Feb 13, 1998

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Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

F ebru ary

13,

1998

Pope Urges Negotiated Settlement To Iraq Crisis By JOHN THAVIS VATICAN CITY (CNS) John Paul

II

warned

^ Pope

new

that

military

would be counter-

intervention in Iraq

productive and urged

all

sides to find a

negotiated settlement to the latest

crisis.

The pope's strong words came ing a Sunday blessing Feb.

dur-

the

8, as

United States was beefing up its military presence in the Persian Gulf in view of a possible strike against Iraqi tar-

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has refused to allow unconU.N. inspection of suspected chemical weapons sites in his gets.

ditional country.

The pope said he had been following the developments in Iraq with deep concern and wanted to express his hope that international leaders

would "use

the instruments

of diplomacy and dialogue to avoid

any use of weapons." "I am convinced that all sides still have the possibility of understanding each other and reaffirming the principles that peacefully govern international coexistence," he

U.S. Navy F-1 4 jet fighters fly over an aircraft carrier during operations in the Persian Gulf Feb. 7. As the United States stood poised to strike Iraqi chemical weapons church leaders, including Pope John Paul II, were warning against military

sites,

action.

said.

The pope, who was critic

a strong

of the 1991 Gulf war against

Iraq, said the current crisis in the

same country

illustrates that

her daughter

Saddam

sit

by the food

in the entire

region of the Middle

Baghdad

East teaches us that armed conflicts

Feb. 9. During his Sunday blessing Feb. Pope John Paul warned that new military mtervention in Iraq would be

do not resolve problems, but create greater misunderstandings among peoples," he said, ^^^^^ that the Vatican was

rations center in

City near

in Iraq

8,

II

counterproductive.

all

those working to con-

tinue negotiations "in order to avoid ac-

war and favor

allow U.N. inspectors into suspected

weapons

of peace."

dential

In his annual address to diplomats

On

tions of

war

never brings real solutions. "The very situation in Iraq and

A woman and

encouraging

in early January, the

a path

pope highlighted the

suffering of the civilian population in which has been under U.N. embargo since 1990. He called on those inside and outside Iraq to show flexibility in ending the ongoing problems. In recent weeks, U.S. officials have complained that Saddam has refused to Iraq,

pope's

sites,

including the huge presi-

compound Feb. latest

8, a

Baghdad. few hours after the

in

remarks, U.S. Secretary of

State Madeleine Albright warned that time was running out for the Iraqi president. She said the United States was preparing a "substantial strike" against Iraqi targets.

Permanent Diaconate An Ordained Ministry of Service By

JIMMY ROSTAR Staff Writer

CHARLOTTE

It's

barely noon

when Rev. Mr. Ben Wenning

enters his

office at the diocesan Pastoral Center,

and already he has put in close to a day's work. This morning, he's spent time tending to parishioners' needs at St. Gabriel

Church, the Charlotte parish where he is assigned. He has also stopped by Charlotte Douglas Internatio4ial Airport, where daily he encounters any number of globetrotters pausing from their hectic pace for a moment in the facility's

ciate airport chaplain," says Rev.

Mr.

Wenning, ordained as a permanent deacon in 1988. "I'd already been assigned to St. Gabriel's when I began functioning as a deacon at the airport. Now, I'm at St. Gabriel's, at the chancery, and at

cons

comes

the need for constant evaluation

of how to best serve the needs of Bishop William G. Curiin and the pastors of parishes throughout western North Carolina.

The Deacon's Role

the airport."

The passage of time between "then" and "now" has been one of growth for both Rev. Mr. Wenning and the ministry to which he is or-

Promising allegiance

Rev. Mr. Wenning' s family

Rev. Mr. Wenning is a permanent deacon, a man who has devoted himself to an ordained ministry of service. His

ventures daily.

ebration of liturgies, read-

diaconate, and the diocese's diaconate

areas of ministry particular to the region

administrator.

they serve, such as multicultural minis-

eral

lotte airport.

"When

I

him on

the go, too. In addition to his

diaconal duties at

St.

Gabriel Church,

Rev. Mr. Wenning

now

serves as the air-

It is

retired,

I

became

the asso-

most

in

the latter duty that keeps

him

touch with the more than 60 dea-

member

of the third rank of

married at the time of his ordination. Most deacons, both in this diocese and across the United States, are married, which brings a unique aspect to their work. "When we prepare homilies and preach, for instance, in many cases whatever we preach is filtered through the fact that we have wives and families; in my case, there are grown kids who are married and have children themselves," says Rev. Mr. Wenning. "We reflect (on Scripture) from a very interesting stand-

Aviation Administration as deputy chief of the air control tower at the Char-

eight years after retiring

him busy,

a

ordained ministry in Roman-rite Catholi-

man in the church allowed to marry, pro-

port chaplain, a regional director of the

a life that continually keeps

And ministerial hfe keeps

called by his ordination to minister

the people of his parish and

from the Fed-

is

grandchildren brings joys and ad-

is

people of faith by word and especially

by example.

bases his ministry on service to

ing and preaching about the Gospel during Mass, administering the Eucharist, and officiating at baptisms, weddings and funerals. Many permanent deacons are involved in marriage preparation for couples, education work, and

1 1

to

cism, the deacon

include assisting in the cel-

with wife Dot, five adult children

and

sick and participating in reconciliation,

he

As to his

to a parish, his duties

chapel.

not share in the sacramental ministry of

consecrating the Eucharist, anointing the

bishop, the permanent deacon

community. Once assigned can

dained.

life

With the growth of and of the diocese itself

in this diocese.

that ministry

vided that he

is

the only ordained

is

try.

While the permanent deacon does

See Permanent Diaconate, page 2


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