” he said.

“It is time to break down the barrier built by alarming media reports according to which the Holy Land is drowned in terror. Precautions must be taken, but this will not affect pilgrims,” he said.

He said the eventual solution to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute will rest on mutual respect, justice and listening by both sides.

Franciscan spirituality can meet modern hunger, pope says VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope John Paul II told Franciscans to offer their “simple and intense” prayer life to modern men and women, who he said were in search of authentic spirituality.

“Our time shows ever more evident signs of a profound thirst for values, paths and goals of the spirit,” he said Feb. 17 to participants in the general chapter of Conventual Franciscans.

The pope said this renewed spiritual desire should find “a valid and fruitful response” from the Franciscans, who have traditionally emphasized a simple and direct approach to the Gospel.

“You will thus respond to the requests that come to you in different ways from the men and women of our time and you will be able to effectively draw souls to the paths of spiritual growth and rediscovered interior vitality,” he said.

The Story of a Family’s Love Sometimes, if you open a door to a modest home, you encounter a tale of incredible nobility.

In the years when we lived close by, I knew Irene Oickle as a friend. We had so much in common, especially that we were both Catholic mothers with the same number of children, seven.

In March 1994, Irene died in a way she never wanted. It was a lingering, painful exodus, lasting seven years. But in those years she was so well cared for by her extraordinary family, with their faithful presence continually lightening the sadness, that her long illness became an unbroken demonstration of family love.

He husband Al’s caretaking role began in 1987 when Irene suffered a strokelike attack that left her paralyzed on the right side of her body. Feisty and independent, she held off revealing other physical problems until 1993, when she had no choice. The diagnosis then was colon cancer, already advanced beyond the possibility of cure.

Al then took on the demanding physical care tasks required as Irene’s condition worsened, never complaining.

Now Al Oickle has written about this incredible phase of a family’s life in what I can only call a love story, “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, A Husband’s Journal of Unconquered Fear, Cancer and Death” (LSP, Box 69, Everett, Mass. 02149).

It takes a skilled writer to make you care about what goes on day by day as a loved one is dying. But whether he’s talking about bed messes or drug reactions, moments when joyful times from the past are shared in intimate conversations, outbursts of anger from Irene or his own fatigue, the bottom line is love.

This family — which by now included 18 grandchildren — never faltered in their devotion.

Al’s reflections, as well as many recollections from their children, are poignant. I was especially moved when he told how Irene cried frequently, the sound like “a long, uninterrupted soprano note that

Guest Column FATHER JOHN C. AURILIA, OFM Cap. Guest Columnist

ter much consideration, she came up with “Bathroom Commode,” which she abbreviated B.C. Finally, she wrote: “Does the campground have its B.C.?” The campground owner tried very hard to figure out the meaning of B.C., but in vain. He thought B.C. meant Baptist Church, and he answered: “Dear Madam, I regret very much the delay in answering your letter, but I now take the pleasure of informing you that a B.C. is located nine miles north of the campground, and is capable of seating 250 people at one time. I admit it is quite a distance away, if you are in the habit of going regularly, but no doubt you will be pleased to know that a great number of people take their lunches along and make a day of it. They usually arrive early and stay late.

The last time my wife and I went was 6 years ago, and it was so crowded that we had to stand up the whole time we were there. I would like to say that it pains me very much not to be able to go more regularly, but it surely is no lack of desire on my part; as we grow older, it seems to be more of an effort, particularly in winter time. If you decide to come down to our campground, perhaps I could go with you the first time you go, sit with you and introduce you to all the other folks. Remember, this is a friendly community.”

I wish to say to the readers of The Catholic News & Herald: Give your fear to Christ, and he will change it into faith.

The Bottom Line ANTOINNETTE BOSCO CNS Columnist

neither wavers nor breaks for breath — the saddest of distress calls.”

Then there was Christmas, with the tree too big, needing branches cut. Was it a lesson? Al wondered: “Like the tree’s free-growing limbs, our dreams often need to be cut to fit into one’s life.” I felt his mourning in those words.

What deeply touched me were the words of the Oickle children — now grown, most with children of their own. Their devotion was so well expressed by Marilyn: “It is my mother’s living that I remember and the love that held us together.”

