February 24, 2006
The Catholic News & Herald 1
www.charlottediocese.org
Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte
Supreme decisions Court to consider constitutionality of partial-birth abortion ban | Page 16
Established Jan. 12, 1972 by Pope Paul VI February 24, 2006
Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte
Hidden treasures uncovered
Dead Sea Scrolls come to Exhibit offers rare look at significant discovery by
KAREN A. EVANS staff writer
Photo by Karen A. Evans
Visitors to the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at Discovery Place in Charlotte examine a model of the excavated Qumran community. The exhibit features 10 authentic scrolls and three replicas that include passages from Deuteronomy, Genesis, Isaiah and Psalms. The exhibition also features other artifacts discovered in association with the scrolls at Qumran.
CHARLOTTE — For the next few months, Charlotte will be home to several of the oldest existing fragments of ancient Scripture. The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at Discovery Place will allow Christians and nonChristians alike a rare opportunity to see what many archeologists, historians and theologians consider the most significant discovery of the 20th century. “The Scrolls are not only a great historical discovery and artifact, but a connection between our faith today and the faith of the ages,” said Frank Villaronga, diocesan director of evangelization and ministry formation. “Hopefully, when people see the Scrolls, they will feel closer to God and be compelled to read the ScripSee SCROLLS, page 8
‘A Saint on Skis’ Handsome, holy Italian man known for skiing, charity by CAROL GLATZ catholic news service
TURIN, Italy — Once upon a time, a young, handsome fellow, sporting skis and chewing on a cigar, zipped across the Alpine peaks in Bardonecchia, about 75 miles east of Turin. Just a few months before he died in 1925 at the age of 24,
vOLUME 15
no. 20
INSIDE THE ROMAN CURIA
Vatican official says pope will fix liturgical abuses firmly, gently by JOHN THAVIS catholic news service
Editor’s note: This is the first of an occasional series based on interviews with heads of Vatican offices. The articles will describe the work of the agencies and the main challenges they face and briefly profile the people who head them. VATICAN CITY — The Vatican’s top liturgy official said he expects Pope Benedict XVI to move against liturgical abuse with firm teaching and a gentle manner, recognizing that such mistakes often reflect ignorance, not ill will. See ARINZE, page 5
Examining the evidence Church cautious about plan to examine possible remains of Joan of Arc by
JONATHAN LUXMOORE
catholic news service
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati had competed in a 15-kilometer race in the same mountains where the Olympic snowboarding competition was being held during the XX Olympic Winter Games. “Who can imagine how happy he would be today to see the Olympics here” in his own See BLESSED, page 7
CNS photo by Carol Glatz
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati’s remains are interred in this altar in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy, Feb. 11. A special placard was set up for the Winter Olympics to highlight his life, faith and love of sports. See GUARD, page 9
WARSAW, Poland — A French church spokesman expressed caution about a forensic scientist’s announcement that he would analyze what might be the remains of St. Joan of Arc. “The precise origin of these objects isn’t known — See JOAN, page 12
Around the Diocese
Culture Watch
Perspectives
Youth group serves homeless; Knights honor community service
Pope visits Jesuit-run magazine; Catholic family gets home makeover
Examining Black History Month; Lenten guidelines
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2 The Catholic News & Herald
InBrief
February 24, 2006
Current and upcoming topics from around the world to your own backyard
Priests keep watch with families at Mexican mine entrance MEXICO CITY (CNS) — As rescue workers slowly advanced through a collapsed mine in an effort to save 65 men trapped hundreds of meters below the surface, Father Juan Renovato was aboveground, trying to keep hope alive. “People are getting desperate and hysterical,” Father Renovato said Feb. 20, near the entrance to the Pasta de Conchos coal mine, near the town of San Juan de Sabinas in Mexico’s Coahuila state. Father Renovato and other priests were praying with and counseling the hundreds of family members and friends of the miners, who were trapped before dawn Feb. 19 when a gas explosion collapsed part of the mine. Bishop Alonso Garza Trevino of Piedras Negras instructed the 12 priests in the area to take turns being at the entrance to the mine so that one of them would always be present for family members of the miners gathered there. Officials said there had been no
Mourning a visionary
Diocesan planner BOONE VICARIATE CNS photo by Reuters
A nun passes by the grave of Sister Lucia dos Santos inside the Carmelite cloister in Coimbra, Portugal, Feb. 17. The remains of Sister Lucia, the eldest of three Portuguese children to receive apparitions of Mary in 1917 in Fatima, Portugal, were transferred to the Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima Feb. 19. Sister Lucia died in her convent Feb. 13, 2005, at the age of 97.
More than 100,000 gather at Fatima to watch reburial of Sister Lucia FATIMA, Portugal (CNS) — Despite a persistent rain, more than 100,000 people gathered at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima to pray and witness the reburial of Carmelite Sister Lucia dos Santos, the last of three Fatima visionaries. Sister Lucia died Feb. 13, 2005, in her cloistered convent in Coimbra, Portugal, at the age of 97. She had been buried temporarily at the Carmelite convent while preparations were made for final burial alongside her two cousins, Blesseds Francisco and Jacinta Marto, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. On May 13, 1917 — when Lucia was 10 years old, Francisco was 9 and Jacinta was 7 — the children claimed to have seen the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima, near their home. The apparitions continued once a month until October 1917 and later were declared worthy of belief by the Catholic Church. In 2000 Pope John Paul II beatified Sister Lucia’s cousins, who died as children. The late pope long credited Mary with saving his life; he was shot May 13, the anniversary of the first of the appara-
ritions in Fatima. In 1984, he had the bullet fragment that was removed from his body placed in the crown of the Marian statue at the Fatima shrine. Father Luis Kondor, assistant postulator of the children’s sainthood cause, said the bishops of Portugal would ask Pope Benedict XVI to set aside the five-year waiting period and allow Sister Lucia’s cause for canonization to begin. The priest told Portugal’s Catholic Radio Renascenca that before he died, Pope John Paul had expressed his willingness to set aside the waiting period called for by church law. But Bishop Serafim de Sousa Ferreira Silva of Leiria-Fatima told the radio, “We must wait, with much patience and discernment, without precipitating things.” Archbishop Jorge Ferreira da Costa Ortiga of Braga, president of the Portuguese bishops’ conference, told reporters: “More important than her beatification is the witness of holiness that Sister Lucia left as her testament.”
communication with the trapped men and that they were not sure they were still alive. The miners reportedly had six hours’ worth of oxygen at the time of the explosion, but Coahuila Gov. Humberto Moreira Valdes said the pumps that push air through the mine’s ventilation shafts continued to work. However, Moreira said it was not certain that the air was getting to the part of the mine where the men were believed to be trapped, which was about 220 yards below the surface and down about 1.4 miles of mine shaft. Father Renovato, rector of Martyrs of Christ the King Cathedral in Piedras Negras, said the priests were telling the miners’ family members to maintain faith and hope. “We can’t lose hope now, because now is when hope is most important,” Father Renovato said. “Every minute that passes makes the situation more difficult for the miners,” he said. church. Monday and Tuesday evenings there will be a family dinner at 6:30 p.m. Child care will also be available each evening. For Mass time and reservations, call (704) 543-7677, ext. 1008.
NORTH WILKESBORO — A Catholic Scripture Study group meets at St. John Baptiste de La Salle Church, 275 CC Wright School Rd. Visit www.catholicscripturestudy.com for more information. Classes meet Wednesdays, 7-8:30 p.m. Please call Rob Hicks at (336) 957-7193 for more information or if you plan to attend.
CHARLOTTE — Father Ed Sheridan will be the celebrant at a Mass celebrating the gifts of those with mental retardation March 5 at 5 p.m. at St. Gabriel Church, 3016 Providence Rd. Parishioners and visitors with varying degrees of mental retardation will serve as musicians, lectors, greeters and ushers. For more information, contact Mary Kennedy, St. Gabriel disABILITY Ministry, at (704) 364-6964.
SPRUCE PINE — A Rosary of Intercession for Priests is recited each Friday at St. Lucien Church, 695 Summit St., before the 9 a.m. Mass. Prayers are offered for bishops, priests and deacons, and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood. For more information, call the church office at (828) 765-2224.
CHARLOTTE — St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., will host a Christian Coffeehouse March 11 at 7:30 p.m. Single and married adults are invited for an evening of contemporary Christian music, food and fellowship. For more information, call Kathy Bartlett at (704) 400-2213.
CHARLOTTE VICARIATE
GASTONIA VICARIATE
CHARLOTTE — Father Aniello Salicone of the Xaverian Missionaries will celebrate a Healing Mass March 3 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Vincent de Paul Church, 6828 Old Reid Rd. For more information, call the church office at (704) 5547088.
GASTONIA — An Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Peace will take place at St. Michael Church, 708 St. Michael Lane, March 20 at 7 p.m. For more information, call the church office at (704) 867-6212, or Dennis Teall-Fleming, director of faith formation at Queen of the Apostles Church, at (704) 825-9600, ext. 26.
