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January
Volume
NEWS
1999
29,
Number
8
o«
21
Serving Catholics
Insid March
^5^1
for Life Annual event draws thousands to Washington
^
Earthquake
...Pages
hits
16-17
Colombia ...Page
Local
20
News Living the Faith: Charlotte principal receives
national award
...Page
15
Elder Ministry hears needs for senior
housing ...Page
3
Diocese explores options for
Good Shepherd ...Page
7
tvcry Week Editorials
& Columns ...Pages
4-5
...Pages
8-9
Entertainment
Faith for a Brighter Future January
3
1
-February
1999
& in
HERALD
Western North Carolina
in the
Diocese
of
Charlotte
2
The Catholic News & Herald
The World
in
January 29, 1999
Brief
Chiapas church officials welcome pope's remarks on indigenous
MEXICO CITY Church
John Paul II just before his Mexico about the "especially
—
(CNS)
human
from Mexico's con-
officials
rights situation in the coun-
try. In a five-page letter,
flict-ridden state of Chiapas expressed
visit to
delicate"
dated Jan.
groups said poverty was the main obstacle to fully guaranteeing the exercise of human rights by millions of Mexicans. The letter was signed by representatives of Jesuit and Dominican national human rights offices and four diocesan; hu18, the
Pope John Paul IPs remarks on indigenous rights and with the apostolic exhortation on the Synod of Bishops for America. Dominican Father Gonzalo Ituarte, vicar for justice and peace in the Diocese of San Cristobal cle las Casas, said in a news conference Jan. 25 that the pope's remarks and the synod document were an affirmation of the work of the church in San Cristobal. In response to questions, 74-year-old Bishop Samuel Ruiz Garcia of San satisfaction with
Kosovo Street
A woman
and child
man
rights centers, in the states of Chiapas, Oaxaca and Guerrero. Large parts of the three states, all in southern Mexico, are heavily militarized in
follow a unit of the Kosovo Liberation Army through the streets of Drenica
the wake of peasant uprisings in the past five years. St. Louis Polish parish takes
The bishop
Jan. 22.
Kosovo appealed
in
Cristobal de las Casas said indigenous
for prayers for the
pride in pope's visit
people, "as subjects in history," are
region's unsettled
ST. LOUIS (CNS) Though St. Louis is miles away from Pope John Paul II's native Poland, parishioners in the city's only Polish parish said they hoped he would feel right at home.
He
transforming the Americas.
—
situation.
de-
scribed the uprising five years ago by
indigenous people in his diocese as "an undue use of violence," but said their reasons were understandable and the cause was a just one. Vatican condemns U.S. attacks on Iraq; civilians reported killed
MEXICO CITY
— The
(CNS)
Vatican condemned renewed allied attacks against Iraq as Pope John Paul II preached peace during a pastoral
Mexico. Prompted for comment on the Jan. 25 attacks thought to have claimed nearly a dozen civilian lives, Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls told members of the traveling Vatican press corps: "This new incident confirms once again what the Holy Father has said before, visit to
in recent days:
That military mea-
sures do not by themselves resolve problems. On the contrary, they make them worse."
Survey finds fewer describe themselves as 'strong' Catholics
CHICAGO
(CNS)
—
Although the percentage of Americans identifying themselves as Catholic has remained at 26 percent over the past 30 years, the percentage who describe
On the
cover:
CNS photos by Nancy Wiechec and Reuters
Collage composed of
& H
S
E R A
I,
January 29, 1999
Volume
8
•
Number
Most Reverend William G. Joann S. Keane
Publisher: Editor:
Associate Editor:
CNS
21 Curlin
Jimmy Rostar
is
Opinion Research Center. The center at the University of Chicago said that in its 1998 General Social Survey, 37 percent said they were "sti"ong" Catholics and 29 percent said they attended church each week. In the 1970s, 46 percent said they had a strong attachment to the church and 48 percent reported going to church weekly. Feb. 7 marks day of prayer for
—
Sev-
ing black Catholics to observe Feb. 7 Day of Prayer for the African-American Family. The annual observance, now in its 10th year, is being supported by the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, the Black Sisters' Conference, the U.S. bishops' Secretariat for AfricanAmerican Catholics and the Josephite as the National
St., Charlotte, NC 28203 Box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237 Phone: (704) 370-3333 FAX: (704) 370-3382
—
9:15 am Mass Charlotte Catholic High School
February 3
E-mail: catholicnews§charlottediocese.org The Catholic News S Herald,
USPC 007-393,
is published by 23 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203, 44 times a year, weekly except for Christmas weel( and Easter week and every two weeks during
the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte,
1 1
June, July and August for $1 5 per year for enrollees of the
Roman
in
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Charlotte and $1 8 per year for
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other
Second-class postage Charlotte NC and other cities,
subscribers. paid at
—
February 4 10 am Mass Bishop McGuinness High School February 5
Mass St.
— 7:30 am
for the
Knights of Malta
Patrick Cathedral
POSTMASTER:
Send address The Catholic News & Box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237. The Catholic News S Herald'is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs.
corrections to Herald, P.O.
Lebanon's Maronite bishops lauded recent social reforms undertaken by the government, but said they were concerned the reforms would reach only a sector of society. "There is an apprehension that they will not reach everybody, but will save some of those who have the luck of being protected," the bishops said in a statement after their mid-January meeting. Mexican church groups warn of 'delicate' human rights situation MEXICO CITY (CNS) Six church-related groups wrote Pope
—
Diocesan planner
9:30
am
Mass and Mural Blessing St.
Gabriel School
member
of the choir with 2 Hshioners.
CHARLOTTE — Adult
(704) 573-1023.
—
CHARLOTTE The diocesan Office of Justice and Peace offers free Operation Rice Bowl workshops to parish leaders and faith formation teachers. Operation Rice Bowl is a Lenten program incorporating prayer, fasting, learning and giving. Catholic Relief Services provides all program materials at no cost. Funds donated through the program provide resources to Catholic Relief Services to help people become self-reliant
and
self-sufficient.
To
1
other pa-
Catholic Press Month has
theme
for
(CNS)
1999
—
"Open Doors to a New Millennium" is the theme for Catholic Press Month, ob-
the
served in February. In a statement for a booklet prepared by the Catholic Press Association expanding on the theme, the Vatican's top communications cial said
offi-
the Catholic press "can and
should be a most effective instrument reminding people of the true significance of the new millennium." Archbishop John P. Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, noted how "all human history is measured from the moment of the birth of the God-man, Jesus Christ, the Word for
made
flesh."
schedule a workshop or for more information, call Terri Jarina at (704) 3703231 or send faxes to (704) 370-3377.
February
bereavement sharing and caring groups meet each Tuesday from 10-11:.'50 a.m. in the council room and each Thursday from 7-8:30 p.m. in Classroom 12 of St. John Neumann Church, 8451 Idlewild Rd. Anyone who has sustained a major loss in life is welcome. For details, call
—
—
WASHINGTON
Ongoing
January 30 5 pm Mass St. James, Concord
at the
Lebanese bishops express concern over government reforms BKERKE, Lebanon (CNS)
Bishop William G. Curlin will take
1123 South Church P.O.
•
Mass
millennial
part in thefollowing events:
February 2 10 am Mass Holy Trinity Middle School
Secretary: Jane Glodowski
Mail:
(CNS)
the
Catholic Clergy Caucus.
—
eral Catholic organizations are urg-
—
Production Associate: Julie Radcliffe
hope," said Franciscan Father James Goode, founder of the national day and president of the National Black
African-American family
WASHINGTON
Hispanic Editor: Luis Wolf Advertising Representative: Cindi Feerick
Pastoral Center.
dropping, according to survey results released by the National "strong"
PHOTO FROM Reuters
"We are appealing to the black family tc^celebrate on this day their rich heritage (and) unwavering faith and renew their courage to
their attachment to the church as
,
1)
and to perform pt-ior to Trans World Dome Jan. 27. "The most important thing is to let the pope know we're here the Polish community and a Polish parish," said Joseph Skudrzyk, a member of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish, and a to stay Jan. 26,
Episcopa., calendar
Catholic W N E
why they spent more than five months rehearsing Polish songs to greet him upon his arrival at the archbishop's residence, where he was
That's
1
CLEMMONS
—
Holy Family
Church, 4820 Kinnamon Rd., hosts a charismatic Mass today at 7:15 p.m. The laying on of hands follows. Call (336) 778-0600 for details. The Elder Minis3 CHARLOTTE try of the Diocese of Charlotte sponsors a listening session exploring views on the needs of affordable housing for Catholic seniors today at Our Lady of Consolation Church, 2301 StatesvUle Ave., from 10-1 1 a.m. For details, call Sandra Breakfield at (704) 370-3220. "Song of Mark," a con5 ARDEN temporary musical based on Mark's Gospel, is today at 7 p.m. at St. Barnabas Church, 109 Crescent Hill Dr. An encore performance is Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. For details, call the church office at (828) 684-6098. CHARLOTTE The Elder Ministry
—
—
—
,
The Catholic News & Herald 3
January 29, 1999
fhe News
In
Elder Ministry lool(s at needs for Catholic senior housing JIMMY ROSTAR
By
Associate Editor
—
CHARLOTTE
As parishioMatthew Church, Pat and Jerry Brown worship at daily Mass, ners of
St.
go to senior aerobics twice a week, and attend Bible study regularly. They enjoy a spiritual and social bal-
Church to discuss their hopes and needs regarding Catholic senior housing. The listening session was the first of five scheduled through Feb. 5 in Charlotte-area parishes. The sessions' purpose is two-fold:
ance while appreciating a sense of
to verify a want for such housing in Charlotte, and to discuss housing-related needs particular to Catholic se-
community.
niors. will
Sponsored by the Diocese of
continue as her and her husband's needs as Catholic seniors become
Charlotte's Elder Ministry and the
It's
a sense Pat
Brown hopes
more pressing, especially in relation to where they will live in upcoming years.