Sadly, the colon cancer problems resurfaced, striking two of the children. Kerry recovered, Scott died of this cancer in 1998 at age 40. Once again, Al’s words about Irene applied: “the harsh, hollow feeling of an irreplaceable loss, and I realize we can never be fully prepared for such events.”

This book, for me, is an ode to Christian marriage. Irene’s illness ended physical love, “yet,” he writes, “our mutual understanding and caring, our interdependence, have given real meaning to the sharing of two lives in love.”

And this 48-year union gave him a special knowledge, “that life must be lived with joy and enthusiasm.”

Do we live out of our fears or our faith?

The fact is that we all have fears that have great power in greater or lesser degrees over us. Some fears are unfounded; some are unhealthy. Fears have the power to cripple or paralyze us and keep us from being what we want to be or God wants us to be.

When we read prayerfully and carefully Psalm 23, we also understand that there is no room for fears in the lives of true believers. What makes us, then, so fearful?

Some are fearful because, deep down, they feel they are not worthy. Some fears are generated by the turmoil of change as we move through life. We become less secure when everything nailed down starts coming loose, when community or church change for the better, when we realize we are growing older.

The deepest fear, however, is the fear of the unknown — what is going to happen to our marriage, our job, our health.

There are remedies for curing the sickness called fear. I wish to mention two of them, which are powerful and effective. The first one is we must realize that fear and faith cannot both rule under the same roof.

Therefore, we must choose either fear or faith. Building a deep relationship with God makes fears disappear. As it worked for St. Paul, St. Peter, St. Francis, St. Teresa, Mother Teresa and Padre Pio, so it works for us.

The second one is to make a commitment to a great purpose bigger than our fears. Jesus came into this world saying, “Fear not ... you can even walk on water.” In the year 2001, it’s time to destroy the temple of Phobos built in Sparta before Christ. Yet today, we still speak of phobias, which invade our lives on a daily basis — hydrophobia, claustrophobia, gamophobia, thanatophobia, and the list goes on.

I remember the story a friend of mine shared with me about the “toilet phobia” of a lovely and gentle lady, who could not possibly say or write the word toilet. I presume she was going to the toilet ... hopefully! However, she was planning a vacation in Florida, so she wrote to a campground owner and asked for a reservation. She wanted to make sure that toilets were available, but she could not write it. Af-

February 23, 2001

Editorials & Col-

Light One Candle MSGR. JAMES P. LISANTE Guest Columnist intimately tied to the injustices of this world. Steve Allen came to speculate that little in this life was just or fair. But heaven would correct all that. He said: “I can’t find any justice in the world. That’s why there has to be an afterlife. There’s got to be justice in an afterlife, because there sure isn’t any justice here.”

Steve Allen, a man who made his public legacy primarily through television, acknowledged that some would view his criticism of the current state of TV entertainment as “biting the hand that feeds you.” Nonetheless, he offered a stinging rebuke of those who feed the public a diet of base and disrespectful programming. This intellectual funnyman offered a final warning. Said Allen: “We have talent and brains. We should be able to bring about laughter and entertainment without sinking into a lack of reverence for decency and sexuality. We’re better than that as a people, and the TV industry should reflect the best of our human condition and not the worst.”

Steve Allen, greatly gifted, humble person, searcher of faith, man who made a difference for the good: I hope he has found all he longed for.

Rest in peace.

Love those monster trucks!

A recent Saturday night I went with my friend to the Monster Truck Derby at the local stadium. I wasn’t all that interested — after all, I’m more of a jazz-concert type than a truck-racing fan. Still, my friend thought it would be fun, and I agreed, mostly to be a good sport.

Monster Trucks are actually giant dune buggies with 6-foot-tall balloon tires, 500-horsepower racing engines and, up on top, a tiny little pick-up truck body. They’re painted in outlandish colors, with names like Airborn Ranger, Wrenchhead and Grave Digger, and the sound of their motors is a cross between a jet plane taking off and a gigantic chain saw, a rumbling snarling roar.

They look and sound like motorized dinosaurs. They do not really race so much as take turns flying over huge bumps and lines of parked cars and old vans.