CHARLOTTE — John Pastryk, M.Div., University of Notre Dame, will present “What’s My Part in God’s Plan?” in the St. Matthew Church gym, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., March 3 at 7 p.m. Free childcare is available and must be reserved by March 1 by calling (704) 543-7677 ext. 1011. There is no charge for the presentation. For more information, call (704) 543-7677 ext. 1020. CHARLOTTE — Passionist Father Vincent J. Segotta will preach at all Masses as St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., March 4-5. The parish mission and renewal, “Toward the Heart of God, the Journey of Faith” will take place March 6-8, 7:30-8:30 p.m. in the
GREENSBORO VICARIATE STONEVILLE — The Greensboro Council of Catholic Women will host its annual Lenten Retreat Day, led by Father Louis Canino, March 9 at the St. Francis Springs Prayer Center. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m., followed by lunch. For more information, please call Carmen Wood at (336) 545-9266. HIGH POINT — Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 4145 Johnson St., will offer a free Spanish course, Thursdays, 7-8:30 p.m., through March 23. For more information or to register, please call Nancy Skee at (336) 884-0522.
february 24, 2006 Volume 15 • Number 20
Publisher: Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis Editor: Kevin E. Murray Staff Writer: Karen A. Evans Graphic DESIGNER: Tim Faragher Advertising MANAGER: Cindi Feerick Secretary: Deborah Hiles 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 $23 per year for all other subscribers. The Catholic News & Herald reserves the right to reject or cancel advertising for any reason deemed appropriate. We do not recommend or guarantee any product, service or benefit claimed by our advertisers. 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.
The Catholic News & Herald 3
February 24, 2006
FROM THE VATICAN
Lack of justice, peace shows sin still paralyzes people, pope says VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The lack of justice and peace in the world is a sign that despite people’s good intentions, sin still paralyzes many of them, Pope Benedict XVI said. Reciting the Angelus Feb. 19, Pope Benedict said the day’s Gospel reading about Jesus forgiving the sins of the paralyzed man and healing him demonstrates that Christ’s primary mission is to heal souls. “The paralyzed man is the image of every human being impeded by sin from moving freely, from walking on the path of goodness, from giving the best of himself,” the pope said. “Evil, nesting in the soul, binds man with the ropes of lies, anger, envy and the other sins, and paralyzes him little by little,” he said. The presence of sin prevents humanity from fully developing “those values of brotherhood, justice and peace”
which are celebrated and proclaimed in solemn declarations signed by most countries in the world, he said. Pope Benedict said there obviously are many complex reasons for the failure of the international community to realize the ideals it proclaims, but the Gospel calls Christians to trust that Christ can and will heal the world. “Only the love of God can renew the heart of man, and only if it is healed in its heart can paralyzed humanity get up and walk,” he said. “The love of God is the true force that will renew the world.” At the end of his address, Pope Benedict offered special prayers for the victims of the Feb. 17 mudslides in the Philippines, where more than a thousand are feared dead, buried beneath the mud. “Our hearts turn to all those suffering the devastating consequences of the landslide in the Philippines,” the pope said.
HICKORY VICARIATE
sion on “Humility of God: A Franciscan Perspective” by Ilia Delio, O.S.F. This book deals with the theology of divine humility and God’s relationship to the world, while at the same time tackling some tough questions. The group will meet March 6, 13, 20 and 27; April 3 and 24; and May 1, 8 and 15, 6-7:30 p.m. For more information, call (336) 624-1971 or e-mail portiuncula@ bellsouth.net.
HICKORY — St. Aloysius Church, 921 Second St. NE, is offering a weekly Catholic Scripture Study. Catholic Scripture Study is a program whose members not only learn the Scriptures, but come to a deeper understanding of their faith in a setting that builds Christian fellowship. Evening and daytime classes meet at the church, Wednesdays, 6:45-8:30 p.m., and Thursdays 9:30-11:15 a.m. For more information, call Ann Miller at (828) 4412205, or e-mail stalscss@charter.net.
SMOKY MOUNTAIN VICARIATE MURPHY — A Charismatic Prayer Group meets Fridays at 3:45 p.m. in the Commons of St. William Church, 765 Andrews Rd. join us for praise music, witness, teaching, prayers and laying on of hands for those in need. For more details, call Gery Dashner at (828) 494-2683.
WINSTON-SALEM VICARIATE KERNERSVILLE — A Catholic College Night will take place in the Krispy Kreme Activity Center of Bishop McGuinness High School, 1725 N.C. Hwy. 66 South, March 13, 7-9 p.m. Dr. William K. Thierfelder, president of Belmont Abbey College, will be the keynote speaker. Parents and students can visit with representatives from several Catholic colleges and universities. For more information please call Anton Vorozhko at (336) 5641246 or e-mail avorozhko@bmhs.us. WINSTON-SALEM — The Portiuncula Franciscan Center, 221 W. Third St., will host Lenten Faith Sharing “brown-bag” gatherings March 8, 15, 22, 29 and April 5, 12-12:45 p.m. We will spend time looking ahead to the weekend Lenten readings to prepare our hearts for the Word of God to take root. Bring your own lunch. Coffee and tea will be provided. For more information, call (336) 624-1971 or e-mail portiuncula@bellsouth.net.
Vatican says number of priests increases, but varies by continent VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The number of priests and seminarians in the world continues to increase, but the situation varies widely from continent to continent, the Vatican said. The most positive signs come from Asia and Africa, while Europe has shown a marked decline in priestly vocations, according to a Feb. 18 statement from the Vatican press office. The statistics were released in connection with the presentation of the 2006 edition of the Vatican yearbook, known as the Annuario Pontificio, which catalogs the church’s pastoral presence diocese-by-diocese. The press office referred to data on church population, priests and seminarians through 2004, the last year for which statistics are available. It said the number of priests in the world was 405,891 at the end of 2004, an increase of 441 from 2003. About two-thirds were diocesan priests and onethird members of religious orders.
Asia added more than 1,400 priests over that period and Africa added 840. The situation was relatively stable in North and South America and Oceania, while Europe showed a decrease of nearly 1,900 priests. The number of seminarians in the world rose to just over 113,000 in 2004, an increase of more than 670 from 2003. Africa and Asia again showed the greatest increases, while Europe continued to evidence a “clear decline,” the Vatican said. The global population of Catholics reached nearly 1.1 billion at the end of 2004, an increase of about 12 million, or about 1.1 percent, from 2003. The Vatican said the number of permanent deacons continued to grow, increasing by about 2.5 percent in the period 2003-2004. At the end of 2004, there were more than 32,300 permanent deacons in the world. The Vatican issues a separate statistical yearbook later in the year.
Prayer and despair
WINSTON-SALEM — Take time to explore the need for personal reflection and prayer. Franciscan Father Jude DeAngelo will present An Out of the Way Place, a program for professional caregivers, clergy and counselors. The program will take place March 16 and 23, 7:15-8:15 p.m., at The Portiuncula Franciscan Center, 221 W. Third St. For more information, call (336) 624-1971 or e-mail portiuncula@bellsouth.net. CLEMMONS — A Charismatic Prayer Group meets Mondays at 7:15 p.m. in the eucharistic chapel of Holy Family Church, 4820 Kinnamon Rd. Join us for praise music, witness, teaching, prayers and petition. For more details, call Jim Passero at (336) 998-7503.
Is your parish or school sponsoring a free event open to the general public? Please submit notices for the Diocesan Planner at least 7 days prior to desired publication date (Fridays) in writing to Karen A. Evans at kaevans@ charlottediocese.org or fax to (704) 370-3382.
CNS photo by Reuters
A portrait of the Sacred Heart of Jesus lies on the ground as rescuers continue their work Feb. 20 at the site where mudslides buried the remote farming village of Guinsaugon in central Philippines. Rescuers held out little hope for survivors of the Feb. 17 mudslide in the village of 1,800 people.
WINSTON-SALEM — The Portiuncula Franciscan Center, 221 W. Third St., will host a book discus-
Pope names 15 new cardinals, including two from U.S. Episcopal
calendar
Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following events:
Feb. 26 — 11:00 a.m. Mass and Blessing of New Parish Activity Center Our Lady of Consolation Church, Charlotte March 4 — 2 p.m. Rite of Election
Holy Cross Church, Kernersville March 5 — 3 p.m. Rite of Election St. Michael Church, Gastonia March 11 — 12 p.m. Rite of Election
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In his first set of major appointments, Pope Benedict XVI named 15 new cardinals, including U.S. Archbishops William J. Levada, head of the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation, and Sean P. O’Malley of Boston. The pope announced the names at the end of his general audience Feb. 22 and said he would formally install the cardinals at a special consistory March 24. The pope also convened the entire College of Cardinals for a day of reflection and prayer March 23 and said he
would celebrate Mass with the cardinals March 25, the feast of the Annunciation of the Lord. It will be the first gathering of the College of Cardinals since they elected Pope Benedict last April. The pope said the new cardinals reflect the universality of the church. The new cardinals represent 11 countries from five continents. Three are Vatican officials, nine are heads of dioceses or archdioceses around the world, and three are prelates over age 80 being honored for their service to the church.
4 The Catholic News & Herald
around the diocese
A giving SPIRIT Youth group cooks, serves meals to homeless STATESVILLE — Sometimes a little spirit goes a long way. SPIRIT, the high school youth group at St. Philip the Apostle Church in Statesville, cooked, delivered and served food to more than 70 people at the Fifth Street Ministries soup kitchen Jan. 29. The youths collected food and monetary donations from family and parishioners to make the meals, which consisted of spaghetti, salad, bread, brownies and drinks. The youths have served at the soup kitchen annually, but this was the first
February 24, 2006
Honoring SERVICE
year they cooked the meal. “They had a lot of fun and enjoyed the appreciation and compliments from the people who were happy to have such a nice meal,” said Tina Swaney, youth minister. Afterward, the youths reflected on the experience. “They expressed thanks for what they take for granted and gave thanks for the opportunity to be the ‘hands of Christ,’” said Swaney. “They felt that they had received so much more than they had given.”