"My husband had
two was able to
a stroke
Mecklenburg Area Task Force on Aging, the sessions were scheduled in response to recommendations of a diocesan task force on aging formed in 1997.
not be able to. I be together so that I could be there with him if he needed
"Housing is one of the things that has continued to come about ... in reference to a need and concern," said Sandra Breakfield, director of Elder Ministry and a member of both task
extra care."
forces.
years ago," she says. (care for him) at
some day would
"I
home, but
I
know
may
I
like us to
The Browns and some 50 others gathered Jan. 22 at St. Matthew
Photo by Jimmy Rostar
The
listening sessions were de-
signed to define and explore three topics:
— Desired or needed types of housing. — Affordable housing. — Catholic housing.
se-
nior
Aging,
where unless we are going to do
is
ranging
facilitating the sessions.
at the Jan.
left, Mary and Sal Bianchi discuss their hopes for Catholic senior housing with Mercy Sister Jeanne Marie Kienast, a pastoral associate at St. Matthew Church.
of the Diocese of Charlotte sponsors a listening session exploring views on the needs of affordable housing for Catholic seniors today at Our Lady of
Assumption Church, 4207 Sham-
rock Dr., from noon-1 p.m. For details, call
Sandra Breakfield
at (704) 370-3220.
HAMLET — St. James
Church, 1018 annual pitcooked barbecue today from 1 1 a.m.-7 p.m. Dinners include pork or chicken, cole slaw, baked beans, bread, dessert, and tea or coffee. Eat in or take out. Call (910) 582-0207 for more information. 6 BELMONT First Saturday devotions are today in the Belmont Abbey
W. Hamlet
and
Brown
stressed were among the needs agreed upon most clearly. "As people get older and lose their spouse or have the empty nest, they have lost their support team,"
Brown
the
far
22 session, though
the feeling of fraternity Pat
From
Ave., hosts
its
—
Basilica with a
new
schedule.
9:30 a.m., the rosary
is
Mass
at 10
is
at
and the
sacrament of reconciliation is offered at 10:30. For more information, call Terri or Phil DeLuca at (704) 888-6050. BOONE Group reunion Ultreya meets today at 6:30 p.m. at Appalachian State University's Catholic campus ministry center, 232 Faculty St. A covered dish supper precedes the meeting.
—
The primary challenge is finding way to pay for such a facility, said
a
affordability, spiritual resources,
Photo by Jimmy Rostar
needs particular to Catholics who are elderly. Huey, director of the Selwyn Life Center at Mercy, facilitated the session. Breakfield is director the Diocese of Charlotte's Elder Ministry.
Ruth Huey, director of the Selwyn Life Center at Mercy in Charand a member of the lotte Mecklenburg Area Task Force on Feedback was varied and
«3!
Ruth Huey, left, and Sandra Breakfield compile comments from seniors at St. Matthew Church in Charlotte during a listening session on the housing
said.
"Therefore,
community
a very
important factor." majority of those in attendance also agreed that a continuing-care is
A
— —
community
one that offers independent, assisted and skilled-nursing care living is an important consid-
details, call (828)
MOORESVILLE
—
264-8338.
A
training ses-
sion on implementing the N.C. Catholic
bishops' economic justice pastoral
it
he added. He said a systematic plan would have to be proposed for the building and maintaining of the facility, allowing it to pay for itself over time and ensuring "that it's a decent and honorable place for people to live and right,"
die."
Sandra Breakfield stressed that no scheduled plans for housing have been finalized or even approved at this point, but she added that the hope is indeed there. She said the input, ideas and suggestions gleaned from the sessions will assist the Elder istry in
housing
facility.
it's possible," she said with a smile. "We've got to work together. We've got men and women in here who are brilliant, who have had all kinds of wonderful experiences. "Let's leave here today with the determination that it's going to hap-
"I
think
T
pen."
Min-
making future proposals.
"Of One Heart and One Mind," today from 9:30 a.m.-2:45 p.m. at St. Therese Church, 217 Brawley School Rd., for parish leaders, social concerns
Miller Chorale presents a program of
Church, 3016 Providence Rd., today
spirituals in celebration Black
from 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. The Hahns are
Month at the Basilica of St. Haywood St., today at 3 p.m. Admission
converts to the Catholic faith, make frequent appearances on the cable
History Lawrence, 97
For
is free.
is
9 CHARLOTTE
committee members, educators, business people and all interested persons. There is no cost, but registration is required by calling Joanne K. Frazer at (704) 370-3231. Bring a bag lunch; drinks will be provided.
— Sacred Heart Catho-
its annual Valentine and silent auction fund raiser today from 7-10 p.m. at the Country Club of Salisbury. The event includes a buffet dinner, dancing and the auction. Proceeds benefit school facilities and materials. Cost is $30 per person, and reservations are required by Jan. 31.
lic
are not going
to build a Catholic elder facility any-
letter,
SALISBURY
"We
Special Ministries.
Information gathered will be
eration.
For
Gerry Carter, diocesan director of
studied and discussed at the next meeting of the Mecklenburg Area Task Force on Aging in February. Mercy Sister Jeanne Marie Kienast, a pastoral associate at St. Matthew Church and a member of the task forces, devotes her service to people with special needs. She told those in attendance on Jan. 22 that she looks forward to the day she can minister to them in a Catholic senior
School hosts
Ball
For more information, Tonseth, (704) 637-7886.
7 ASHEVILLE
—
call
Phyllis
The Reynolds-
details, call (828)
252-6042.
— Molly
Kelly, an
network
many
EWTN, and have produced
audio and video tapes.
They
widowed mother
will discuss four topics relating to
of eight, discusses chastity in a speaking presentation at Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School, 3100 Park
the 1999 papal theme of the "Father." Admission is free, and donations will be accepted. For more infonnation, call (704) 364-5431. This event is sponsored by the Catholic Evangelization Commission of Charlotte. CHARLOTTE Wilderness themes are explored in a "Journey into Lent" presentation today from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at St. Gabriel Church, 3016 Provi-
author, lecturer, and
Rd., at 7:30 p.m.
The
presentation
is
open to the public. For details, call Diane Hoefling at (704) 541-3760. Father An13 CHARLOTTE thony Marcaccio, priest secretary to Bishop William G. Curlin, discusses
—
"Baptism: What Does It Call Us To As Christians?" today at 7 p.m. in the clubhouse of Strawberry Hill Apartments. This meeting is part of a series of monthly talks for adults. Reservations are required by calling Helen at (704) 365-4932. Dessert will be served. Catholic evangelists Scott and Kimberly Hahn bring their message of faith to St. Gabriel
CHARLOTTE
—
—
dence Rd. tlie
The
event includes discus-
on the pain, anguish and humor of
sion
wilderness as found in Scripture.
Cost
is
$20. R.S.V.P. to
Caryn Cusick,
(704) 362-5047, ext. 276.
Please submit notices of events for the Diocesan Plan?ier at least 10 days prior to publication date.
4
The Catholic News & Herald
January 29, 1999
& Columns
{{iilorials
"Corpus Christi" Brantley reviewed the play "Corpus Ben Christi" the New York Times (Oct.
Spirituality
1998). The play presents a Christlike hero as a gay man. In Brantley's view, the central message of the play is that no one should be persecuted for being different. That is a good message. Gay-bashing has become sport among some sick individuals. We should all try to uphold the decency and honor of the Golden Rule. The tragic death of a gay student who was tortured and beaten in Wyoming a few months ago vividly reminds us that gay-bashing is a crime against all humanity. It is no wonder that the gay
for Today
The Pope
in
Speaks
POPE JOHN PAUL
Pope says
II
love of mother, father
closest thing to God's love By CINDY
WOODEN
News Service (CNS) The closest God's "intense, constant and
Catholic
—
VATICAN CITY
thing on earth to compassionate love" for his creation is the love of a father or mother for a child, Pope John Paul II said.
"Despite the infidelities of his people and the consequent threats of punishment, God has revealed himself to be incapable of renouncing his love," the pope said Jan. 20 during his weekly general audience. At the end of the audience, Pope John Paul told visitors he would be traveling to Mexico City and St. Louis within the next week and asked for prayers for the peoples of North and South America. In his main talk, the pope said that alongside the fatherly images of God in the Old Testament, "characteristics which are usually attributed to maternal love" also are attributed to
13,
community is outraged. Homophobia is the
target of the play's author,
The pope said Christians' identification of God as "Father" is an inheritance from the experience of the Jews, who recognized in him "a
CNS
is justified, but he presented a terribly offensive description of the holy
family.
Paul Bauman, executive editor of Commonweal magazine, reviewed the play and wrote the following: "Joseph is depicted as a foul-mouthed lout, Mary a blousy, cigarette
He may have
people come away saying "gays and minorities in general have a right to be different," or will they say "gays don't care if they desecrate our most sacred beliefs."