I went expecting not to like it. I figured the stadium would be full of angry loudmouths and drunks, two of my least favorite types of human company. Imagine my surprise when I climbed to my seat and found the stadium was full of kids and their parents!

My guess is that two-thirds of the audience — and there were at least 30,000 people there — were elementary school children out for an evening with their parents.

I did not hear a single drunk fan yelling obscenities at a referee. There were no fights in the stands. Thirtythousand people shouted their approval at the highest jumps and cheered for their favorite drivers.

It was an evening of thrills and chills, with a present sense of danger, but nobody got hurt, and I imagine hardly anybody does. The occasional Monster Trucks tipped over and rolled, but the drivers came out and waved to the crowd every time.

There was an occasional boo when a driver backed off a stunt that might have smashed his $150,000 truck into very expensive bits of shiny metal. But all in all, the entire audience was amazingly well behaved. More than anything else, it reminded me of going to the circus with my own parents when I was little.

What I liked most about my evening at the Monster Truck Derby were those thousands of families spending the evening together, away from the television. They were

The ultimate search When the end-of-the-year commemorative magazines focused on the notable passing of people last year, most gave special attention to comic/TV host/author Steve Allen. They highlighted his role as the original host of “The Tonight Show,” among many impressive television firsts. By way of praise, commentary called him the forefather of the Johnny Carsons, the David Lettermans, the Jay Lenos and the Conan O’Briens. In fact, he was much, much more than that.

Shortly before Steve Allen died, I did an interview with him about faith, about values and about the life to come. His words now seem so ironic, spoken as he was so close to the end of his own earthly journey.

The most striking image I have of our time together was his humility. When words like “legend,” “icon” or “important figure” were used, he’d dismiss them quickly.

In his mind, important people were those who actually saved lives, people of heroism in action. He told me about an event he attended to reward people who unselfishly put themselves in harm’s way. The dinner at which these folks were celebrated was built around Steve Allen as the celebrity host. Allen mentioned that he felt hopelessly insignificant next to the concrete ways these unknown individuals had made a difference for the good: They were firefighters, police officers and regular folks who bothered to get involved. Allen said that they, not TV personalities, were the people we should be bringing to our children and grandchildren’s attention.

Beyond humility, I was also impressed with the important theological speculation Allen sorted through for many years. Raised in a Catholic home, he had felt estranged from the Church after a divorce from his first wife and a marriage to actress Jayne Meadows. This self-imposed exile also caused him to think long and hard about the existence of God and the afterlife. His conclusions, voiced so soon before his death, were telling.

He called himself a Christian agnostic. He’d often question the existence of God, but felt that if God exists, he most likely took the form of Jesus Christ. His belief in the reality of an afterlife was

Coming of Age CHRISTOPHER CARSTENS CNS Columnist

there for a single purpose — to have fun together.

When the family is going on an outing, teen-agers often try to avoid going along. Whether it’s Monster Trucks, a sports event, a picnic in the mountains or an afternoon of swimming at the lake, teens sometimes act as though family activities are beneath them. Much more fun, some think, to stay home and play video games or watch television.

Later on, the same teens say that their parents do not understand them, that they do not listen, that there is no warmth in their relationship.

Maybe your dad does work too much. Maybe your mom does not like your friends or your taste in music. But a relationship — any relationship — is a two-way street.

Your part may be as simple as agreeing to participate in family activities and outings. Just going along and being pleasant can do a lot toward opening up communication with your folks.

Like me, you could end up having fun. I didn’t want to go, after all, since I’m such a sophisticated type. I would have missed a great time. Monster Trucks are pretty cool.

Your comments are welcome. Please address: Dr. Christopher Carstens, c/o Catholic News Service, 3211 Fourth St. N.E., Washington, D.C. 20017.