Courtesy Photo
Lindsey Tucker of Knights of Columbus Holy Cross Council 8509 presents Deacon Eugene Gillis with the Parishioner of the Year Award during the annual parish recognition program at Holy Cross Church in Kernersville Jan. 21.
Knights recognize efforts of Holy Cross parishioners, others
Courtesy Photo
Katelyn Harwell and Carolina Serna, youth group members from St. Philip the Apostle Church in Statesville, prepare food at the Fifth Street Ministries soup kitchen Jan. 29.
KERNERSVILLE — The Knights of Columbus recently presented a number of awards to parishioners of Holy Cross Church in Kernersville and other organizations. The annual parish recognition program is sponsored by Holy Cross Council 8509 and the Columbiettes, its sister organization. Awards were given during the council’s Jan. 21 spaghetti dinner, which raised funds for a local police officer wounded in the line of duty. The award program recognizes individuals who voluntarily served the church and community through stewardship and service projects in 2005. The winners received certificates of appreciation and a combined award of $250 to be distributed to charities of their choice. Deacon Eugene Gillis, permanent deacon at Holy Cross Church, received the Parishioner of the Year Award. The Gillis family helped found Holy Cross Church in the 1960s, and Deacon Gillis’ service to the parish “in love, time and leadership are unparalleled,” according to the council’s newsletter. Other nominees for the award were Al Livelsburger, Bill McAlidin and Fred Schaefer. The David Reinhart Award was presented to Patricia Henderson who
“exemplified the selfless and dedicated volunteerism demonstrated by its namesake in the community at large.” Other nominees were Marie Kinney, Melanie Feeney Lewis and Frances Petticord. Cheryl Gilreath received the Junior Achiever Award for her service to the sick and homebound. She served also as a missionary last summer in New Mexico. She desires to continue serving others by joining the religious life. Others nominated were Madeline Lewis, Jason Meyer and Margaret Smith. A special monetary award of $250 was given to a fund for Kernersville Police Officer Jeff Weathers, who is recovering from injuries received in the line of duty. Other monetary gifts were given to the Just One Dollar For Africa Charity and a Holy Cross parishioner in need of assistance. The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic fraternal organization founded in 1882.
February 24, 2006
The Catholic News & Herald 5
from the cover
Vatican official says pope will fix liturgical abuses firmly, ARINZE, from page 1
At the same time, the pope wants to offer reconciliation to followers of the late French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre — but not at the cost of “disowning” the Second Vatican Council, said Cardinal Francis Arinze, the Nigerian who heads the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments. Cardinal Arinze spoke about the direction of the new papacy in an interview in early February. He said he expected important movies — but not a purge — to improve liturgy under Pope Benedict. “I do not expect an aggressive correction of abuses. I don’t think the pope is going to use the ecclesiastical hammer,” Cardinal Arinze said. “Pope Benedict has very clear doctrine and convictions. What many people may not know is that he is not rough. He is gentlemanly, in the sense of what the prophet Isaiah said: ‘A bruised reed he will not break,’” the cardinal said. Many liturgical abuses, Cardinal Arinze said, are “based on weakness of faith or ignorance” or on a wrong idea of creativity. Where improper practices occur, it is important to begin identifying them and talking about them, but without harming the people involved, the cardinal said. That could be one reason the pope is focusing on the bigger faith issues, understanding that the quality of worship reflects knowledge of the faith, he said. A good example, he said, is the pope’s first encyclical, “Deus Caritas Est” (“God Is Love”). Liturgical direction Many people are scrutinizing papal Masses for clues to liturgical direction under the new pope. “Obviously, people are watching the details, and I cannot blame them,” Cardinal Arinze. “I think the papal liturgies are beautiful and that people like them.”
He said the election of Pope Benedict, who wrote extensively about liturgy as a cardinal, kindled hope for reconciliation with the Society of St. Pius X, which was founded by Archbishop Lefebvre and which rejected the new Mass and several Vatican II teachings or directives. Cardinal Arinze shares that hope, but said people should realize that the pope “cannot change the faith of the church.” “He cannot disown Vatican II in order to make the Lefebvrites happy. The pope cannot reinvent everything, or act as if Vatican II did not take place,” he said. Tridentine Mass While some have proposed a wider indult to allow use of the pre-Vatican II Tridentine Mass with fewer restrictions, Cardinal Arinze said he is happy with Pope John Paul II’s rules, which require the involvement of the local bishop. “When you speak of wider use for everybody, it raises some questions, which have to be examined more carefully,” he said. The cardinal said he thought that for most people the question is not the Tridentine rite versus the new Mass, but the much more basic issues of faith, love of Christ and the appreciation of the importance of Sunday Mass. “If a person has these, many of these other problems would fall into line,” he said. Liturgical texts Cardinal Arinze said one priority that has carried over to the new pontificate is the translation of liturgical texts. “The pope has said, let the various translations of the Missal proceed quickly, because the people are waiting. These pieces of paper used on Sunday and little leaflets are not ideal. You really need the whole book translated,” he said. He said the new Roman Missal, released in Latin in 2002, is 1,300 pages long and has excellent texts, including some new ones, but the people do not have them in their local languages. The cardinal said he hoped work on the English translation would be completed in two years. He said that would not depend principally on the Vatican, but rather on the priority given the project by bishops’ conferences.
from around the world, reviewing texts and ministerial books in many languages, hosting groups of bishops, attending a multitude of meetings and conferences, promoting liturgical knowledge and practice, and discouraging abuses. Last year the congregation sponsored a study day at the Vatican to encourage dioceses to take liturgical music more seriously.
CNS photo by Alessia Giuliani
Cardinal Francis Arinze speaks Oct. 8, 2004 during a presentation at the Vatican on Pope John Paul II’s apostolic letter on the Eucharist.
The Roman Missal is being translated by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy for bishops’ conferences, which can adopt, amend or reject the translation. The worship congregation, meanwhile, has established a committee of 12 bishops, called Vox Clara, to help it evaluate the texts as they are being prepared. The congregation’s closer watch on translations in recent years does not mean the Vatican wants to supplant local bishops and bishops’ conferences as the “key people” in translating liturgical texts, Cardinal Arinze said. But sometimes, he said, the congregation gives its views on a particular translation as it is being done, so that translated texts will receive ratification in Rome with the least delay. Heading a congregation Cardinal Arinze, 73, has headed the worship and sacraments congregation since 2002. Liturgy has always been one of his primary interests, and he wrote his doctoral dissertation on sacrifice in a Nigerian traditional religion as an introduction to the catechesis of the Catholic Mass. The cardinal has been a popular speaker in the United States, and his reflections on liturgy and other topics have been featured in a number of recent video podcasts. He heads a staff of 36 experts responsible for responding to questions
‘Spiritual banquet’ Cardinal Arinze said the main challenge facing his congregation is to encourage a spirit of prayer, which must grow out of faith. He said bringing people to Mass regularly is essential, and it hinges largely on two factors: catechesis and high-quality, faith-filled liturgies. Celebrating Mass well involves lay ministers, but primarily the priest, who sets a tone through every word and gesture, the cardinal said. Likewise, a priest has to preach well, making sure that his homily offers theological and scriptural enlightenment, and not merely verbal “acrobatics” to show off how many books he’s read, he said. The cardinal said that if done well Sunday Mass will not be experienced as a heavy obligation, but as a spiritual banquet, a celebration appreciated by the faithful who are hungry for spiritual nourishment and want to adore God. “You should not need a commandment to enter such a banquet hall,” he said. The Diocese of Charlotte In the Diocese of Charlotte, Bishop Peter J. Jugis said the parishes and religious houses are continuing the process of implementing the liturgical norms, which were promulgated in March 2005. The liturgical norms cover all aspects of the Mass, from Introductory Rites to Communion. The norms ensure reverence for the Eucharist and preserve the unity of the Catholic Church. “The liturgical norms are an indispensable reference point for liturgies throughout the diocese,” said Bishop Jugis. The norms are available on the Diocese of Charlotte’s Web site, www. charlottediocese.org.
6 The Catholic News & Herald
AROUND THE DIOCESE
diocesan profile
Developing a diocese
February 24, 2006
Sibs on skis
Sisters find fun, competition on GREENSBORO — The lack of snow in the Triad didn’t keep two students at St. Pius X School in Greensboro from taking to the slopes in ski competitions. Both fifth-grader Madeline Burnham, age 10, and her sister, second-grader Caity Burnham, age 7, competed on the Sugar Mountain ski team at the High Country Junior Race Series state championships at Appalachian Ski Mountain resort Feb. 12. Madeline took first place for the girls 9-10 age division and took top prize for most points earned in her division during the 2006 season. Madeline also qualified this month to compete in the 2006 national ski competition hosted by NASTAR, a
national recreational ski-racing group, in Steamboat Springs, Colo., in March. Margaret Burnham, their mother and an avid skier, introduced the girls to skiing when each turned 5 years old. “They love to ski,” said Burnham. “It’s still brand new for Caity. But something clicked for Madeline this year and she got really fast.” Although Caity did not qualify for the national competition in Colorado, she plans to be there to support her older sister. WANT MORE INFO? For more information on the NASTAR 2006 national championships, go online at www.nastar.com.