Perhaps McNally doesn't care about conse-
bit
quences.
picture.
When anyone stirs up a hornet's nest he usually reaps a strong negative reaction. The conservative Christians who came out in protest did not see the
Joshua, the
name given
to the character intended
gay man who
is seduced by Judas in a men's room on the night of the prom. The play seems to be more a catharsis of revenge than an appeal to high principle. It succeeds very well in offending the religious sensibilities of many Christians, but it fails
play as an appeal for understanding or a defense of the principle of "live and let live." They saw it as an attack on the sacred images of their faith. They wonder how any appeal to artistic license can justify the desecration of the religious beliefs of millions of
in its public relations.
Christians.
to be Jesus,
is
a
A horde of Catholics and Protestants, some of whom were gay themselves, am told, protested the I
Tempers were raging though the demonstration was nonviolent. The American Civil Liberties Union defends the right of artists to say anything they want in their
play's opening.
even if they know they will enrage others. McNally's right to artistic freedom is
As an American
They experienced God as Father through creation, but even more so as he made re-
pope said. "A paternity so divine and, at the same time so 'human' in the ways it is expressed, also includes characteristics which are usually attributed to maternal love," he said. "Even if they are rare, the Old Testament images in which God is compared to a mother are extremely significant," Pope John Paul said. The pope cited as examples two passages from Isaiah in which the people are told God, like a mother, can never forget them and that "as a mother comforts her son, so will I comfort you." "Therefore, the divine attitude toward Israel is manifested also with maternal traits which express tenderness and compassion," the pope said. Pope offers condolences to victims of Kosovo violence VATICAN CITY (CNS) Pope John Paul II offered his condolences to the victims of recent violence in the Kosovo region of Yugoslavia and called for an end to the conflict. In a Jan. 21 telegram to the head of the Yugoslavian bishop's conference, Archbishop Franc Perko of Belgrade, the pope said he was "profoundly
—
pained over the aggravation of the situation in
Kosovo region." The pope urged Yugoslav government officials "to put an end to the spiral the
of violence and to find again the path of constructive dialogue in respect for the inalienable rights of every human person."
have to defend McNally's right
fit. As a Christian I offended by the treatment of his topic. What we need to do is pray for greater understanding and
feel all
We may not fully understand the world of gays and lesbians, but they are our brothers and sisters, and they are worthy of respect. tolerance.
looked at her, and
a couple of kids.
how
I
we
both started to laugh like
told her to
remember
am
—
all
I
said
about life and to forget how I reacted when my car wouldn't start. Naturally that initiated another conversation, probably a much more honest one. It hit home hard to that we all think we know ourselves, and we do an extent. But it's when something happens to upset our smooth routine that we learn much more about about
Line
peated efforts to save them, the pope said. In the Hebrew Scriptures, God expresses his love for his people "with profound tenderness, even when he is forced to lament his children's lack of a corresponding love," the
I
to express his feelings as he sees
I
The Bottom
particularly paternal attitude." his
better once he got his pent-up
felt
frustrations out, but did he help the cause? Will
smoking and uncomprehending
of white trash, the disciples a boisterous boy-didwe-party band of bar-hopping gay men." You get the
Columnist
protected by the U.S. Constitution, but the longrange consequences of his work is not.
Terrence McNally. His anger
artistic expression,
God.
FATHER JOHN CATOIR
relaxed
I
—
ANTOINETTE BOSCO
CNS
ourselves.
Who are we, really, when a tragedy hits us, when
Columnist
we
are beset by disappointment, betrayal, illness, boredom, depression and, yes, even shame if a transgression we hoped to hide came out in public? We
Look inward and learn — the folly of judging others was visiting my sister Jeannette who lives 25 I miles from me. The morning was leaving we 1
I
had one of those wonderful sisterly conversations about how our lives were going. I felt very peaceful as we talked. I was telling my sister, who is 14 years younger than I, that now, in my more mellow years, I was becoming so much more relaxed about life. I told her how I was very easy-going. Most of life's annoyances simply roll off me. I must have sounded like a great sage the way I was going on. My sister listened, smiled and assured me that while she was not yet where I was in this profound development of easy-goingness, she was no doubt on her way. We said our goodbyes, and I went out to my car. Surprise! It wouldn't start.
I
couldn't believe
it.
My
kept trying to start it, but the engine simply wouldn't turn over. I went back into the house. Jeannette's son Tony went out to see if he could start it. No luck. By this time I was getting just short of hysterical. I had to get back home for a very important meeting. As I went on trying to figure out what to do, my
car
is
nearly new.
sister said, quietly:
you
a
cup of hot
out what to do."
I
"Why
tea.
don't you sit. and I'll make Just relax, and then we'll figure
can self-analyze all we want, as I did to my sister, but that's not the real picture unless we are seeking to know ourselves when we're under crisis. If it is so confusing to judge ourselves, how much more so is it impossible and wrong to judge others. I think the wisdom of the Lord Jesus was at its best when he said, "Judge not others that you may not be judged." In the past year,
we became
a society that
gave
judgment of anybody and what anybody could perceive to be
itself the right to sit in
everybody
for
pray that all could learn, as I is to judge oneself and how impossible it is to judge others. May we all listen to Jesus and live by his wisdom. well I went out again after As for my car sipping my relaxing tea, said a heavy-duty prayer and tried again. The prayer probably did it. The car started. I guess water had gotten into the gas line. I was on my way, a bit humbled and wiser. Do we ever really know ourselves? Maybe. But one thing is for sure. We can never really know what is in the depths of another person. Thus, our mission their private sins.
have,
how
I
difficult
it
—
is
to love, not judge.
January 29, 1999
Editorials
Light
pagan
Aristotle, and set out to reconcile the secularity of the world with the radical nature of the Gospel. But that was after he earned a reputation as a dad liked to tell the story about how scholar. Thomas was called the "Dumb Ox" and became the
One
Candle
wanting of
FATHER THOMAS
commemo-
Aquinas, a young man whose enthusiasm for learning knew no bounds. My father introduced me to Aquinas through Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, that famous Catholic prelate who was a regular on TV on Tuesday nights back in the 1950s. Like most who watched his series "Life Is Worth Living," my dad delighted in the archbishop's "mediagenic" presence and wit. But frequently during the broadcasts, he would interject, "Listen to the Aquinas in him! Sheen is nothing without Thomas Aquinas!" I didn't have a clue what he meant at the time, but eventually I came to appreciate why Sheen and the so much Christian world came to appreciate and even imitate the work of this great 13th century theologian. Aquinas' personal story is that of a young revolutionary thinker who raised quite a fuss in medieval thinking and culture. Aquinas' own well-to-do family imprisoned him for two years because he wanted to go to be ordained a Dominican priest. Once he got his wish, he was labeled a radical for trying to bridge the gap between faith and reason. This was no easy task in the darkness of the Middle Ages, when those in authority tended to negate the world and its values in order to keep faith with God. Nonetheless, Aquinas took on the revered Saint Augustine along with the
Thomas
and
sisters
of
Jesus, spoke
pouring cats and dogs!"
window to how stupid he
raced to the
gence by uttering something so completely absurd." For Aquinas, the solution to intellectual darkness was to turn on the light of human intelligence, the divine spark of creativity and learning. He argued: "Both the light of reason and the light of faith come from God. Therefore, there can be no contradiction between them." Thus Aquinas became both an apostle of God and a champion of the human potential to think for oneself He also had a good deal to say about our human capacity for the truth, goodness, and love. Dealing with problems drawn from the hearts and minds of individuals of any age, the writings of Aquinas go below the surface of our lives to uncover God's image. Pope John Paul II's recent encyclical, "Faith and Reason," underscores the importance of Aquinas in Catholic thought: "Thomas recognized that Faith has no fear of reason, but seeks it out and has trust in it. Just as grace builds on nature and brings it to fulfillment, so faith builds upon and perfects reason." Yet, near the end of his life, Aquinas was forced to admit, as we all are, that his accomplishments still fell short of his dream and that all he had written seemed so much straw. He realized more clearly than ever that the way to wisdom cannot be found without faith. In this information age, any one of us could behefit by retrieving Aquinas from the bookcase and rediscovering our possibilities when the height of human reason unites with the depth of spiritual faith.
—
References to Jesus' brothers and sisters Q: Tour interesting recent column, about the Gospel references to brothers
it's
was. But he simply said, "Actually, I couldn't believe that anyone here would have so betrayed their intelli-
potential of people
the 28th of January, Catholics
raining,
it's
see for himself, the students guffawed at
Guest Columnist
rate Saint
—
fellow student,
at
When Aquinas jumped up and
J.
One
Aquinas' ideas about the power intelligence, stood at a window crying,
poke fun
to
human
"Look
McSWEENEY
On
of
Corner
ofJoseph by a previous marriage. There is another possibility. Some languages I am a bitfamiliar with Flemish, Malay, some African use the same wordfor cousin (of whatever degree) and brother or sister. Could the same be true of the language used in
children
—
CNS
I have always answered questions about this with the
Could that
Columnist
be true?
A. Yes, that
is
a real possibility. I'm grateful to
you and the others who wrote. As I have explained several times over the years, Hebrew, and the related system of Semitic languages called Aramaic, allow for the broader use of the word for brother and sister that you describe. Aramaic was the common language in Palestine in New Testament times. Oral sources for the four Gospels were almost entirely in that language.