The Catholic News & Herald 13

Lenten Reflection FATHER JAMES HAWKER Guest Columnist Ash Wednesday: The call to conversion and commitment As kids, one of the memorable moments of the year was when we visited our parish church, the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, on Ash Wednesday. There would be Father Manning, a friend to all, waiting for us to wend our way up that seemingly endless aisle to the altar. Then, standing before him, like angels with dirty faces, we welcomed with excitement the dab of ashes. Each of us hoped that he’d “got us good” so that when we returned to the streets, everyone would know we were Catholic. Although we really weren’t sure what all that meant, there was little doubt that we had a sense of wonder in our hearts when that sacred symbol of our faith touched both our bodies and our souls.

As adults the symbol of the ashes reminds us of our fragility and mortality. They stress, at least implicitly, that no one of us is totally independent and self-sufficient. Then too, they are a sensible reminder of the truth that we are related, dependent and responsible. We are related to God, because of Whom, we live and move and have our very being. We are dependent upon the One who nurtures and nourishes, strengthens and supports us. We are responsible as persons called to wonder, worship and witness. When we are signed with the seal of the ashes, the words of the priest should reverberate to the depths of our being as he proclaims, “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.”

On this Ash Wednesday, we hear once again the ineffable call to repentance, conversion and transformation. We are challenged to reflect upon our identity as God’s children and to commit ourselves to becoming in spirit who we are in truth. We are urged to open our minds and hearts, indeed our very souls, to the Person and message of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer.

During the forty days of Lent, the Lord will continue to speak to us in Scripture and Sacraments. He will reach out to us in compassion and mercy while inviting us to place our hands in His. As the rhythm of life swirls around and within us, the signs and symbols of salvation’s call will beckon us to be evermore aware and appreciative of Jesus’ wondrous invitation to be His friends, disciples and witnesses.

In recalling the multi-faceted experiences of my youth, I shall never forget those Ash Wednesday visits to my parish church. Only gradually, however, have I come to understand more completely the depth of meaning of the ashes within our tradition and lives. I’m grateful for the gift of greater insight into the privileged demands of being a Catholic.

Let’s pray that during this Lenten season we shall cultivate our identity with greater intensity and fulfill our mission with exemplary integrity. In doing so, you and I will manifest that we have appropriated, assimilated and acted upon those truly timely words: “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.”

Father James Hawker is the vicar for education in the Diocese of Charlotte.

1 4 The Catholic News & Herald

Ladies guild wraps children with love in blanket project Submitted by STEVE BEATTY Special to The Catholic News & Herald DENVER — The Ladies Guild at Holy Spirit Church has taken on a unique project: They have volunteered to make blankets for the Charlotte Chapter of Project Linus.

Soon to be called Blanket Patch, Project Linus has more than 400 chapters in the United States, Canada, Australia, Mexico, England and the Philippines. Originally targeting pediatric cancer patients, Project Linus has broadened its focus aiming toward seriously ill or traumatized children — children in need of a big hug.

To date, the project has delivered over 250,000 security blankets to children around the world.

The blankets comfort the children who are alone at night in hospitals.

People all over the country who love to make blankets have come together to share their passion and make a difference. Parents see immediate changes in their children after receiving the blankets, and doctors have seen firsthand the impact these blankets have on these children and their health. The blankets act as a form of comforting therapy.

Margaret Carpenter heard about the project and contacted the Charlotte Chapter to gain more information and find out how she could help. She presented the idea to her parish’s Ladies Guild, and the rest is history.

Since last May the group has made more than 140 blankets, which are provided to the Charlotte Chapter. The chapter distributes them to children in the Charlotte area.

The group meets at Holy Spirit on the second and fourth Tuesday morn-

ClassiEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Account Representatives: Providence House/e3mil.com, a nationwide Catholic direct sales, marketing and internet corporation, is seeking Account Representatives at its Fort Mill, SC location (10 miles south of Charlotte, NC). Qualified candidates will have had some general sales experience.

Send resume to: Tony Gagliardo, Director of Advertising, Providence House/e3mil. com, PO Box 1589, Fort Mill, SC 29716.

Fax: (803)802-4367; Tgagliardo@Providencehouse.net Administrative Assistant: Full-time. Oversees church statistics/database, supports pastor and staff, prepares and manages church calendar, assists prospective parishioners, and other duties as assigned. BA/ BS and 2-4 years business/administrative experience required. Must have knowledge of Catholic terminology, excellent customer service skills and be a self-motivator who works well with others. Proficiency in MS Office, Excel, and Powerpoint required. Excellent diocesan benefits provided. Submit resume, salary history, and references by December 1 to: Search Committee, Holy Infant Catholic Church, 5000 Southpark Drive, Durham, NC 27713-9470.