Photo by Kevin E. Murray
Jim Kelley (center), director of development for the Diocese of Charlotte, and Barbara Gaddy (second from left), associate director of development, discuss diocesan-based stewardship efforts with visitors from the Diocese of Wollongong, Australia, at the diocesan pastoral center in Charlotte Feb. 1, 2005. Kelley has worked in the diocesan development office for 20 years.
Director reflects on 20 years in development office me to be,” said Kelley. “He’s always helped me move in the right direction.” Kelley has helped the diocese move in the right direction also. According to Gaddy, the diocese is at the forefront of the United States, and possibly the world, in its stewardship efforts, thanks to Kelley. “We’re at the top because of the way our operations are set up,” said Gaddy. “Jim directs all 15 of the office’s stewardship and development programs, and we work as a team to coordinate those efforts. Very few development offices in the United States can say that.” Kelley is happy to share his development experience outside the diocese, authoring “Stewardship Manual: A Guide for Individuals and Parishes Developing Stewardship as a Way of Life” and “Sustaining and Strengthening Stewardship,” as well as co-authoring two publications for the International Catholic Stewardship Council. He has spoken at national conferences and provided onsite consulting work and presentations in 75 of the 195 dioceses in the United States. “We’ve also taken our stewardship message to other countries, most recently when visiting Australia in 2004,” said Kelley. Representatives from several Australian dioceses have visited the Diocese of Charlotte three times to study development and stewardship efforts. In addition to his hard-working staff, Kelley credits the efforts of those in the parishes, schools and agencies for their development and stewardship success. “We have so many who take stewardship seriously and give back generously of their time, talent and treasure in gratitude for God’s blessings in their lives,” said Kelley. Stewardship plays an important role in Kelley’s private life as well. Married
by
KEVIN E. MURRAY editor
CHARLOTTE — Jim Kelley has been a busy man for the last 20 years. February 2006 marks two decades for Kelley serving as director of development in the Diocese of Charlotte. “It’s been an incredible experience. I could never have predicted any of it,” he said. Kelley manages the office that operates the annual Diocesan Support Appeal; assists parishes with stewardship efforts and capital campaigns; assists development efforts for diocesan Catholic schools, campus ministry and Catholic Social Services; directs the planned giving and major gift programs and writes grants. “The primary focus of the office is to encourage parishioners to commit to stewardship as a way of life. We also provide parishes and agencies with services to provide funds for ministries that change lives,” said Kelley. “That’s been our focus for the last 20 years ... to help people.” “When Jim came on board, he wanted to take a route that truly changes people’s lives,” said Barbara Gaddy, associate director of development. “We haven’t strayed from that concept.” Kelley also serves as executive director of the diocesan Foundation, which provides endowments for the diocese and its parishes, agencies and schools. Prior to joining the diocese, Kelley worked as an administrative manager for Seventh Street Detox Center in Charlotte. He said God’s hand was involved in his decision to accept then-chancellor Msgr. John McSweeney’s invitation in 1985 to create the diocesan development office. “From high school on, I’ve always asked God to direct me where he wants
Courtesy Photo by Ashley Burnham
Madeline and Caity Burnham, students at St. Pius X School in Greensboro, recently participated in qualifying competitions for an upcoming national ski competition in Colorado. with two children, Kelley is a parishioner of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte and has volunteered with homeless organizations and the United Way of Central Carolinas for the last 25 years. His efforts have earned him a number of awards, two of which have been named in his honor — one from the local Homeless Services Network and one from the United Way. Kelley looks toward the future with excitement. “In the development office, we’re always grateful but never satisfied. We can always do a better job; we can always improve to help others make a better way of life,” he said. And he can’t imagine doing anything else. “God led me to work in the diocese. We’re making a great impact,” he said.
“We’re going to keep doing more to better serve the parishes, agencies and schools.” Contributing to this story was Staff Writer Karen A. Evans. Facts and Figures Under Jim Kelley’s leadership over the last 20 years, the development office has: — helped raise $235 million for the diocese and diocesan schools and agencies; — completed more than 114 capital campaigns, raising from $45,000 to several million dollars; — helped create 137 endowments in the diocesan Foundation; — increased the Diocesan Support Appeal total from $800,000 in 1985 to
February 24, 2006
The Catholic News & Herald 7
WINTER OLYMPICS
Covering the Olympics
Holy Italian man known for skiing, charity to BLESSED, from page 1
Courtesy Photo
Mato Seth, a second-grader at St. Ann School in Charlotte, shares photographs from the Olympic Winter Games with his class Feb. 13. The photos were taken by Mato’s father, Raphael Seth, a Charlotte television reporter who is covering the Olympics in Turin, Italy. Mato’s father has been sending regular behind-the-scene updates and photos to the school. St. Ann School is also participating in “Catch Winter Olympics Fever” with hundreds of other schools across the United States and Canada. The Internet project was started by a first-grade class at Market Street Elementary School in Boardman, Ohio, and involves learning about 15 Olympic winter sports and voting on the favorite sport.
backyard, said Cardinal Severino Poletto of Turin. “He’s a great saint, a modern model of holiness and youth,” said the cardinal. In order to tell Olympic visitors more about Turin’s favorite saint-in-themaking, two Blessed Pier Giorgio associations came together to set up two exhibits for the duration of the games. One was set up in a small church in Bardonecchia and another in a Turin church where Blessed Pier Giorgio was made a Third Order Dominican, a lay order. The exhibits, called “A Saint on Skis,” tell the story of a young outdoorsman who was a friend to the poor and active in many churchsponsored associations and political groups that fought for social justice. His great sense of humor and generosity made him very popular with his peers. With his closest friends he formed a club, “the Shady Characters,” and he was nicknamed “Robespierre” and “the Terror” because of the practical jokes he liked to concoct. Wanda Gawronska, Blessed Pier Giorgio’s niece and the head of the Rome-based Pier Giorgio Frassati association, said people are attracted to this young man once they discover he led “a completely normal life.” “He had all the same problems young people have. He had exams to study for, parents who didn’t get along, and he fell madly in love with a girl,” she said while visiting Turin and the exhibits she helped organize. He never gave up the fun things in life — he cherished his friends, he loved climbing mountains, skiing slopes, and helping his family, she said. Humble living But, at the same time, Blessed Pier Giorgio lived his life with an intense
spirituality and devotion to Christ and the Eucharist, she said. “He really felt Christ” was present in those who were less fortunate, said Gawronska. “He said he saw the poor and suffering were surrounded by a particular light” that others did not have. Gawronska, whose 103-year-old mother is Blessed Pier Giorgio’s sister, said his pockets were always stuffed with tiny slips of paper — each one had the address or request of people who needed help. “He went everywhere, bringing people food, looking for jobs for people, helping children, visiting the prison; he was someone people really counted on,” she said. Blessed Pier Giorgio was from an influential and wealthy family, but he pinched his pennies so he could spend most of his allowance on the poor. People often asked him why he always traveled third class, Gawronska said. Though he did it to save money that he would later spend on others, he would reply, “because there was no fourth class.” He kept meticulous records of how he spent his allowance. On a page from a notebook he kept during a brief stay in Berlin, he listed the amounts he spent on others, like the “poor children of Berlin” and of the smaller amounts he spent on himself for coffee, bread and cigars. He never went without his cigars, Gawronska said: “His expenses were always alms and cigars.” ‘Beneficial influence’ Blessed Pier Giorgio was active in Catholic Action and the Popular Party, which promoted the church’s social teaching. He once said, “Charity is not enough; we need social reform.” Pope John Paul II, who beatified him in 1990, said Blessed Pier Giorgio had served as “a beneficial influence” during his own youth in Poland and that as a student he “was impressed by the force of his Christian testimony.” In a homily celebrating the International Jubilee for Athletes in 1984, Pope John Paul said Blessed Pier Giorgio’s dedication to helping the poor and suffering was an example of how to sow peace among people, “making us brothers and sisters.” He called on his audience to look closely at how this young man lived and to use him as an example, “a program” to follow so that they, too, could “be messengers of the true peace of Christ.” Born in 1901, Blessed Pier Giorgio “anticipated the church teachings of the Second Vatican Council. He had a lay vocation, and this fascinated the church,” said Gawronska. Blessed Pier Giorgio, known as “the Man of the Eight Beatitudes,” died from polio, probably after contracting it from the people he helped, she said. His remains are buried in a chapel in Turin’s St. John the Baptist Cathedral, next to the chapel housing the Shroud of Turin.
8 The Catholic News & Herald
dead sea scrolls
February 24, 2006
Dead Sea Scrolls come to Charlotte, SCROLLS, from page 1
CNS photo courtesy Israel Antiquities Authority
Jars, such as the one pictured above, were found at the site of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947. The jars were made more than 2,000 years ago and were used to store scrolls containing biblical and non-biblical texts.