An
authoritative reference for this kind of information is Jastrow's Dictionary of Rabbinic Literature.
The
meaning
for the Hebrew word we're speakbrother in our sense of the word. But another common usage is kinsman, such as cousin. Aramaic frequently adds an "a" to Hebrew. Thus,
ing
the
first
of,
"ah,"
source of the Gospels is "aha," but according to Jastrow its meaning is the
same
as
around the year 150. This document, incidenhas greatly influenced the development of theology concerning the mother of Jesus. It is the source, for example, of the long tradition that the parents of Mary were named Joachim and Anne. circles tally,
St. Jerome (d.420), on the other hand, insistently claimed (he never claimed anything not insistently) that they were children of a relative of either Joseph or Mary.
The church has no official position one way or another on either of these interpretations. Both obviously are compatible with the belief that Mary had no other children before or after the birth of Christ.
is
Aramaic word
at the
Hebrew.
Sign of the cross Q. As a relatively new convert to the I'm
learning a
Catholic faith,
about the actions at Mass. Just before the Gospel, the reader touches his or her
still
lot
and breast. The priest and most of the me do the same. What does that mean?
forehead, mouth
should be noted that the Greek in those passages which speak of the brothers and sisters of Jesus
people around
more explicit word for blood brothers those coming from the same womb. The explanation I offered in the more recent columns, that the brothers and sisters of Jesus were children by Joseph's previous marriage, is the older traditional explanation.
A. The priest and other people are making a small sign of the cross. Whoever reads the Gospel
It
uses the usual
and
sisters,
found first in the Protevangelium ("first Gospel") of James, which appeared in Christian It
is
the school year shows a clear pat
fall, one starts out full of hope and ambition, certain that this is the year
tern. In the
to really get those grades you've been promis-
ing your mom. You do pretty well for a while, but then there are the holidays. You find yourself slipping around Thanksgiving, but tell yourself that "there are only three more weeks till Christmas vacation. I'll catch up as soon as we come back at the beginning of the year." That sounds easier than it is. Every teacher on earth knows that the biggest period of "real instruction" happens between Christmas and spring break. Experienced teachers figure correctly that by May 1 teens are far enough into spring
—
fever and
proms that
—
they're essentially brain-
dead the final weeks of the year. So here it is, early February, and you're about three chapters behind in the book. What's to be done? Take a long look at how you're studying. If you're not keeping up, it's usually because of a problem in your study habits. Maybe all you need is a bit of extra time with the books each evening. If you've been studying for an hour a night, and you're slipping slowly behind the wave, an hour and 15 minutes might be enough.
on the other hand, you're
really in trouble chapters behind in history it's time for bigger changes. Catching up after major slacking takes a major change in study habits. If passing these courses really matters to you, then you'll put in the effort. Here are some possible suggestions. Pick one or more, and stick with them. Change the place you study. Lots of teens study in bedrooms, where a radio, a telephone, the television and Nintendo all provide interesting alternatives to algebra problems or social studies essay questions. Your study may become much more efficient if you move down to the kitchen table. Just being out in the open may keep you honest. Turn off the television. Contrary to what parents think, many teens can study quite effectively with the radio blaring. However, contrary to what teens think, few can actually learn anything from a book while the tube is turned on. If you're ideally in trouble in school, you might want to put yourself on voluntary TV time-out no television on school nights till you get caught up. It's a great incentive, "if you make the decision yourself Get some study partners. First, it's much less boring to study with friends. Second, people have different learning styles. Lots of us learn better by hearing things out loud or speaking them out loud ourselves. If your style of learning isn't visual, sitting and reading a book won't necessarily get the facts in your head. Study partners and groups let other forms of learning happen. If you study together, you can go into the test with more information than if each of you
are
1 1
—
—
FATHER JOHN DIETZEN
explanation that these individuals were probably his cousins.
Catching up with studies
Often
If,
the
Jesus' time?
CHRISTOPHER CARSTENS CNS Columnist
— say you
Question
ancient explanation that these persons could have been
—
Coming of Age
My
butt of his classmates' teasing.
A champion for the
The Catholic News & Herald 5
& Columns
first traces a
sign of the cross on the book
itself,
then
on these parts of the body. This small action the
a fitting symbolic prayer that
good news (Gospel) of
about to hear, lips
is
and
may
Jesus, which they are be always in their minds, on their
in their hearts.
—
—
—
studies alone.
Sprmg
time for the big push in school. If it's time to reassess your study habits. If you make some changes now, you can probably still finish the year with decent grades. is
you're falling .behind,
6
The Catholic News & Herald
People
in
January 29, 1999
the News
j
Polish Catholic editor Jerzy Turowicz dies WARSAW, Poland (CNS) The
The
of the Year.
National Football
League announced the honor Jan. for Michele Eggleton, nominated by
—
.5
Polish Catholic editor who published the first newspaper articles by the fu-
former student Darrell Russell, a de-
ture Pope John Paul II died in Krakow at age 86. Jerzy Turowicz, who rose to prominence in Poland's
In an
pre-World
War
fensive tackle for the
Russell said, "Ms. Eggleton gave me an understanding of the importance my education would play in my devel-
"Odrodzenie"
II
Catholic renewal movement, died Jan. 27 of complications from a heart attack he suffered Jan. 21. He was a leading church figure for more than six decades.
Reporting
27, Poland's state
opment, not as an
Bishop Braxton offers ideas for greater black, white openness
BALTIMORE (CNS) — Auxiliary
his death Jan.
Bishop Edward K. Braxton of St. Louis outlined 10 specific "ways to develop greater openness to blacks by the church and to the church by blacks" in a Jan. 22 talk in Baltimore. One of 13 active black bishops in the United States, Bishop Braxton was addressing a Jan. 21-22 national consultation sponsored by the National Black Catholic Congress. The recommendations ranged from greater use of the African-American media and of the
one of the country's "highest moral authorities."
Parkinson's specialist calls papal hand tremor a good sign WASHINGTON (CNS) The tremor in Pope John Paul IPs left hand may be the most evident sign of
—
also a
is
it
CNS
good
sign, said a specialist in Parkinson's disease at Georgetown University Medical Center. "The fact
LOS ANGELES (CNS)
—A
fu-
Mass was
celebrated Jan. 19 for Paulist Father John W. Mulhall, 69, founder and director for 20 years of Paulist Communications.
Los Angeles Jan.
The Mass was
1
He
died in
2 after a long illness.
celebrated at St. Paul
the Apostle Church, a Paulist-run parish in
Los Angeles where he had been He was buried
stationed since 1990.
Want
to re-finance your
PHOTO BY Demse Walker
Church failing to reach black youths, theologian says
BALTIMORE (CNS) — Pattie Griffin of Philadelphia makes a point during a small-group discussion at the National Black Catholic Congress' national
of the tremor is good. It signifies that only a movement disorder is involved, not a loss of intellectual capacity," said Dr. Jonathan Pincus, a neurology professor and former chairman of the neurology department at Georgetown. Pincus spoke about the pope's physical condition Jan. 25 after reviewing a series of close-up video clips of the pope at public ceremonies during his Jan. 22-26 visit to Mexico City. Paulist Father Mulhall, Catholic broadcast leader, dead at 69 neral
athlete, but as an
individual."
TV said he had been
his neural disorder, but
Oakland Raiders.
announcement of the award,
Catholic press to more controversial suggestions such as an end to use of the term "minority" to describe the
The discussions were part of the National Black Catholic Congress Jan. 20-22 in Baltimore. The Catholic Church is failing to attract black young people "in the 'hood," as well as those who have achieved success, said Diana Hayes, associate professor of theology at Georgetown University in Washington. Speaking on "Evangelization and the African-American," Hayes said the white-dominated, Eurocentric church seems "alien to today's youths" especially in the inner cities who are seeking "a God who is personal to them." "The images of a blue-eyed, brown-haired or even blond, ethereal, effeminate Jesus simply turns them off," she said. More real to them would be the concept of "Jesus as homeboy, living in the 'hood, 24-7," she added. consultation in Baltimore Jan. 21.
Holy Cross Cemetery Culver City. A leading figure for a quarter-century in U.S. and Canadian religious broadcasting. Father Mulhall was a board member of the Canadian Broadcasters Association in the 1960s and served three terms as treasurer of Unda-USA, the U.S. branch of an international association of Catholic the next day at in
community and adaptations in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults to better reflect inner-city reblack
alities.
Ogdensburg bishop named to head Diocese of Arlington, Va.
WASHINGTON
San Diego Catholic high school teacher honored by NFL
SAN DIEGO
(CNS)
—
St.
(CNS)
— Pope
named Bishop Paul S. Loverde of Ogdensburg, N.Y., as bishop of Arlington, Va. The appointment was announced Jan. 25 by Arch-
John Paul
II
has
bishop Gabriel Montalvo, apostolic nuncio to the United States. In Arlington, Bishop Loverde succeeds Bishop John R. Keating, who died last
Augus-
High School has long been known winning football team. Now, the all-boys Catholic school in San Diego also is home to the 1998 NFL Teacher tine
for its
March.
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January 29, 1999
The Catholic News & Herald 7
from fhc Cover
Bishop Sullivan calls remarks on Antichrist 'outrageous' By
CHARLES
Catholic
MAHON
E.
News
RICHMOND,
Service
—
(CNS)
Va.