Child Care Provider: Room At The Inn, a Catholic maternity home for single, pregnant mothers located in Charlotte, needs a full-time Child Care Provider. Experience preferred. Call Trish for more information:

February 23, 2001

Around the Dio-

ings of each month to work on blankets without any quotas or deadlines. Some of the ladies, referred to as blanketeers, work at home and then bring the finished blankets to the church.

All of the blankets are washable,

handmade and in child-friendly colors. The caring put into the blanket’s production matters as much as the blanket itself. The blankets can be knitted, crocheted, embroidered, quilted or tied with yarn.

The Ladies Guild has received donations of brightly colored acrylic yarn, fabric and monetary donations from parishioners to support the efforts of the blanketeers.

Organizations in the Charlotte area receiving blankets are Holy Angels, The Shelter for Battered Women, The Summit House, American Red Cross, Leukemia Society of America, Carolinas Medical Center’s Pediatric and Neo-natal, Hemby Children Hospital at Presbyterian Hospital, Florence Crittendon Services, Gaston Memorial Hospital Cancer Center, Charlie Division of Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department and Belarussian Children through Baptist Ministries.

If you know of any organization that could benefit from receiving blankets, or to obtain information on becoming a blanketeer, contact Charlotte Chapter coordinator Debra Gilreath-Morgan at (704) 531-7653 or e-mail dhunnypot@aol.com.

Courtesy photo

Holy Spirit Church Ladies Guild blanketeers Escilia Packey and Dolly Green work on a Project Linus blanket.

(704)525-4673.

Director of Music Ministry: Holy Infant Catholic Church is in search of a full-time Director of Music. Located in Durham, North Carolina, a dynamic and growing area of the country near Research Triangle Park, this Vatican II parish consists of 900 households that are committed to ongoing liturgical renewal. Holy Infant Parish embraces its call to be hospitable, inclusive and Christ-centered.

This position works closely with the Pastor and a collaborative and supportive staff. Requires a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field although a master’s degree is preferred.

Must have music performance skill (e.g. piano, voice); choral directing; cantor training; knowledge of Catholic rites and rituals. Available no later than November 1, 2000. Salary commensurate with education and experience.

Benefits package included. Send resume to: DOMM Search Committee, Holy Infant Catholic Church, 5000 Southpark Dr., Durham, NC 27713. Fax 919/544-1799. References required at time of application for consideration for this position.

Director of Music Ministry: Part-time position for growing 800-member parish. St. Mary’s Church, Shelby and Christ the King Mission, Kings Mountain is seeking qualified person proficient in organ and with vocal ability to work with cantors and choir. Responsibilities include one Saturday evening service and two Sunday services (one in Kings Mountain and one in Shelby). Salary commensurate with education and experience. Send resume and references to: St. Mary’s Music Search Committee, 818 McGowan Rd., Shelby NC 28150 or Fax: (704)487-0187. For more information on our parish, visit www.rc.net/charlotte/ stmaryshelby

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Rates: $.50/word per issue ($10 minimum per issue) Deadline: 12 noon Wednesday, 9 days before publication date How to order: Ads may be faxed to (704) 370-3382 or mailed to: Cindi Feerick, The Catholic News & Herald, 1123 S. Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203.

Payment: Ads may be pre-paid or billed. For information, call (704) 370-3332.

Music Minister: Rapidly growing parish of 700 families near Raleigh, North Carolina is building new church and desires qualified person knowledgeable in Roman Catholic liturgy. Candidate will have a BA in music and keyboard proficiency. Full-time salary of 35K with benefits. Job description on request. Send inquiries/resume by February 28 to: Search Committee, St. Ann Church, 113 N. 7th St., Smithfield, NC 27577.