What are the Dead Sea Scrolls? In 1947, young Bedouin shepherds, searching for a stray goat in the Judean Desert, entered a long-untouched cave and found jars filled with ancient scrolls. That initial discovery by the Bedouins yielded seven scrolls and began a search that lasted nearly a decade and eventually produced thousands of scroll fragments from 11 caves. During those same years, archaeologists excavated the Qumran ruin, a complex of structures located on a barren terrace between the caves and the Dead Sea. Shortly after their discovery, historical, paleographic and linguistic evidence, as well as carbon-14 dating, established that the scrolls and the Qumran ruin dated from the third century B.C.E. to 68 C.E. Coming from the late Second Temple Period, during the time when Jesus Christ lived, the Scrolls are older than any other surviving biblical manuscripts by almost 1,000 years.
be dated before 895 C.E. (Common Era). The Dead Sea Scrolls were transcribed between 250 B.C.E (Before Common Era) and 68 C.E, in Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek — closing a 1,200-year gap by a millennium. “If you compare the Dead Sea Scrolls translation to the latest translation we have, they are extremely similar,” said Father James Hawker, diocesan vicar for education and pastor of St. Luke Church in Mint Hill. “That would show that the latest translation we have, which was written about 900 A.D., is quite accurate.” The Scrolls in Charlotte The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at Discovery Place begins with entry into a gateway fashioned to look like the opening of a desert cave. After an introductory film, visitors hear and see the story of the scrolls, including their discovery, the controversy that surrounded them, their on-going decryption and the massive effort to preserve them. The exhibition continues with installations illustrating the community of Qumran where the scrolls were written, and the lifestyle of those who wrote and copied them. The Gallery of Scrolls features 10 authentic scrolls and three replicas that include passages from Deuteronomy, Genesis, Isaiah and Psalms. The exhibition also features other artifacts discovered in association with the scrolls at Qumran. After the scrolls are exhibited in Charlotte, they will be returned to Israel and stored in darkness for a year for preservation purposes. Some of these same scrolls may never leave Israel again. “For anyone who is searching for a deeper understanding of their faith, the Dead Sea Scrolls are very valuable,” said Father Hawker. Contact Staff Writer Karen A. Evans by calling (704) 370-3354 or e-mail kaevans@charlottediocese.org.
said Larry Polsky, chair of the Discovery Place board of trustees. The design and construction of the exhibit hall were led by Joanie Philipp, director of major projects for Discovery Place and a parishioner of St. Ann Church in Charlotte. “In February 2005, we learned we had been approved for the exhibit,” Philipp said. She had planned to use an existing exhibit from a museum in Michigan, but in May 2005, she learned the Israel Antiquities Authority wanted an entirely new exhibit constructed. “Normally it takes about two years to build an exhibit from the ground up,” Philipp said. “We did it in eight months.” The discovery of the century In 1947, a young Bedouin goat herder and his companions discovered clay jars filled with scrolls in a cave near the Dead Sea. That initial discovery began a search that lasted nearly a decade. Two of the principal archeologists were G. Lankaster Harding, director of the Department of Antiquities in Jordan, and Father Roland de Vaux, a French Dominican priest who headed the Ecole Biblique (Bible School) in Jerusalem. Eventually, the excavation of 11 caves yielded thousands of fragments from hundreds of scrolls, hidden for at least 2,000 years. Today, most of the artifacts from the site are kept in the care of the Israel Antiquities Authority, which continues to research, conserve and preserve the manuscripts. The Dead Sea Scrolls date back to the time of Jesus Christ and include some of the earliest surviving texts later forming the books of the Old Testament. Until the Dead Sea Scrolls’ discovery, no existing texts of the Hebrew Bible could
This fragment of a scroll found near the Dead Sea contains 4 in the Bible. The fragment is one of 10 original and three rep through May 29.
WANT TO GO? The Dead Sea Scrolls will be on display a The museum is located at 301 N. Tryo tion, call (704) 372-6261 or (877) 849-43
tures with a renewed energy.” The exhibit is the East Coast debut of an 11,000 square-foot exhibition featuring the original Dead Sea Scrolls, some of which have never been seen outside of Israel, and may never be again. The exhibition runs through May 29. “This is undoubtedly one of the most prized exhibitions to come to Charlotte,”
February 24, 2006
dead sea scrolls
The Catholic News & Herald 9
, offer rare look at
41 Psalms and seven apocryphal compositions not included plicated fragments on display at Discovery Place in Charlotte
at Discovery Place through May 29. on St. in Charlotte. For more informa377, or visit www.discoverscrolls.org.
Courtesy Photo
DID YOU KNOW? — Only Caves 1 and 11 have produced relatively intact manuscripts. Discovered in 1952, Cave 4 produced the largest find — about 15,000 fragments from more than 500 manuscripts were found. — Scholars have identified the remains of about 825-870 separate scrolls. — The scrolls can be divided into two categories — biblical and non-biblical. Fragments of every book of the Hebrew canon (Old Testament) except the book of Esther have been discovered. — Prophecies by Ezekiel, Jeremiah and Daniel not found in the Bible are written in the scrolls. — Although the Qumran community, where the scrolls were found, existed during the time of the ministry of Jesus, none of the scrolls refers to him, nor does any mention his followers described in the New Testament. — The last words of Joseph, Judah, Levi, Naphtali and Amram (the father of Moses) are written in the scrolls. — The scrolls contain previously unknown stories about biblical figures such as Enoch, Abraham and Noah. The story of Abraham includes an explanation as to why God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. — Although most of the scrolls are made of animal skins, some are made of papyrus and one is copper. They are written with a carbon-based ink, from right to left, using no punctuation except for an occasional paragraph indention. In fact, in some cases, there are not even spaces between the words. — Some of the Dead Sea Scrolls actually appeared for sale in the Wall Street Journal June 1, 1954. The advertisement read, “The Four Dead Sea Scrolls: Biblical manuscripts dating back to at least 200 BC are for sale. This would be an ideal gift to an
Photo by Karen A. Evans
Visitors to Discovery Place examine the copper scrolls found among the Dead Sea Scrolls in Qumran. The scrolls contain a list claiming the existence of hidden treasure. The actual existence of such a treasure has never been proven or refuted.
Why are the Dead Sea Scrolls important? Since their discovery, the scrolls and the identity of the nearby settlement of Qumran have been the object of great scholarly and public interest, as well as heated debate and controversy. They represent an invaluable source for exploring the nature of post-biblical times and probing the sources of both Judaism and Christianity. Judaism The Dead Sea Scrolls include a range of contemporary documents that serve as a window on a turbulent and critical period in the history of Judaism. In addition to three groups identified by Josephus, Judaism was further divided into numerous religious sects and political parties. With the destruction of the Temple and the commonwealth in 70 C.E., all that came to an end. Only the Judaism of the Pharisees—Rabbinic Judaism—survived. Reflected in Qumran literature is a Judaism in transition: moving from the religion of Israel as described in the Bible to the Judaism of the rabbis as expounded in the Mishnah (a thirdcentury compilation of Jewish laws
and customs which forms the basis of modern Jewish practice). Christianity The Dead Sea Scrolls, which date back to the events described in the New Testament, have added to our understanding of the Jewish background of Christianity. Scholars have pointed to similarities between beliefs and practices outlined in the Qumran literature and those of early Christians. These parallels include comparable rituals of baptism, communal meals and property. Most interesting are the parallel organizational structures: the sectarians divided themselves into 12 tribes led by 12 chiefs, similar to the structure of the early Christian Church, with 12 apostles who, according to Jesus, were to sit on 12 thrones to judge the 12 tribes of Israel. Many scholars believe that both the literature of Qumran and the early Christian teachings stem from a common stream within Judaism and do not reflect a direct link between the Qumran community and the early Christians.
1 0 The Catholic News & Herald
February 24, 2004
Culture Watch
A roundup of Scripture, readings, films and more
Spreading the word Pope tells magazine staff church must participate in cultural debates By CINDY WOODEN catholic news service
VATICAN CITY — The Catholic Church must participate in modern cultural debates, finding ways to present enduring truths in a serious, yet accessible way, Pope Benedict XVI said. The pope met Feb. 17 with the editors and staff of La Civilta Cattolica, a Jesuit-run magazine founded by Pope Pius IX in 1850 and one that continues to be reviewed by the Vatican Secretariat of State before publication. By writing about cultural, social and political issues, the pope said, the magazine helps the Catholic Church in its dialogue with the modern world, identifying positive trends and offering the guidance of the Gospel. Increasingly, modern culture is “closed to God and to his moral law, even if it is not always prejudicially adverse to Christianity,” the pope said. At the same time, he said, there are many signs of hope, including “the new sensitivity to religious values on the part of many men and women; renewed attention to sacred Scripture; respect for human rights to a greater degree than occurred even in the recent past; (and) the desire to dialogue with other religions.” In the face of such ambiguity, he said, “Catholics are called to make a great effort to develop the dialogue with modern culture and open it to the perennial values of the transcendent.” The mission of La Civilta Cattolica, he said, is “to participate in the contemporary cultural debate both to propose, in a serious yet popular way, the truths of the Christian faith in a clear manner faithful to the magisterium of the church and to defend, without a polemical spirit, the truth, which is sometimes deformed,
including through unfounded accusations against the church community.” Pope Benedict said the teaching of the Second Vatican Council is the “lighthouse” that should guide the magazine. He said that although the council concluded 40 years ago its “doctrinal and pastoral riches” have not been fully appreciated. “Undoubtedly, it gave the church an impulse capable of renewing it and preparing it to respond adequately to the new problems that contemporary culture raises,” he said. In addition, Pope Benedict said, the documents and statements of the Vatican and of bishops’ conferences around the world in response to new concerns are a “living spring” the magazine can draw upon in its work. The pope asked the magazine’s staff to devote special energy to explaining and promoting the social teaching of the Catholic Church. Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, superior general of the Jesuits, addressed the pope on behalf of the magazine’s staff, telling him La Civilta Cattolica wants its work to be marked by fidelity to the Holy See and love for the church. “At the beginning of the 21st century, new problems confront the church,” he said. Father Kolvenbach said the pope had outlined the problems in several of his writings, but particularly in his encyclical “Deus Caritas Est” (“God Is Love”). “Our magazine intends to move along the lines indicated in the documents in the conviction that in them and through the action of the Holy Spirit” the church would be led and protected “through the joyful and the painful events of human history,” Father Kol-
Pope to visit Vatican Radio as it celebrates 75 years VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI was scheduled to visit the Vatican’s own radio station as it celebrated its 75th anniversary. Since Feb. 12, 1931, when Pope Pius XI officially inaugurated Vatican Radio, every pope except Pope John Paul I — who was pope for 34 days — has paid at least one official visit to the station or its broadcasting centers. On March 3, Pope Benedict was scheduled to visit the radio’s headquarters at the Palazzo Pio building that sits at the opposite end of the wide boulevard in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, just across
from Castel Sant’Angelo. The pope was to wrap up his visit by delivering an address to the radio’s staff in the building’s Marconi Hall. The building is the radio’s programming and broadcasting hub, where journalists from 59 different countries produce more than 64 hours of programming daily in some 45 different languages. The radio’s general director, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, told journalists Feb. 21 that the high point of the radio’s anniversary celebrations would be Pope Benedict’s visit.
