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Volume? Numb er 23
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