Feb 23, 1996

Page 1

dn n

ATHOLIC

noi loaiio 3 ON s (£802^)

News & Herald

Volume 5 Number 22 • February

Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

Bishop Says IRA Terrorism Is

'Without Justification'

Bishop Daniel P. Reilly, chairman of the U.S. bishops' International Policy Committee, called on the IRA to cease violence and commit to the pursuit of peace. He urged Americans to make clear their position against groups that employ violence.

WASHINGTON

(CNS) revival of terrorism by the

The Irish

Republican Army is "morally wrong and without justification," said the chairman of the U.S. bishops' International Policy Committee. Bishop Daniel P. Reilly of Worcester, Mass., called on the IRA to "cease any campaign of violence and unequivocally to commit to the pursuit of peace and justice by nonviolent, democratic means." In a Feb. 13 statement released in

Washington, he also urged Americans to contribute to the peace process "by making it clear that no group that employs violence will have our support." The IRA announced the end of a 1 7month cease-fire Feb. 9, followed within

an hour by a massive

bomb

attack in

London, which killed two people and

more than

injured

100.

police disarmed another in central

On

Feb. 15,

bomb

planted

London after receiving a coded

warning.

Bishop Reilly said the attack should not be met with

"new

recriminations or

conditions" but instead should spur "an

urgent search for ways to replace violence with dialogue, political posturing with negotiation. The impasse in the peace process can never justify violence, nor can it be permitted to frustrate the hopes for peace in so many hearts."

He

23, 1996

BMHS

Students Take On Roles As Legislators

By ELIZABETH

MAYBACH

Staff Writer

BOSTON — At 8 a.m. the radio jump-started the day with a lively

country tune. Now Bishop McGuinness High School students at the Boston Sheraton Prudential Hotel had less than an hour to shower, dress in business attire and eat before the morning sessions at Harvard Model Congress began. From Feb. 14-18, BMHS students experienced first-hand the

of gridlock, the importance of compromise and the complexities of the U.S. government at the 1 1th Annual Harvard Model Congress in Boston, Mass. difficulties

While

there,

the 29

BMHS

students and about 1,200 of their

peers learned more than bills, briefs, called

on the leaders of the two

subsidies and agendas. All the were exposed to public

participants

See Terrorism, page 13

speaking, negotiation and leadership opportunities during the four-day

Religious Education Director Is

Testament To Faith By

MIKE KROKOS Editor

TAYLORS VILLE — When Loudermelk

is

Sarah

faced with an important

decision, she always turns to

God

for

guidance.

Such was the case in 1 984 when the late Monsignor Eugene H. Livelsberger asked her to coordinate a CCD program at Holy Trinity Catholic Mission

Schools

in Taylorsville for 12 years.

Representatives, Senate, District Court, Presidential Campaign, Press

schools growing up in Mexico City, and

Corps, Supreme Court, Press TV,

Loudermelk was

Lobbyist, Constitutional Convention, National Security Council and the Presidential Cabinet. A maximum of 30 students from each high school are allowed

coordinator

-rj^

the church.

Before the mission opened, Loudermelk attended St. Phillip the Apostle Church in Statesville where she taught a catechism class. She was a kindergarten teacher in Texas before moving to North Carolina, and also taught first grade in Alexander County

for

the

Taylorsville mission.

Her

Spanish is especially an asset today as the Hispanic population continues to grow.

With

Msgr.

Livelsberger' s blessing,

Loudermelk accepted the

the

at

the ideal candidate to

serve as Religious Education

The mission church had just been established, and Loudermelk was unsure if she could handle

being served

exercise.

Harvard Model Congress is an invitation-only conference that involves extensive and detailed roleplaying. Current Harvard University undergraduates plan the conference and act as staff. This year, the programs included: House of

the fact she attended Catholic

Add

in Taylorsville.

huge task. "The monsignor told me, T want you to do it. I know you can,'" Loudermelk recalled. "That meant a lot to me. I just prayed for the Holy Spirit to guide me." Twelve years later, Loudermelk is still overseeing the Faith Formation (CCD) program and it continues to flourish. The first year, teachers worked with 10 children. Now 45 students are

mock government

challenge. Besides running

was a CCD

the program, she

teacher her

first six

years

at

the

God

Once

selected, the

students prepare for the government

simulation for more than five months.

Mike

Streich,

BMHS

teacher

and model congress faculty advisor, said most of the students had been preparing for the conference since the beginning of the school year.

"We sent out issue topics during the

mission as well. "I think

to participate.

put

me

here for a

summer. The students then faced

sure that your adversarial relationships are

also amicable ones,"

McCurry

said.

"Adversarial relationships are one of the

key ideas of our government, but compromise is the way to get things accomplished." After McCurry' s address, students acting as members of the House of Representatives and the Senate took an oath to perform the duties of office to the best of their ability. The conference was extremely detailed. Members of the House and Senate were

a

reason," she said. "I love being coordinator. I love teaching. Everyone has a calling, and I believe that mine is to serve the church in this manner." Over the years, members of Holy Trinity have helped Loudermelk move the CCD program forward through hard work and prayer. "I could not do this without the support of our teachers," she said. "They all do an excellent job. They are very responsible, and have a

panel and had seven minutes to

See

but not cynical.

present the liberal and conservative

views of that topic. We chose new model congress participants based on performance in front of the panel and on other involvement at school." The opening ceremonies of the conference included an address by Michael D. McCurry, Assistant to the President and White House Press Secretary. In his remarks,

Photo by ELIZABETH MAYBACH Bishop McGuinness High School students Wendy Varner and Sarah Day display their political positions during a lobbyist rally at the Harvard Model Congress.

McCurry

See Students, page 3

Inside Mock Congress

Pictorial

page 2

Priest reflection

series begins

page 6

urged the students to be skeptical,

Faith,

page 16

"Remember to make

Guidelines for Lent

page 10


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.