WORD TO LIFE
Sunday Scripture Readings: MARCH 5, 2006
March 5, First Sunday of Lent Cycle B Readings: 1) Genesis 9:8-15 Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 2) 1 Peter 3:18-22 3) Gospel: Mark 1:12-15
Repent, believe in Gospel, says Jesus by DANY LUBY catholic news service
Each year, many of us think hard about what we should “do for Lent.” Many choose spiritual practices involving additional religious disciplines — special prayers, more frequent attendance at Mass, participation in Lenten devotions like Stations of the Cross and eucharistic adoration, etc. Many others focus more on practices of detachment, observing Lent by “giving up” one thing or another for the duration of the season — sweets, smoking, a favorite TV show, that daily glass of wine with supper. Such customs have been a longstanding tradition among Catholics, and they are valuable not only in themselves but for the way they strengthen our sense of identity as Catholics, members of this
ancient community of disciples of Jesus. As we wrestle with specific choices about how we will observe this holy season, it might be wise to reflect on Jesus’ words in the Gospel for the first Sunday of Lent. There the Lord frames our task in two related parts. “Repent,” he tells us; that is, turn away from sin and darkness, from the habits of self-indulgence that blind us to the needs and rights of others. Step aside from patterns of selfishness that isolate us from family, church, the larger human community. But repentance is not the end of Jesus’ Lenten call. “Repent,” he tells us, “ and believe in the Gospel.” Turn away from sin, and at the same time turn toward the light of life in Christ. Live in a way that reflects a firm conviction that God loves us with an undying and passionate love, that we are, all of us, God’s beloved children, sisters and brothers in Christ. As we choose our individual and communal Lenten practices, may we measure our choices by how they will help us both “repent” and “believe in the Gospel.” Questions: How do my typical Lenten practices assist me to both “repent” and “believe in the Gospel”? What is one new practice that might help reinforce my desire to repent during Lent? My desire to believe the Gospel?
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE Scripture for the week of Feb. 26-March 4 Sunday (Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time), Hosea 2:16-17, 21-22, 2 Corinthians 3:1-6, Mark 2:1822; Monday, 1 Peter 1:3-9, Mark 10:17-27; Tuesday, 1 Peter 1:10-16, Mark 10:28-31; Wednesday (Ash Wednesday), Joel 2:12-18, 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18; Thursday (Lenten Weekday), Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Luke 9:22-25; Friday (St. Katharine Drexel), Isaiah 58:1-9, Matthew 9:14-15; Saturday (St. Casimir), Isaiah 58:9-14, Luke 5:27-32. Scripture for the week of March 5-11 Sunday (First Sunday of Lent), Genesis 9:8-15, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Mark 1:12-15; Monday (First Week of Lent), Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18, Matthew 25:31-46; Tuesday (Sts. Felicity and Perpetua), Isaiah 55:10-11, Matthew 6:7-15; Wednesday (Lenten Weekday), Jonah 3:1-10, Luke 11:29-32; Thursday (St. Frances of Rome), Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25 or 4:17 (Esther’s Prayer), Matthew 7:7-12; Friday (Lenten Weekday), Ezekiel 18:21-28, Matthew 5:20-26; Saturday (Lenten Weekday), Deuteronomy 26:16-19, Matthew 5:43-48.
The Catholic News & Herald 11
February 24, 2006
Texas Catholic family featured on ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ by CINDY BREWER catholic news service
VICTORIA, Texas — Seven-yearold twin sisters Tara and Sara Kubena, diagnosed with leukemia when they were 3, received a big surprise when they found out their family had been selected to receive a new home designed by the team of ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” The show’s host, Ty Pennington, and others from the series announced the surprise to the family Jan. 17. A week later John and Monica Kubena and their four children — Tara and Sara have two other siblings, Brady and Kelly — were presented with a 4,200-square-foot home on the same property of the two-bedroom trailer home where they had been living. The home is equipped with special features to help the girls’ medical conditions. The episode featuring the Kubenas, who are members of Holy Cross Church in East Bernard, was scheduled to air Feb. 19. “We went above and beyond,” Ed Sanders, one of the home’s designers, said. “We didn’t need to do it, but we have (given them) access to all the technology, and with all the pain (Tara’s) been in, you’re darn right we’re going to go all out.” The Kubenas have been inundated with medical bills over the past few years. After the girls were diagnosed with their disease, they underwent chemotherapy treatments and their cancer went into remission. Last year, Tara’s leukemia returned and she had to undergo a bone marrow transplant at Texas Children’s Cancer Center in Houston. And her home’s conditions were not up to the standards for a girl whose immune system was nearly destroyed. That’s where “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” came in. On Tara’s 102nd day after her transplant, the show’s producers made the announcement that the Kubena family had been selected for a
“We went above and beyond.”
—Ed Sanders
home makeover. In January 2005, Tara’s aunt sent a letter to the show telling the Kubena family’s story and explaining why they need a home makeover. The show receives nearly 15,000 requests per week. The Kubena family was chosen from the thousands of others who sent in letters and tapes because “they’re such a worthy family,” according to the show’s staff members. The new home could mean the difference between life and death for a cancer patient whose immune system is working at only about 10 percent capacity, said Tara’s oncologist, Dr. ZoAnn Dreyer, who said it is so important to remove the viruses from the air in Tara’s home. “It is best when (recovering patients are) around filtered systems,” she said. More than 1,000 volunteers from Houston, East Bernard and surrounding towns worked to complete the new house in 106 hours; a house this size would normally take six months to build,. A team installed an air purifying system into the home and more than 100 vendors donated labor and supplies. When the home was unveiled to the Kubena family, a crowd of nearly 2,500 people, more than the population of East Bernard, were on hand to welcome them. High above the new house flew a plane pulling a banner that read “Welcome Home Tara.” Local schools let out early so students could attend the home’s unveiling. A special place was reserved for the second-grade classmates of the twins, as some in the crowd had waited overnight for a good spot. The television program also donated a new Ford hybrid SUV and a vacation for the family to use once Tara is healthy enough. And, to top it off, an anonymous donor donated the cost of the house’s taxes and insurance for 10 years.
1 2 The Catholic News & Herald
from the cover
Church cautious about plan to examine remains JOAN, from page 1
all we have are some fragments of cloth and human rib,” said Bertrand Vincent, spokesman for France’s Tours Archdiocese. “Even if these are confirmed as belonging to a young woman of the period, who was burned to death, this won’t prove it’s Joan of Arc. For now, the church is showing maximum prudence and reserve,” said Vincent. Philippe Charlier, professor at Raymond Poincare Hospital, west of Paris, announced that he would analyze the fragments allegedly retrieved from below the stake in Rouen, France, where St. Joan was executed in 1431 at age 19. In a telephone interview with Catholic News Service Feb. 17, Vincent praised Charlier’s “professional expertise and good intentions” and said that Tours would “take note” if the project were “conducted seriously, with proper results.” “However, unless something extraordinary is achieved, and it’s proved beyond all reasonable doubt that these are Joan of Arc’s remains, the church will not consider them the relics of a saint,”
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the spokesman added. Vincent said that Father Jean-Louis Gaudier of Chinon had consented to Charlier’s examination of the bone and cloth, which have been housed in a Chinon church museum since 1938. However, he added that the remains, which were located at a Paris pharmacy in the 19th century, were not regarded as “church objects.” St. Joan, a peasant girl from Domremy in eastern France, was burned as a witch and heretic in May 1431 after leading a French army against English invaders and lifting the siege of Orleans. The national heroine, who was canonized in 1920, reputedly heard the voices of saints as a young girl and was widely credited with altering the course of the 1337-1453 Hundred Years’ War and strengthening French nationhood. Speaking at a Feb. 13 Paris press conference, Charlier said he hoped to verify with DNA and carbon-14 tests that the remains were genuinely those of a 19-year-old female, as well as pinpointing the precise year and month of death. “In ideal circumstances, our scientific studies will match historical accounts by showing the body was burned three times on the same day,” the forensic expert said.