Antichrist to be a Jewish 'counterfeit' of Christ," the Lynchburg minister "recklessly targets the Jewish people
Bishop Walter
F. Sullivan of Richmond says the Rev. Jerry Falwell's statements that the Antichrist has
as the fountainhead of evil itself"
probably been born and is certain to be a Jewish man are "outrageous" and
the richness of Jewish tradition
"Ironically, the idea of the millen-
nium
"Rev. Falwell's claims are an absolute offense to our Jewish sisters
and brothers. They deserve our strictest rejection, rebuttal and condemnation," the bishop said in a letter to pastors and pastoral coordinators
Falwell paints the arrival of the new millennium as a time of "doom and gloom." "Adding an Antichrist to the mix makes a perfect entree to incite prejudice and hatred," Bishop Sullivan wrote. "It perverts the wonder of jubilee into one more instance of blaming the Jews for the world's troubles. It again makes the Jews the scapegoat for our fears and insecurities, opening old wounds rather than healing them." The bishop said that in his opinion, "the Antichrist is not a person but a biblical symbol for what Pope John Paul II has called 'the culture of death.' It is a whole pattern of attitudes and lifestyles that contradict values held in common by Christians
reported by The Associated Press, Rev. Falwell told about 1,500 persons at a conference on evangelism in Kingsport, Tenn., the second coming of Christ probably will take place soon and that the Antichrist is alive today.
don't know.
Nobody
else
I
knows," said
Rev. Falwell, whose Sunday services at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, in the Richmond Diocese,
by many
are carried nationwide
tele-
vision stations.
he alive and here today? ProbBecause when he appears during the Tribulation period he will be a full-grown counterfeit of Christ," he said. "Of course he'll be Jewish. Of course he'll pretend to be Christ. And if in fact the Lord is coming soon, and "Is
ably.
and Jews
bishop called on parish leaders to "appropriately counter" such views as Rev. Falwell's among their parishioners and "defend against them for our Jewish brothers and sisters." In a statement issued after Bishop
ral coordinators, the
be an adult at the presentation of himself, he must be alive somewhere today." In a letter to the
alike."
In his letter to pastors and pasto-
he'll
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A Richmond Jewish leader also took issue with Rev. Falwell. Tommy P. Baer, former president of B'nai B'rith International, the world's larg-
ter side."
The Catholic Church tends to view the scriptural references to the ciple of evil,
a religious deception rather than a person. The "Catechism of the Catholic
Church"
"The supreme
states:
gious deception christ, a
man
pseudo-messianism by which
glorifies himself in place of
and of his Messiah come
Diocese explores options for
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and changing needs Ponce
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Rev. Falwell "breached that responsi-
millennia."
pital
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to
gious freedom," Baer wrote in a letter to the editor of the Richmond TimesDispatch. In Washington, Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, said that by "casting a cloud of suspicion over Jewish men" Rev. Falwell has "given new fodder to anti-Semites around the world." "To promulgate such accusations today is particularly alarming," he added. "The approaching millennium can be an opportunity for religious groups to bring peoples together or to inflame ancient prejudices and tear societies apart. Sadly, Rev. Falwell seems to have weighed in on the lat-
that by selling the
Winston-Salem,
public.
Rev. Falwell said his views were shared by "most evangelicals." "This belief is 2,000 years old and has no anti-Semitic roots," he said. "This is simply historic and prophetic orthodox Christian doctrine that most theologians. Christian and nonChristian, have understood for two
Antichrist as referring to the prin-
Instead, the bishop wrote, Rev.
Richmond Diocese.
will the Antichrist be?
itself,
promise."
In a speech Jan. 14 about peoples' concerns over the new millennium, as
"Who
comes from
found in the Book of Leviticus. Jubilee is a time of celebration and rejoicing, a time for atonement and reconciliation, a time when justice and righteousness rule, a time of hope and
"reprehensible."
in the
as a year of jubilee
were made
Sullivan's letters
-
H3-36) 274'5577
Daniel L. Murray, President St.
Pius
X Parishioner
IB
Medical
Facilities
8
The Catholic News & Herald
January 29, 1999
Readings
Book Review Reviewed by
EUGENE
Catholic
J.
Land" comes, for me as a Christian, remarkably close. Though it does not have the aspect of the Jewish-Christian encounter, it is thoroughly ecu-
FISHER
News Service
Last March, I participated in a Catholic/ Jewish "bishop-rabbi pil-
grimage" to Israel and Rome led by Cardinal William Keeler of Baltimore. Long planned and twice postponed, it turned out to be one of the most profoundly moving spiritual journeys of my life. The itinerary had been carefully and jointly planned to include
in its true
At
first
sight this
it
presents
—
in
the Holy Land"
prayed together at the tombs of prophets
Y. and D. Salomon,
—
quality coffee-table book. But then one begins to understand the
A Walk with Jesus
remarkable conception behind the book.
design and text, and M. Milner, photography. Kirschner Enterprises and
January 31. Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Cycle A Readings: 1) Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13 Psalm 146:7-10
volume of su-
perb photographic images of the holy places of Israel strikes one as simply another albeit very high 2000:
By
and rabbinical giants such as Moses
way
ages it selects and the them.
We
tions call "holy."
sense of fostering
internal Christian unity by the im-
"Jesus
equally sites of Christian
and Jewish reverence and remembrance of the land both tradi-
menical
Word to Life
These are not just
pictures of the holy They are imAlfa Communications Maimonides. And we ages of the holy sites, as (New York, 1998). had Mass at many of the the introduction states, 199 pp., $49.95. "at the peak of their glory, most sacred sites of Jesus' on the pilgrimage days of ministry, death and resurrection. Since I was the only the most important annual cerCatholic layperson, I and the rabbis emonies." So we view not only the formed a "congregation" for the churches and shrines that commemoconcelebration of the cardinal and rate the most important events of other bishops from across the United Jesus' life, but the faces and postures were a rather unusual States. of the clergy who officiate and the crew so much so that the pilgrims who flock to the celebration Franciscan and other caretakers of of those events at the very sites the Christian holy sites would come where they took place some two milout to greet us and have their piclennia ago. tures taken with us for their archives. see not only the Catholic cerNot only did we pray, but we diaemony of foot-washing on Holy logued. celebrated Purim toThursday in the Church of the Holy gether in the bomb shelter of a kibSepulcher, but the rituals of the butz in northern Israel and debated Greek Orthodox, Armenians, and Ethiopians as well. see pilgrims the relative merits of the Greek of all branches of Christianity foltranslation of the Bible (on which the lowing in the footsteps of Christ on New Testament authors often rely) the Via Dolorosa, the Way of the and the Hebrew. And we spoke of Cross. see throngs of Catholic what Jews and Catholics could witand Orthodox pilgrims in solemn ness to together in the ruins of the procession and devout prayer, one synagogue at Capernaum, where Jesus preached to his fellow Jews. Inkissing a pillar of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on which one can deed, this was undoubtedly the first discern the pious graffiti of centuries true dialogue between the successors of pilgrims from Eastern and Westof the Apostles and the successors of ern Christianity alike. One wonders the Pharisees in that spot since Jesus' time. The weight of sacred history what images there would be if these and its sense of infinite hope and pospilgrims from East and West, Reforsibility were palpable to us at such mation and Roman Christianity, could come together each year in moments of intimate spiritual sharjoint pilgrimage to these holiest sites ing. While one cannot capture such of our common faith, as Jews and Catholics momentarily did on the profound moments in photographic trip I took with them. images, I must say that "Jesus 2000: In the meantime, the images of A Walk With Jesus in the Holy places.
We
—
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who were by the culture as worthless effect set aside and redeemed
but as Scripture
are in
by the One in whom they take refThe redemption may be slow,
uge.
collected,
tells us, it is certain.
One need not look far to find remnants today. Every person who is marginalized, who experiences loss,
discounted and set aside for sale. In the remnant bin (usually in an out-of-the-way corner of the store) one could find all sorts of fabrics brocades and velvets to cottons and wools, colorful prints to neutral solids all at bargain prices, all teeming with possibility. Some remained in the bin a long time, and some were snatched up the next day. Once purchased, a remnant could become a doll's ball gown, a cushion for a chair or a pair of shorts for me. Seldom did we leave without finding
—
betrayal, discrimination or even per•secution, is a
candidate for the world's
remnant bin. Yet this is precisely where God's treasures are preserved.
—
Questions: have you felt cast asi<| abandoned or discounted? What do today's Scripture readings say to you about your own enduring worth in God's eyes?
When
Weekly Scripture Readings for the week of Jan. 31 - Feb. Sunday, Zephaniah
Monday, Hebrews
2:3;
3:12-13,
Mark
1
1999
6,
Corinthians 1:26-31,
Matthew
5:1-12;
Tuesday, Malachi 3:1-4, Hebrews 2:14-18, Luke 2:22-40; Wednesday, Hebrews 12:4-7, 11-15, Mark 6:1-6; Thursday, Hebrews 12:18-19, 21-24, Mark 6:7-13; Friday, Hebrews 13:1-8, Mark 6:1429; Saturday, Hebrews 13:15-17, Mark 6:30-34 11:32-40,
5:1-20;
volume draw one into a sense of the experience itself This is not a book for the coffee table, but for taking on retreat, especially during Lent. Each photograph is accompanied by an appropriate New Testament text regarding the events that took place there. At the end is a concise explanation regarding every site this
and ceremony included. Highly ommended. T Fisher
is
rec-
associate director of the and Interre-
Secretariat for Ecumenical ligious Relations
of the National Con-
and a conHoly See's Commission on
ference of Catholic Bishops suitor to the
Religious Relations with the Jews.
