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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