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“We would then have a bundle of arguments, so detailed and close to the record, that we would be able to say with almost complete certainty that they are indeed the remains of Joan of Arc,” said Charlier. The professor said his team also hoped to prove a piece of animal bone found with the remains belonged to a cat, thus bearing out historical accounts that cats often were thrown on the stake with alleged sorcerers.
February 24, 2006
He added that his findings would be presented to a conference in Bourges, France, later this year. Last year, Charlier’s team studied the remains of Agnes Sorel, mistress of King Charles VII, the 15th-century French king who fought alongside Joan of Arc. Charlier said test results confirmed the historical record that Sorel died of mercury poisoning.
February 24, 2006
in our schools
Crowned with faith
A great work
Pre-kindergarten students wear crowns to celebrate the 100th day of classes at St. Michael School in Gastonia Feb. 6. The students explored different ways to reach 100, and their teachers read books to them, taught math skills and played games.
KERNERSVILLE — Last fall, when a student of Roni Barrow asked if he could listen to the New American Bible on CD, she replied: “Sure, I’ll order it and we should receive it in less than a week.” So Barrow, the Learning Support director at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Kernersville, contacted RFB&D, a company that provides audio recordings of textbooks and reference and professional materials for people with “print disabilities” — those unable to read due to a disability. But she was unable to order the CD — it had yet to be recorded. So Barrow asked a company representative if the Bible could be recorded onto a CD and sent to the school’s Learning Support department, which provides books on CDs for Learning Support students. RFB&D (Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic), agreed to the project, but asked Barrow to be patient. “This is the Bible, so it may take a while,” said Melinda Hayes of RFB&D. To assist RFB&D, Barrow sent the company two copies of the New American Bible to use for the recording. The company began recording the text in February 2005. By December 2005, the recording was complete. And now, in addition to Bishop McGuinness, Catholic high
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Teacher helps get Bible recorded onto
Courtesy Photo
Courtesy Photo
Roni Barrow, Learning Support director at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Kernersville, holds a copy of the New American Bible and the CD recordings of it. She helped get the Bible recorded onto CD for use in her department and in other high schools. schools across the country will be able to order the New American Bible on CD.
1 4 The Catholic News & Herald
February 24, 2006
Perspectives
A collection of columns, editorials and viewpoints
A general introduction to the season
Farewell to Month noteworthy for appreciating culture, love
Lent is the season the Catholic Church gives us to take stock and review our lives, to root out all that is not good and true and replace it with the faithful and the holy. In these 40 days, the Catholic Church turns to the ancient penitential practices of fasting, almsgiving and prayer. These practices remain as rich and life-giving in the year 2006 as they were when practiced by the early Christians and by our Jewish forbearers. Fasting reminds us of our hunger for God, which no worldly thing can satisfy. Almsgiving reminds us that love of God and love of neighbor are inextricably intertwined, and that we bear responsibility for each other. Prayer reminds us to center our lives on God who alone gives meaning to all we do. Lent is a most special time. The liturgies and devotions of Lent call us to a kind of spiritual “spring cleaning,” identifying relationships that are disordered and sins that imprison and then seeking forgiveness and healing. We root out the darkness of sin so as to enter the Easter mysteries with a clean heart bathed in the healing, life-giving light of Christ.
Catholics & the Media DAVID HAINS
For a short month, a lot happens in February. On the frivolous side there is the Super Bowl (quick, who won in 2001?) and Groundhog Day (tell me again, what does it mean if the groundhog sees its shadow?). But the second month on the calendar also gives us a lot to ponder — love and the treatment of our fellow man are the thinking person’s themes for this chilly time of year, as February gives us the grandeur of Black History Month and the whimsy of St. Valentine’s Day. From Black History Month, we get an appreciation of the culture and contributions of our black brothers and sisters. St. Valentine’s, pumped up by the steroids of media attention, has morphed the patron saint of lovers into an obligation to buy cards, chocolates, flowers, perfume and stuffed animals. For Catholics in North Carolina there is a curious intersection of Black History Month and the love exemplified by St. Valentine. In a 1948 diocesan book, “First Synod of the Diocese of Raleigh,” the Catholic Church supported the sanctions imposed by the state against interracial marriage: “Marriages between a white person and negro, or Indian, or between a white person and person of negro or Indian descent to the third generation ... are void.” To understand this sanction, it is important to know that priests play a dual role at wedding ceremonies. On behalf of the Catholic Church, the priest is a witness to the sacrament of matrimony that the husband and wife confer on one another. It is the exchange of the wedding vows that binds a man and woman. The union is witnessed and then blessed by the priest. At the same time, the priest performs the civil union of marriage that is recognized by the state. The language of the synod book on interracial marriage reads like a piece of legislation, which is to say it is nearly incomprehensible. It likely was taken verbatim from state law. So, perhaps it is understandable that the synod book merely followed what the law required. But Richard and Debi Hill don’t see it that way. The Hills, an interracial couple, are members of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte. “We have always experienced love and acceptance in the Catholic Church,” said Debi. “It blows me away that the Catholic Church once condoned segregation.” How many interracial couples had broken hearts on Valentine’s Day because church and state forbade their union in matrimony? How many children weren’t
A look at Lent
guest columnist
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Richard and Debi Hill, married for 28 years, are members of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte. born out of those loving relationships? February, it turns out, contains lovers’ histories that never were. The Hill family includes the couple’s two children and three children from Richard’s previous marriage. What if they wanted to marry in 1948 instead of 1978? “My life would be totally different,” said Debi, “I had a poor self image before my marriage to Richard. With my marriage and my faith I am a mother, I own a business and I volunteer regularly at church. We really feel that God brought us together.” And what God has joined let no man tear asunder. The days banning interracial marriage are gone, but thankfully, not forgotten. Black History Month is also a potent reminder of injustice. I enjoy Black History Month so much that I wouldn’t mind seeing a Hispanic History Month, an Asian History Month and yes, even a White History Month. Each of our respective cultures has made a contribution to the rich soup that is America — just the right recipe for a cold winter’s day. David Hains is director of communications for the Diocese of Charlotte. Contact him at dwhains@charlottediocese.org.
Guidelines for Lent 1) The time of Lent is to be observed by Catholics as a special season of prayer, penance and works of charity. 2) Ash Wednesday, March 1, and Good Friday, April 14, in particular, are the most important penitential days of the liturgical year. They are days of both fast and abstinence. All Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence. 3) The rule of fasting states that only one full meal a day can be taken. Two small meals, “sufficient to maintain strength,” are allowed, but together they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals breaks the fast, but drinking liquids does not. The rule of fasting binds all Catholics from age 18 to 59. 4) Abstinence refers to the eating of meat. Under the present law, it does not include egg or milk products, meat stock soups or gravies. The rule of abstinence binds all Catholics 14 years old and older. 5) The substantial observance of the laws of fast and abstinence is a serious obligation. Those whose work or health would be impaired are excused from
fasting and abstaining. The individual conscience can decide if there is a proper cause to excuse. A more serious reason should be present to excuse from Ash Wednesday and Good Friday penance. 6) Self-imposed fasting on the other weekdays of Lent is recommended. Abstinence on all Fridays of the year is also highly recommended. The Peace Pastoral of the American Bishops, stating that prayer is incomplete without penance, urges Friday abstinences as something all American Catholics should offer up for the sake of world peace. 7) Parents and teachers should see to it that even those who are not bound by the laws of fasting and abstinence because of age are brought up in an atmosphere that is conducive to a sense of penance. 8) The faithful should be clearly and positively encouraged to receive the sacrament of reconciliation during Lent. There should be adequate time scheduled for confessions before Easter. Group reconciliation services should not be scheduled for the last days of the Holy Week. At no time is it permitted to schedule a group reconciliation service for the purpose of giving general absolution without individual confessions. 9) The liturgical directions of the Sacramentary and the Lectionary must be faithfully observed regarding all the special Holy Week rites. 10) Funeral Masses are not allowed on Holy Thursday, Good Friday or Holy Saturday. The funeral rite outside of Mass can be held either in church or at the chapel on those days, with a funeral Mass later. 11) The RCIA is incorporated into the liturgy during Lent. The Rite of Election is celebrated on the first Sunday of Lent. On the third, fourth and fifth Sundays of Lent, the Scrutinies take
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February 24, 2006
Help is on the horizon CSS program assists grandparents raising kids healthy boundaries, developing positive daily routines and improving communication techniques. They are given a place to talk about their experiences and concerns and to form strong bonds with case managers, counselors and each other. Together, New Horizons and grandparents are forming a community of hope in which children can grow up healthy and happy. Imagine that a 70-year-old woman wakes up to a pair of big brown eyes watching her. “Grandma,” she hears, “can I have oatmeal for breakfast?” She turns her head toward the bedroom window and sees a bright sunrise on the horizon. She smiles. It’s going to be a good day. To learn more about New Horizons for Family and Children, call Colleen Cranford, program director, at (704) 3703248 or visit www.cssnc.org. Lori Fox is supervisor of counseling services for Catholic Social Services in the Diocese of Charlotte. Catholic Social Services counseling is one of the services supported by contributions to the Diocesan Support Appeal, an annual campaign in the Diocese of Charlotte that helps support 30 ministries providing 50 programs. The 2006 DSA runs Feb. 4 to March 12.