Principal, Elementary: We are seeking a principal for our new Catholic School, grades Pre-K - 8, to begin July 1, 2001. The successful candidate will be a practicing Catholic with at least 3 years elementary school teaching experience and hold or be eligible to hold a North Carolina Principal’s certificate. Administrative experience or an advanced certificate preferred. Send letter of interest, current resume and salary requirements to: Search Committee, c/0 Rev. John Parish, St. Matthew Church, 1001 Mason Road, Durham, NC 27721. EOE. Principal, Elementary: Catholic Elementary School, north Atlanta. Candidate must be Catholic with M. Ed. in Administration. Seeking enthusiastic, spiritual and progressive leader, dedicated to academic excellence and parish community

involvement. 500-student enrollment in grades K-8; on the leading edge of technology and curriculum development. Application deadline: March 5; start date: July 1.

Resumes to: Principal Search Committee, St. Jude the Apostle School, 7171 Glenridge Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30328. www. saintjude.net Teacher: St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School is accepting applications for certified Kindergarten Teacher starting March 2001; also, 3rd Grade teacher for August 2001. Contact or send resume to: Ed Manville, Principal. Phone: (919)570-0070; Fax: (919)570-0071; e-mail emanville@stcathsiena.org Teachers: Charlotte Catholic High School is now accepting applications for the following positions for the 2001-2002 school year: English, Guidance, part-time Health/ PE, Mathematics, Science, part-time Science, Religion, and Spanish. Applicants should be certified. Please direct questions to Steve Carpenter at (704)543-1127.

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February 23, 2001

Around the Dio-

FATHER MO, from page 5

SISTERS, from page 9

same, marvelous spirit.”

Abbot Placid Solari, the Benedictine monk elected abbot in November 1999 who entered monastic life with Father West over two decades ago, said the gathering was a fitting tribute to a man whose foundation for service to the greater church in western North Carolina was built in the tradition of St. Benedict.

“Benedictine life is a beautiful way of life,” said Abbot Placid. “It sets very high ideals. But at the same time, it realizes that each person has to reach those in his or her own way, and it sets up a system to bring us all together to the kingdom of God in a way that each can follow and move along — and help one another along.”

“I’ve never met a more skillful administrator,” Abbot Placid added, recalling Father West’s roles at Belmont Abbey as well as his present diocesan duties.

During closing comments, Grace announced the establishment of The Mauricio W. West Scholarship, which will benefit future students in need.

Just as he was praised for his outreach to others, Father West urged all present to seek ways of bringing God’s love to the world.

“In accepting this award, I am deeply mindful of our Lord’s command to ‘love one another as I have loved you,’ ‘to live in my love,’” he said.

“There is so much more all of us can do to make our world a better place.

Let us accept the challenge of sharing God’s love and kindness in every situation and circumstance.”

other programs to make sure that the Hispanic community is represented and included.

“I think there’s a real desire to welcome and make the Hispanic community feel at home,” said Sister Andrea.

“The language barrier is a problem, though, as well as cultural barriers.

I would like to see further breaking down of prejudices that are present on all sides.”

“I also think there’s a lot of good will — people wanting to learn about cultures other than their own,” she said.

Sister Andrea said that she also would like to see more people in the parishes trying to learn each other’s languages. In Lenoir, she said, two men who want to improve their Spanish meet weekly with a Hispanic man who wants to improve his English, and they help each other.

“I find the Hispanic people are very vibrant,” said Sister Andrea.

“There’s a lot of life in them. When opportunities are offered to them and encouragement is given, they are very generous and giving people.”

Sister Andrea says that she plans to emphasize faith formation courses this year and is planning some retreats.

She and several of the other women religious in the area are planning a vocation day on Saturday, March 17 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Lenoir for Hispanic women 16 or older who are interested in learning about religious life.

Sister Andrea also directs a team of 12 people from parishes in the area who plan and carry out a weekly radio program called “Pueblo Hispano, Despertad” (“Hispanic People, Wake Up”) that is broadcast each Saturday from

Contact Associate Editor Jimmy Rostar by calling (704) 370-3334 or e-mail jtrostar@charlotte.org.

noon to 1 p.m. on 1170 AM. The program includes the Scripture readings for that Sunday, as well as announcements of upcoming events, special features that tie in with the church calendar year, prayers, hymns, health tips and other topics of interest.