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New at the box office "The Children of Heaven" Charming story set in Tehran where
a 9-year-old Iranian
his little sister's
boy loses
only shoes, forcing the
wearing his sneakers to he hears of a foot race in
two
to share
school until which the third prize
is
a pair of
new
Majid Majidi spins
shoes. Director
from
a slender narrative thread
a
sweetly evocative tale of genuine childhood stress made bearable by bonds of love and their generosity to an even less fortunate child. Subtitles. Depictions of poverty and brief menace. The U.S. Catholic Conference adults and adoclassification is A-II
—
lescents.
The Motion
Picture Associa-
—
parenis PG guidance suggested. "Varsity Blues" Hokey formula tale in which a high school football team (led by James Van Der Beek) gets rid of its mean, dishonest coach at halftime in the championship game. Directed by tion of America rating tal
Coming soon: CD mixing
Brian Robbins, the bogus proceedings are devoted largely to the teens' activities' off the field, especially their drunken escapades and quest for sex. Sexual situations, nudity, alcohol abuse, intermittent rough language and occasional profanity. The U.S. Catholic Conmorally ofference classification is O
—
fensive.
The Motion
of America rating
is
Picture Association
R
—
restricted.
"Virus" Murky monster movie in which the crew (led by Jamie Lee Curtis, William Baldwin and Donald Sutherland) of a sinking tugboat seek refuge onboard a mysteriously empty Soviet vessel only to discover murderous alien life forms on board that interpret
human life as a virus to be Some gory sci-fi violence,
destroyed. occasional
profanity and intermittent rough lan-
guage.
The
U.S. Catholic Conference
classification
Motion
is
A-III
Picture
America rating
is
R
—
adults.
Association
—
The of
restricted.
Week of Jan. 31 but her body is eventually found, prompting the mother's personal
TV programs of note
search for the
pare
By GERRI
News Service (CNS)— Here are programs of note for
Catholic
NEW YORK some television the week of Jan.
31:
Monday, Feb. 1, 8-9 p.m. EST (A&E) "Dr. Laura Schlessinger: Tough Talker." From the "Biography"
of the controver-
series, a profile
show host who promotes per-
sial talk
sonal responsibility and self-motivation, and whose background includes posing for nude photos before she became an Orthodox Jew. Monday, Feb. 1, 8-9 p.m. EST (ABC) "20/20 Monday." Premiere of the fourth edition of the newsmagazine "20/ 20," with Connie Chung and Charles Gibson anchoring
the stories.
Monday, Feb. 1, 8-10 p.m. EST (NBC) "Vanished Without a Trace." Shelley Long stars as a wife and mother whose worst nightmare materializes
The Catholic News & Herald
fntert ainmen
when her daughter disappears
killer.
Monday, Feb. 1, 9-11 p.m. EST (PBS) "Fll Make Me a World." Showcases this century's AfricanAmerican creative artists as they struggled for identity, equality and self-expression. The six-hour series continues at the same time TuesdayWednesday, Feb. 2-3. Wednesday, Feb. 3, 8-9 p.m.
EST
(PBS) "CeCe Winans, Glorious Gospel." From the "In Performance at the White House" series, a salute to American gospel music, also featuring Michael Mangun with the Messiah Singers and Phil DriscoU. Friday, Feb. 5, 8-9 p.m. EST (A&E) "Dr. Joyce Brothers." From the "Biography" series, the story of the
famed psychologist and syndicated advice columnist who rose to fame as a winning contestant specializing in boxing trivia on "The $64,000 Question."
music and recordingijfpope By
LYNNE WEIL
Catholic
News
VATICAN
—
Service
CITY
In this era of (CNS) the multimedia pontificate, it was only a matter of time before Pope John Paul II came out with his own music compact disc. A professionally produced CD mixing instrumental works and recordings of the pontiff singing, praying and delivering homilies was set for release shortly
Sony Classical was to ship "Abba Pater," a joint production of Vatican Radio and the Italian religious publisher Audiovisivi San Paolo, to stores worldwide for sale starting on March 23, Sony
before Easter.
Sony Classical was
to
ship
"Abba Pater," a joint production of Vatican Radio and the Italian religious publisher Audiovisivi San Paolo, to stores worldwide for sale starting on March 23, Sony officials
officials said Jan. 26.
were papal readings of Psalm 26 and the Beatitudes. Profits from the sale of "Abba Pater" were to be divided between Vatican Radio, Audiovisivi San Paolo and Sony. In August the Vatican won a
said Jan. 26.
"Abba" is the Aramaic term for "father" and was one of the names Christ used to invoke God. The CD features the pope chanting and speaking in five languages at various occasions throughout his papacy, accompanied by classical and contemporary music tracks. The liner notes were to include the complete texts of the pope's prayers and remarks. The cover featured a black-and-white close-up of the pope's face, superimposed over lines of handwriting in gold. Vatican Radio officials said the
court challenge against another re-
was two years in the making and was timed to coincide with the
cording company that tried without consent to market a compact disc featuring Pope John Paul's voice. A high court in Milan ruled against the producers of "Forgi\ e Us," which mixed rock, world music and the pope singing a Gregorian chant. The recording had already been sold in some stores when the court ordered its production and distribution
20th anniversary of this pontificate
stopped.
and the arrival of the year 2000.
The producers were told that Vatican Radio, the legal owner of the recording and broadcast rights to the pope's voice, had decided to issue its own CD featuring him
project
Its
Holy Week draw more atten-
release date just before
was intended
to
tion to the recording, they said.
Sony officials said there were no immediate plans to release the recording in any format other than compact disc.
singing.
"Forgive Us" was not the
by church authorities. A 1993 recording called "Wojtyla Disco Dance" and a hip-hop number the same year used sampled phrases spoken by the pope, set to a pulsing pop music beat, t
One
Pare
is
on the staff of the U.S. Catholic
Conference Officefor Film arid Broadcasting.
Quality
Fersonal
first
disc of its kind to be contested
of the 1 1 tracks, a Latin version of the Our Father, was also to be accessible for free on the Vatican's Web site and the site operated by Sony Classical. A preview copy of the disc with five tracks was made available in late January. Among its selections
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10 The Catholic News & Herald
January 29, 1999
Mexico
Letter:
Affection of Mexicans, and Tonatiuh, shine on pope By JIM Catholic
HODGSON News
Service
MEXICO CITY Pope John Paul Mass
celebrates
II
Jan.
27 in the Trans
World Dome under an arch built to resemble the
Gateway Arch
—
(CNS)
In
Aztec past, one could say that Tonatiuh, the Nahuatl name for the sun, was smiling on Pope John Paul ll's visit. In January, the city is normally shrouded in thermal inversion haze, but during the days that the pope was here, the sun shone in a cloudless sky and seemed to match the this city, so steeped in its
in
St. Louis.
mood
of the people.
Mexicans fell in love with Pope John Paul during his first visit in 1979 and the pope with the people and, even though half the population of the country was not born at the time of the first visit, the mutual
—
—
affection has not diminished.
CNS
PHOTO FROM Reuters
At Mass in St Louis, pope appeals for end to death penalty —
ST. LOUIS (CNS) In a Mass to help put an end to every form of racism, saying U.S. bishops have idencelebrated in America's heartland, Pope John Paul II aptified it as one of the most persistent and pealed for an end to destructive evils of the death penalty and the nation. said its elimination "As believers, The pope's serwas part of the church's pro-life mon emphasized the fail to see can need to protect the commitment.
how
we
The pope made the remarks at a
lit-
urgy Jan. 27
the
in
visit to St. Louis.
sermon
a terrible rejection
port to live up to those teachings, he
euthanasia and
Trans-World Dome, during a 30-hour In a
assisted suicide are
family and promote the "Gospel of life" in a variety of areas. But people need various forms of church sup-
that abortion,
in
front of tens of thou-
added.
of God's gift of life
sands of people and
broadcast live on television, the pope
"As
believers,
how can we
and love?"
fail
nasia and assisted suicide are a terrible re-
Ameri-
who were "un-
of life and love?" he said.
the increasing
to feel the duty to surround the sick
"And
conditionally pro-life." is
recognition that the dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done evil,"
he
"Modern
said.
means of without definitively denying criminals the chance to re-
protecting
society has the
itself,
form. I renew the appeal I made recently at Christmas for a consensus to end the death penalty, which is both cruel and unnecessary," he said.
Missouri
is
one of the leading
numbers of executions. Before the papal visit, one such execution states in
scheduled to coincide with the papal visit
well-intentioned heresy: "This
God
is
incarnate!"
In previous trips, crowds have surrounded the residence of the papal nuncio, where the pope usually stays. This time, however, out of respect for Pope John Paul's need to rest, night-long serenades were banned and the crowds banished from the immediate vicinity of the
On
the second of his five days in
Mexico
City, 3 million people lined
the pope enjoyed the music, planners
the streets for a two- or three-second
arranged for groups to come into the grounds to serenade the pope at
glimpse of their pope, their "jefecito," or "little chief" They stood for hours to catch a glimpse of Pope John Paul. They passed the time chanting and singing hymns, but also interrupted the chants to boo each passing police car.