Peace of Mind LORI L. FOX guest columnist
Imagine that a woman walks into her kitchen to prepare dinner. She glances at the stack of bills on the counter and wonders how they will all get paid this month. Reaching for a skillet, she grimaces — her back has been aching all day. Suddenly a 3-year-old bundle of energy runs into the room, toy motorcycle revving at top volume. Little arms demand to be picked up. Despite her aches and pains, the woman holds the child, kisses him, and remembers that she is the only living being that this child can depend on for love and care. This woman is 70 years old. There are currently 5,174 grandparents who are raising their grandchildren in Charlotte. The challenges are daunting. While most grandmas and grandpas get to spoil and dote over their grandkids and then say “bye-bye” at the end of the day, there are people who are spending their “golden years” parenting one or more of their grandchildren, or even great-grandchildren.
Shaking hands in the
An anniversary worthy of our attention Q. Who started this new ritual of shaking hands in the middle of Mass? I’ve had my arthritic fingers crushed. I’ve had parishioners blow their nose and then offer their hand to me. I often sit in front to see and hear the Mass, but I’m tempted to isolate myself in back. I think this entire scenario is unnecessary and superfluous. (Illinois) A. Let’s start with your first question. The rite of the sign of peace is not new. It is among the oldest rituals connected with the Sacrifice of the Mass. At least five times the New Testament speaks of Christians greeting each other with a “holy kiss” or a “kiss of love.” We know that at least by around the year 150, this “kiss” was already a regular part of the eucharistic liturgy, as an expression of unity and peace among Christians. For centuries, the Pax (peace) as it was called was exchanged by everyone at Mass. Beginning in the late Middle Ages the practice was observed only by attending clergy, and other signs, such as an embrace, usually substituted for an
actual kiss. This continued until our present time when the kiss, or sign, of peace is again prescribed in some manner for all the faithful. Instructions for Mass prescribe that before the breaking of the bread each person offers a sign of peace to those nearby. The church in this way asks for peace and unity for herself and for the whole human family, and the faithful offer a sign of their communion with the church and of their love for each other before receiving Communion together (General Instruction of the Roman Missal 82). Despite of your misgivings, therefore, the sign of peace has deep roots as a fitting expression of the Catholic Christian meaning of the Mass and holy Communion, the sacrament we still refer to as “the sign of unity and the bond of love.” A touch such as a handshake, an embrace or a kiss may not be the perfect possible sign of peace. But it can still carry a message we need to understand if we are to celebrate the Eucharist
Their own child is incapable of doing this job due to death, incarceration, addictions or mental illness. Now these grandparents are dealing with tantrums and diapers, immunization schedules and car seats. They are the primary source of love and comfort for their grandchildren. Parenting “tools” that they used more than 20 years ago are dusted off and applied in this era of cell phones and Internet predators. The good news is that tremendous hope and help are available through New Horizons for Families and Children. With a grant funded by Smart Start of Mecklenburg County, Catholic Social Services has developed a program to help grandparents access every support available to allow them to raise healthy and happy children. New Horizons serves the unique needs of these families by providing: — information and referrals; — assistance in obtaining benefits, including Medicaid; — assistance with daycare needs for those who qualify; — parenting education and parental coaching; — family, marital and individual counseling; — ongoing support groups; — case management; and — advocacy. Through New Horizons, grandparents are given help in integrating new parenting skills in the areas of discipline, setting
Question Corner FATHER JOHN DIETZEN cns columnist
together as Christ intended it to be celebrated. Many Catholics share your arthritis problem. But don’t isolate yourself. Your difficulty can be handled in a charitable manner. Just look at the persons next to you, smile, and say “Peace be with you.” No one will be offended, and you will be sharing a moment of the Mass that can be most prayerful and precious. A free brochure answering questions Catholics ask about the sacrament of penance is available by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Father John Dietzen, Box 5515, Peoria, IL 61612. Questions may be sent to Father Dietzen at the same address, or e-mail: jjdietzen@aol.com.
Pope asks for prayers for his ministry on feast of Chair of St. The Pope Speaks POPE BENEDICT XVI
by CINDY WOODEN catholic news service
VATICAN CITY — With hundreds of candles lighting a sculpture of the Chair of St. Peter behind him, Pope Benedict XVI encouraged Catholics to grow in their faith and asked for prayers for his ministry as the successor of St. Peter. Celebrating the Feb. 22 feast of the Chair of Peter, Apostle, Pope Benedict held part of his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Basilica, where Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s statue is located, and part in the Vatican audience hall, where he announced he would create 15 new cardinals. In greeting Italian students in the basilica and in his talks in 10 languages in the audience hall, the pope offered a reflection on the ministry of St. Peter as Jesus’ choice as leader of the Apostles. He encouraged the estimated 8,000 people in the audience hall to spend some time in St. Peter’s Basilica, looking at the Bernini statue specially lighted for the feast day “and to pray in a particular way for the ministry which God has entrusted to me.” “Raising your gaze to the alabaster window just above the chair, invoke the Holy Spirit so that with his light and his strength he would always sustain my daily service to the entire church,” the pope said. Pope Benedict explained that the feast day celebrates the ministry of St. Peter as bishop of Rome, a ministry symbolized by his chair, the symbol of his responsibility for teaching the faith and of his authority. “Providence led Peter to Rome, where he ended his service to the Gospel with martyrdom,” the pope said. “For this reason, the see of Rome, which received great honor, also received the responsibility Christ entrusted to Peter to serve all of the particular churches for the edification and unity of the entire people of God,” he said. As successor of St. Peter, he said, the pope is called not only to serve the church in Rome, but to guide the universal church. “Celebrating the chair of Peter means, then, attributing to it a strong spiritual significance and recognizing it as a privileged sign of the love of God, the good and eternal pastor, who wants to gather the entire church and guide it on the path of salvation,” the pope said.
February 24, 2006
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in the news
Supreme decisions Court to consider constitutionality of partial-birth abortion by JERRY FILTEAU catholic news service
WASHINGTON (CNS) — The U.S. Supreme Court said Feb. 21 that it will consider the constitutionality of the federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. The court agreed to hear a Bush administration appeal of a U.S. appeals court ruling that the 2003 law is unconstitutional because it does not include an exception for the health of a pregnant woman. Deirdre A. McQuade, spokeswoman for the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities, welcomed the court’s decision to take up the case. “Partial-birth abortion is not necessary for women’s physical or emotional health,” she said. “Extensive testimony reveals that there is no maternal health reason why such a gruesome and inhumane procedure must be performed.” The appeal is the first abortion case the high court has agreed to hear since Justice Samuel Alito Jr. replaced Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who retired. O’Connor was often a swing vote on abortion cases and many observers regard Alito as more likely than her to favor legal restrictions on abortion. Three federal appeals courts have found the 2003 law unconstitutional. The first such ruling came last July from the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which said that “a health exception is constitutionally required” in any law restricting abortion. In separate rulings Jan. 31 two other appellate courts, the 9th Circuit in San Francisco and the 2nd Circuit in New York, also found the law’s lack of a health exception unconstitutional. The 9th Circuit added that the law imposes “an undue burden” on wom-
CNS photo by Paul Haring
Justice Samuel Alito Jr., (left) and Chief Justice John Roberts walk down the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington Feb. 16. The two justices, both Catholic, will likely play key roles in deciding abortion cases before the high court, such as the constitutionality of the federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. en’s access to abortion and called the language of the law too vague for consistent enforcement. In 2000 the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that a state law in Nebraska banning partialbirth abortion was unconstitutional because it did not include a health exception. O’Connor was part of the court majority in that ruling, which not only nullified the Nebraska statute but also made similar laws in a number of other states unenforceable. The Supreme Court is to hear arguments on the federal law during its next term, which begins in October. ‘Cruel and dangerous practice’ Douglas Johnson, legislative direc-
(partial-birth abortion) procedure was rare and used only on women whose lives were in danger or whose unborn children were dying or severely disabled. “But Ron Fitzsimmons, then executive director of the National Coalition of Abortion Providers, admitted in 1997 that partial-birth abortions are ‘primarily done on healthy women and healthy fetuses,’” she said in her Feb. 21 statement. “The Alan Guttmacher Institute estimates that 2,200 abortions were performed in 2000 using this grotesque method,” she said.
tor for the National Right to Life Committee, said, “Unless the Supreme Court now reverses the extreme position that five justices took in 2000, partly born premature infants will continue to die by having theirs skulls punctured by seveninch scissors.” In the abortion procedure banned by the federal law, after the body of the live human fetus is delivered through the mother’s birth canal, the doctor pierces its skull and suctions out the brain, causing death and collapsing the head so that it may be drawn through the birth canal more easily. When President George W. Bush signed the Partial-Birth Ban Act in November 2003, he called the procedure “a terrible form of violence ... directed against children who are inches from birth.” Abortion opponents have opposed a health exception in partial-birth abortion laws because the Supreme Court’s 1973 companion abortion decision Doe v. Bolton, issued in conjunction with Roe v. Wade, defined the health rationale for an abortion to include any factor that related to a woman’s well-being — a definition so broad as to cover virtually any perceived benefit to the woman. When the appellate court in St. Louis ruled last July that the absence of a health clause made the federal law unconstitutional, Gail Quinn, executive director of the bishops’ pro-life secretariat, urged that the Supreme Court overturn that decision. “It makes no sense to say one must kill a child who is more than half born to advance the mother’s health instead of simply completing a live delivery,” she said. “There is no place in a civilized society for this cruel and dangerous practice,” she said. After the high court agreed to take up the case, McQuade commented, “Abortion advocates once said the