Even though the parishes in the Hickory Vicariate are spread out — she has at least a 20 - to 25-mile drive when she goes from one to the next — Sister Andrea goes to at least two Spanish Masses each Sunday. “She tries all she can to be present with them,” said Father Ed Sheridan of St. Aloysius Church. “It is a big job. Sister Andrea is a great help to us.”

“She is an immensely hard worker who truly has given her life for the well-being of our Hispanic friends,” said Father Michael Buttner of St. Francis of Assisi Chirch. “Sister Andrea always keeps a positive attitude and Christ-like joy.”

The Catholic News & Herald 15

In brief . . .

Young adult retreat MAGGIE VALLEY — A retreat for young adults, ages 21-45, is being held at the Living Waters Reflection Center, 103 Living Waters Lane, March 9-11. The idea for the retreat was derived from discussions and fellowship from the Theology on Tap young adult gatherings held in the fall and being held again this spring. For further details and to make reservations

by March 1, call Katie Walter at (704) 367-2427.

Secular Franciscan Order Meeting CHARLOTTE — For those interested in finding out more about St. Francis of Assisi and the Secular Franciscan Order (SFO), the St. Maximillian Kolbe Fraternity invites everyone to attend the regular monthly meeting at 2 p.m. on March 4 at Our Lady of Consolation Church, 2301 Statesville Ave. For more information, call Skyler Harvey at (704) 573-4299.

St. Patrick’s Day Party ASHEVILLE — The Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Cross and Shamrock Division #1 N.C., will host its 8th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Party on March 10 with a 7 p.m. social hour and 7:30 p.m. dinner. A traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner is being served along with soft drinks and other beverages. Classic Irish tunes and retro dance music are being provided

by Scott Cowan. Door prizes will be awarded, and tickets are limited. For tickets and other information, call Jim

1 6 The Catholic News & Herald

Living the

Booklet reviews 30 years of Methodist-Catholic dialogues

By JERRY FILTEAU Catholic News Service WASHINGTON (CNS) — A new booklet on 30 years of Methodist-Catholic dialogues says that those dialogues “have yielded amazing areas of agreement.”

“Were Roman Catholics and Methodists to learn about one another in light of this material over the next quarter of a century, the whole ecumenical climate in the United States would undoubtedly be revolutionized,” it says.

The 34-page booklet is titled “Methodist-Catholic Dialogues: Thirty Years of Mission and Witness.”

It was published jointly in February by the U.S. Catholic Conference and the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns of the United Methodist Church.

The booklet is an introductory resource to the results of international and U.S. Catholic-Methodist theological dialogues of the past three decades.

It also serves as a complement to another recent joint publication aimed at fostering U.S. Catholic-Methodist ecumenism at the grass-roots level.

That publication — “Yearning to Be One: Spiritual Dialogue Between Catholics and United Methodists” — was released last September.

A six-session study guide with easily reproducible resource materials, “Yearning to Be One” seeks to enable Catholics and Methodists in local communities throughout the country to learn more about one another and improve their collaboration in prayer, witness and service.

The international Catholic-Methodist dialogue, which first met in 1967, is co-

sponsored by the World Methodist Council and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. It has covered a wide range of issues, from doctrinal, moral and pastoral questions to sacraments, structures of church ministry and authority and paths to unity.

The U.S. dialogue, which began a year earlier, has addressed doctrinal issues as well, but it is perhaps most notable for its emphasis on important ethical and relational issues. It is co-sponsored by the United Methodists’ General Commission on Church Unity and Interreligious Concerns and the Catholic bishops’ Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs.

The booklet says that American Catholics and United Methodists “have been in common mission together for many years” at various levels, including the local level.

“Methodists and Catholics recognize that by their baptism, their confession of the Christian faith as attested in the Scriptures and their common calling to mission, what binds them together is far greater than what divides them,” it says.

It says that the theological dialogues described and summarized in the booklet are intended to serve the “unity we experience in spirituality and mission on the local level.”

“The dialogues are an occasion to appreciate the gifts of our traditions,” it says.