To the southeast, mark volcanoes cause
of
the city's landrose into the sky. Be-
the
usual
smog,
"Popocatepetl" (The Mountain that Smokes) and "Iztacihuatl" (Sleeping
Woman)
are rarely visible.
Mexicans' enthusiasm and affection were enormous and occasionally
seemed to overwhelm the 78-yearAt a Jan. 24 Mass, the pope's Communion line drew spontaneous demonstrations of warmth. old pontiff.
A
young
girl dressed in a
white
dress broke the ice when, after receiving Communion from the pope,
she simply stopped and leaned her head against him. The pope, clearly touched, bent over to kiss her head.
The next woman
in line
residence.
Still,
knowing how much
more reasonable
hours.
Radio and television endlessly played a song written especially for this visit, "El Pescador" ("The Fisherman").
Two
other papal favorites,
"Cielito Lindo" ("Beautiful Little
Sky") and "Amigo" ("Friend") also got a lot of play. Pepsi Cola had billboards that
"Mexico, always faithful." Hewlett Packard gave away postcards with images of the pope in various parts of the world or with famous people, such as Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama. Puns spread as well: mostly a play on words between potato ("la papa") and pope ("el papa"), because stickers with the pope's image were distributed in potato chip bags a said,
—
subject of continued controversy,
Contributing to
this story
t
was John
Thavis.
was
jection of God's gift
cas called for Christians
great
the pope occasionally gushed into
that abortion, eutha-
gram of new evange-
"A sign of hope
away. Several others left small gifts. Television commentary about
to see
sard the church's prolization in the
more exuberant, throwing her arms around the pope in a big hug. The pope appeared a bit taken aback. A third woman embraced the pope, whispered something in his ear and handed him a written message, which was quickly whisked
was temporarily postponed.
Vatican spokesman Joaquin NavarroValls on Jan. 26 called the postponement a "mockery" because it addressed issues of publicity and not justice. The pope also called on the church
as believers,
how
can
we
fail
and those in distress with the warmth of our affection and the support that will help them always to embrace life?" he said. The pope praised U.S. Catholics' tradition of generous service in charity, health care and education as expressions of the Gospel in action. Today, he said, U.S. Catholics should draw inspiration from this heritage of holiness and service for a new phase of evangelization.
The pope also reached out to fallen-away Catholics, suggesting that the
the
coming Holy Year 2000 was
moment
to return to the church.
Sometimes there may be obstacles to participation in the Eucharist, and in some cases memories need to be healed, but "in
all
cases there
is
the
assurance of God's love and mercy," he said. *
CNS
Opening Mass
in
Mexico
PHOTO BY Nancy Wiechec
City
Pope John Paul II stands behind the altar at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City for Mass Jan. 23. Behind him are cardinals and bishops from the Americas.
^
— The
Jan uary 29, 1999
The Catholic News & Herald 11
Pope
in
the Americas
carol ZIMMERMANN
By
—
than 20,000 youths at a prayer service in St. Louis Jan. 26 to use their energy and talent to serve the church and bring Christ's message to the world. "Even though you are young, the time for action is now," the pope told the crowd, which frequently interrupted him with cheers and shouts of
"we love you." He took a swing with a hockey stick he was given and then swung his own cane like a hockey stick
Bring Christ to the
News Service Pope John ST. LOUIS (CNS) Paul II urged a spirited crowd of more Catholic
before leaving the stage.
pope tells youths
worid,
a
But the Holy Father also spoke on somber note of human suffering and
the darkness that exists in the world due to euthanasia, abortion, drugs and
sexual abuse.
"There
He told the young people who filled home to the St. Louis
"God's gift of life is being rejected. is chosen over life, and this brings with it the darkness and de-
the Kiel Center,
Death
Blues hockey team, not to wait until they were older to live out their faith. "You are ready for what Christ
spair."
The pope urged the youths not to be misled from the truth and to seek
—
all wants of you now. He wants you to be light to the world, as of you only young people can be," he said.
When the pope arrived at the arena at 6:30 p.m., he was greeted with a deafening roar of cheers, waving banners, enthusiastic applause and thousands of camera flashes. Most of the youths had already been at the arena for at least eight hours for a youth rally with Christian rock bands and speakers. One of the young adults roaming the concourse during the musical acts dubbed the event "papal-palooza," saying it felt like he was at a big party with a lot of friends. Many
participants said just seeing
young people attending
other
a spiritual
event like this strengthened their
For
Maggie
others, like
faith.
Cella, a
senior at St. Louis University,
it
was
hearing people witness about their
was most impressive, espewhen young men and women
faith that
cially
spoke at the rally of why they entered religious
meaning and
"You never hear that, about normal people becoming priests and nuns,
In St. Louis,
He told them to consider their evening together as part of their "training ground," for living out their faith
After arriving Jan. 26, the pope St. Louis," re-
minded Americans of the Dred Scott case, praised the baseball heroics of
Mark McGwire and Sammy
Sosa, and
the pope told the
Young people march toward the
Kiel Center in St. Louis Jan. 26, where they
member: "Christ
pontiff",
who
not just a select few that get divine on them," she told Catholic
light shone
News
Service.
Louis Uni-
that he doesn't comprochimed in his co-worker, Terry Quinn. "Even when I disagree with him, I admire him for that." The pope lived up to his reputation of having a good rapport with youth but of also speaking frankly to them. He frequently addressed the crowd as his "young friends" and
in St. Louis, said
smiled at their interrupting cheers of
Cella said participants at the rally
were
clearly "here with friends, not with
their parents.
We're learning things
on our own," she added. And who better to learn from than the pope that seemed to be the con-
about our
faith
—
sensus.
graduate versity
a recent college
who teaches
High School
the pope was a good role model for young people because he is "not afraid to stand up for what he believes in."
at St.
"I like it
mise,"
cultural
language
cal
symbols and traditions. His comments on abortion were a
case in point. Instead of simply con-
demning the
way back
—
practice,
he went back
—
to a page in America's civil
made a comparison. After the Dred Scott case was heard in St. Louis in the mid- 1800s, the pope noted, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that nearly an entire class of people, those of African derights history and
scent,
had no constitutional rights.
It
was
a case that spurred the anti-sla-
very
movement and
eventually helped
is
to re-
calling you; the
you."
And it's a message the youths were taking to heart as they filed out of the arena to the song "Go, Make a Difference in the World." Rachel Frieder, a 1 6-year-old from Immaculate Conception Parish Springfield, Mo.,
summed
it
"My spiritual life was dry in the mud," she said. "But it's fired back up. The pope gave me a reason to pray to God." T
The Pope Speaks
in St.
Louis
Mark McGwire greets Pope John II before the pope joined a rollicking youth
"God's love
is
a love that
searches us out. It is a love that saves. This is the love that we find in the heart of Jesus."
rally at the Kiel
Center in
St.
"Christ is seeking you out and inviting you back to the community of faith. Is this not the moment for you to experience the joy of returning to the Father's house?"
Louis
on Jan.
26.
CNS reverse racial segregation, he said. That lesson needs to be remembered today, he said, when the unborn, the terminally ill and others consid-
ered "unuseful" risk losing legal protection. The pope took his cue from pro-life activists in St. Louis, who sometimes draw the parallel with the Dred Scott case when promoting respect for the unborn. At a youth rally that night in a sports arena, the pope not only met briefly with McGwire but spoke about the excitement of McGwire's 1998 home-run race with Sosa. He immediately connected with the many St. Louis Cardinals fans in his audience.
PHOTO BY Nancy Wiechec
and probably with millions of other Americans as well. The pope spoke of American heroes in baseball, basketball and soccer and then, in a spirited aside, looked up from his prepared text and remarked deadpan: "Nothing about football?" The laughter and applause were deafening. The pope delivered his talk at the youth rally like a consummate actor reading a script, spiced with a few insider ad libs, and this, too, showed appreciation for Americans' love of spontaneity.
When
his youthful hosts
brought
him a hockey uniform with his name on it, he flipped his cane upside down and pretended to shoot a puck.
in
up by say-
ing she was inspired.
homily
Home-run slugger
ited the
of the best ways to get his message across is to communicate through lo-
young people
Excerpts of the papal
vis-
United States on six previous occasions as pope and several times before that, learned long ago that one
to
church needs you; the pope believes in you and he expects great things of
would meet with Pope John Paul IL
recalled the importance of the Louisi-
ana Purchase. The 78-year-old
it
Speaking slowly and emphatically, PHOTO FROM Reuters
CNS
Paul
invoked the "Spirit of
comparing
a daily basis,
into the arena.
—
cultural language.
on
work of athletes like local baseball hero Mark McGwire, who briefly met Pope John Paul before the pope came the
pope speaks U.S.
By JOHN THAVIS Catholic News Service ST. LOUIS (CNS) In St. Louis for a 30-hour visit to the U.S. heartland. Pope John Paul II quickly showed that he spoke the American
direction for their lives
from Jesus.
Terry Tyrell,
life.
something wrong when people are overcome
by hopelessness to the point of taking their own lives," he said.
"we love you."
—
is
many young
so
"Our Christian
life
can be seen
as a great pilgrimage to the
house of the Father, which passes through the door that is Jesus Christ. The key to that door is repentance and conversion."
"From Old Testament
times, the core of salvation history is God's unfailing love and election, and our human answer to that love. Our faith is our response to God's love
and election."