Conversion to Christ’s call and prayer for unity is central to the ecumenical quest, it says, and “this conversion entails getting to know and appreciate one another and one another’s churches, recognizing the challenges to unity and attempting to resolve them.”

L e n t We must receive the Word of God with complete openness.

Only then can we draw from our hearts words that will lead others to Christ.

—Luke 6: 39-45

Photo by Joann S. Keane

February 23, 2001

Deacon’s life path directed by God’s

By ALESHA M. PRICE Staff Writer CHARLOTTE — Rev. Mr. Curtiss Todd’s affiliation with the Catholic Church is one of faith and commitment, chance and happenstance. His life has been one of an ecumenical nature with experiences with various religions, but in the end, a deeply embedded dedication to Catholicism led him back to the church, and eventually, to the permanent diaconate.

“I call myself a convert to Catholicism.” Baptized Catholic, he was influenced by his Catholic mother and Episcopalian father and at t e n d e d b o t h churches. Attendance at a boarding school led him to join the Lutheran faith because of the instruction he received through religion classes. “I received the first formal instruction in religion and Scripture that I had ever had, and I felt that something was missing from my life. So, I joined the Lutheran Church.”

Fa m i ly c i r c u m ve n t e d h i s desire to attend Rev. Mr. Curtiss law school after daughter Ashlee. graduating from North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro as a sociology/ social welfare major, and he began teaching English and social studies. He received his first exposure to government employment with a job in urban renewal for the Redevelopment Commission of Winston-Salem. He moved on to the Social Security Administration, and then, to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

After leaving the Lutheran Church, Rev. Mr. Todd began researching other churches and found what he was looking for in Catholicism. “Through my own study, I found that the Catholic Church was the only one I could trace straight back to Jesus.” Life events prompted him to leave the Catholic Church; however, the feelings of something lacking in his life led him back to the Catholic Church again — this time to stay.

Rev. Mr. Todd cannot easily explain the events leading him to the permanent diaconate at Our Lady of Consolation Church in Charlotte, but he believes that his steps were guided

by God. He says that events in his life simply followed a larger plan with an order and design not of his own.

In the 1980s, he was living in South Carolina and had begun attending Mass at the Oratory in Rock Hill. While driving to

Rock Hill one Sunday morning, he noticed the Morehead Street exit off of Interstate 77. He said that he did not realize that he had driven past his exit all the way to Charlotte and cannot explain what happened. He remembered that Our Lady of Consolation had an 11 a.m. Mass, and that Mass changed his life.

“It was like I was in a vacuum or void, totally timeless and spaceless, until the realization hit me that I was in Charlotte. After going that Sunday, I never stopped going. I felt ‘at home’ in the black parish with a black priest,” explained Rev. Mr. Todd.

That priest, Fat h e r W i l b u r Thomas, now pastor of St. Lawrence Basilica in Asheville, became Rev. Mr. Todd’s “unofficial” spiritual director. After many talks and discussions, Father Thomas suggested the permanent diaconate to Rev. Mr. Todd. After inquiring more about it, Rev. Mr. Todd applied to be included in the diocese’s second class of men Photo by Joann S. Keane who wanted to Todd and his serve the diocese as deacons.

Around that same time, after moving up the ladder with the EEOC in the managerial track, Rev. Mr. Todd was offered a job in Milwaukee as a district director. It was a professional dream come true for him. However, with another goal in mind and convinced that he would be accepted into the diaconate, he turned down the offer.

He was, in fact, ordained in 1988 and was assigned to Our Lady of Consolation, the parish that led him to the diaconate in the first place. After a few years, he began to feel that he wanted to do more. So, he inquired about a position with the diocese but had no luck.

It was at this time that another one of life’s coincidences occurred.

The EEOC offered an early retirement program to any government worker who had a certain number of years experience and was of a certain age. Concurrently, a position in the diocese opened. Rev. Mr. Todd retired after 25 years of government service, and in 1993, Bishop John F. Donoghue, now archbishop of Atlanta, named Rev. Mr. Todd vice chancellor of the diocese. “One thing happened right after another, and spiritually speaking, I was convinced that God was calling me.”

Rev. Mr. Todd feels that the events in his life happened for a divine reason