12
The Catholic News & Herald
January 29,
the News
In
1
999
Vatican publishes revised Rite of Exorcisms By CINDY
WOODEN
The new
News Service CITY (CNS)
Catholic
VATICAN
— The
Vatican has published a revised Rite of Exorcisms, although the book urged caution in assuming that someone is possessed by the devil and needs exorcism.
"The sinister influence of the devil and his followers usually is exercised through deception, falsehood, lies and confusion," said Cardinal Jorge Medina Estevez, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments. "I
believe that cases of possession
common
are not only not
but very
rare," the cardinal said at a Jan.
press briefing on the
new
rite,
26
the last
of the church's ritual books to be updated following the Second Vatican Council.
The new
language, he said, genermore "imaginative" descriptions of Satan in line with the fact that the devil is "a spirit without body, without color and without odor." The cardinal said, "Exorcism has as a point of departure the faith of the church, according to which Satan and other evil spirits exist and their activity consists in distancing men and women from the path of salvation." The introduction to the new rite said, "The almighty and merciful Father sent his beloved son into the world to wrest men and women from the power of darkness and bring them ally excludes the
ment of confession,
physical illness.
mate victory
ture readings, replaces a version writ-
tion said,
said.
Published by the Vatican only in Latin, the revision "does not involve substantial changes," he said. "It uses more sober language with fewer adjectives, but expresses the same faith of the church in God and in the power given to the church by Christ to cast out demons."
said.
the sacraments, particularly the sacra-
However, the devil continues to tempt people, which is why they must be prayerful, vigilant and partake of
which includes 84 pages of guidelines, prayers and Scrip-
Medina
—
Before using the Rite of Exormust have "moral certainty" that the person involved is truly possessed or obsessed and not suffering from a psychological or
into his kingdom."
said.
it
Despite an assurance of an
rite,
ten in 1614, Cardinal
medical explanations have been ruled out include: "speaking in unknown languages, revealing things that are far away or hidden (or) demonstrating a physical strength not conforming to one's age or health status." At the same time, it cautioned that "these signs are only an indication" and may not be the work of the devil. "Other manifestations, frequently of a moral and spiritual order" are often present and may include aversion to God, to the name of Jesus, of Mary and of the saints, to the Scripture, to sacramental rites and sacred images, it
ulti-
in Christ, the introduc-
it is
possible that, at times,
"there occur cases of particular oppression and obsession
on the part of the
members of the people of God." The guidelines in the rite restated
devil in
canon law, which requires the exorcist to be a priest specifically appointed by the bishop to perform exorcisms. The book said that some signs that when all a person may be possessed
—
manded
the Lord's Prayer and a creed, a Gospel reading and the Sign of the Crpss.
A simple form of exorcism, not changed by the new ritual, is part of the Catholic Church's baptism rites; in it, the church prays that the one about to be baptized will be protected from evil and from Satan's temptation. In a series of 1986 audience talks about angels and the devil, Pope John Paul II said Satan has been defeated by Christ's death and resurrection, but he continues to try to win over people.
The "Catechism
of the Catholic
Church" states, "Exorcism is directed
demons or
cannot be excluded that in cer-
"It
tain cases the Evil Spirit tries to exercise his influence not
only on material things,
but also on the human body, for which one speaks of diabolical possession," the
pope
said
"It is
during an audience talk. not always easy to discern
that which happens preternaturally in
these cases, nor does the church easily
cast out evil spirits.
sion of
name of God and of the The ritual also in-
cludes a sprinkling with holy water, the recitation of a litany of the saints,
cisms, the priest
The rite is performed in the name of Jesus and calls on the power he gave to his disciples and their successors to
in the
church to depart.
yield to or support the tendency to
many occurrences to the intervention of the demon," he said. attribute
at the
expul-
At the same
to the liberation
from demonic possession through the spiritual authority, which Jesus entrusted to his church." In the ritual, the evil spirit
is
com-
time, the
"one cannot deny that
pope
said,
in his desire to
harm and
to lead toward evil, Satan can reach this extreme manifestation" of his power, t
College students invited to enter twelfth annual Christopher video contest $6,000
in
prizes
and
air
time on television series
—
NEW YORK
Attention all college campuses! The Christophers have announced their Twelfth Annual Video Contest for College Students. The contest includes cash awards of .$3,000, $2,000, and $ 1,000 for the top three entries. Winners will also have their work featured on the syndicated television program Christopher
The program
Closeup.
lions of people
reaches mil-
throughout the United
States as well as 166 foreign countries via the
To
Armed Forces Network. enter, students
'Our Specialty
Is
must interpret
the theme,
"One Person Can Make
Difference." Past winners have used a
variety of styles and genres that in-
clude drama, comedy, documentary, news format, music video and animation.
Father Thomas McSweeney, director of The Christophers, announced this year's competition say-
"From my many years as a college professor, I know that college is a
18, 1999.
time of idealism as well as creative vision. This competition taps into that spirit while affording us a
from campus Media or Communications Departments or by writing to: The Contest, College Video
ing,
Pineville
Road,
Pineville,
forms are available
Affordability
Simplicity
In Yours.
Dignity
Hospital 10833
Official entry
mm
Animal
Christophers, 12 East 48th Street, York, 10017, or by calling (212) 759-4050. They are also available on The Christophers' Web site at
NY
New
http:/ / www.christophers.org.
The
Christophers, a nonprofit or-
ganization founded in 1945 and based
on the Judeo-Christian concept of serGod and humanity, uses print and electronic media to encourage all
vice to
individuals to raise the standards of
public
Remember
Loving Your Pets'
Pineville
a
glimpse of tomorrow's talent." Entries may be created using film or video, but must be submitted on 3/4 inch or VHS tape only, and must be five minutes or less in length. The contest is open to all currently enrolled students, on both the undergraduate and graduate level. Students may enter more than once, but an official entry form must accompany each video. The deadline for entries is June
"It's
life.
The Christopher motto
is:
better to light one candle than to
curse the darkness."
"A valid Will stands as
a
continuing expression of our concern for loved ones, as well as an ongoing commit-
ment to the Church and the community in which we live." Bishop William G. Curlin
NC
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ou can express your conimitment to your Church by making a bequest to the Diocese of Charlotte
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m
January 29, 1999
The Catholic News & Herald 13
Calholic Schooh Week
WASHINGTON
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
Circus" cartoonist Bil Keane. Fourth in a series, the design depicts Billy
"Catholic
Schools: Faith for a Brighter Future" is the theme for the 24th annual cel-
0 BriQA,
and Dolly studying the "Fourth R" of
Week,
ebration of Catholic Schools
education.
Campaign materials provide
Jan. 31-Feb. 6.
The event is part of The Marketing Campaign For
schools with a "turn-key" package for marketing and include buttons, post-
National Catholic
banners and billboards. Products ranging from flags to T-shirts and
program of the Na-
Schools, a joint
ers,
tional Catholic Educational Associa-
marketing efforts. Television commercials which promote the values of
Catholic Schools
a Catholic
Catholic Schools Week
have focused on the Catholic foundation of our schools, from a curriculum which all else flows infused with values, high academic
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
arrives Jan. 31-Feb.
standards and discipline," said Leonard DeFiore, president of the
Msgr. Thomas McDade, United States Catholic
Schools Week. This day was established to encourage supporters nationwide to showcase the great ac-
complishments contributions
Conference's secretary for education, said the "faith for a brighter future" theme has a special message for par-
Catholic Schools
Week is to
build
support and
ronment
is
a gift
It is
Catholic schools
to
nationwide.
United States Catholic Conference to
tion."
promote Catholic schools year round. Now in its eighth year, the marketing effort was launched to help create
is the largest private, professional education association in the world. Founded in 1904, the association's membership represents more than 200,000 educators serving 7.6 million students of all levels of Catholic education. USCC is the national public policy organization of the bishops in the United States. T
awareness of the value of a Catholic education and to increase enrollment. According to the NCEA and USCC, enrollment has grown steadily in the past six school years, reaching over 2.6 million students.
"Family Circus" returns
The campaign lustration
also features an
NCEA
il-
from well-known "Family
Growing, growing, growing, growing 1997-98 school year marks sixth consecutive rise in enrollment
tors of Catholic educa-
truly their
tion to their represen-
and provide a background package on Catholic schools to every tatives
future."
The purpose
of Catholic Schools and recognition for the more than 8,200 Catholic to build support
schools nationwide. During this week, many dioceses encourage parents to enroll their children in Catholic schools. Catholic Schools Week also is an opportunity to interest citizens in volunteering their time and
congressional office. Across the country, diocesan and school leaders also meet with civic
on this day. Governors, city mayors, and town councils have joined in to proclaim "National Appreciation Day For Catholic Schools" officials
in their localities
National Appreciation Day
Day falls Wednesday of Catholic
National Appreciation 3,
the
year after year.
The National Marketing Cam-
talents to local Catholic schools.
on Feb.
6
meet with congresmote Catholic schools. As part of their marathon day, they will hand-deliver letters from chief administra-
passage to a brighter
Week is
A campaign poster, which has been adapted for billboard and print advertisements, features a majestic seascape punctuated by breaking waves. The headline reads "If Faith Can Part the Seas, Imagine What It Can Do For Your Children's Educa-
sional leaders to pro-
more than 8,200
children which will pay dividends all their lives.
parents will visit Capitol Hill on Feb. 3 to
recognition for the
world," added Msgr. McDade. "A faithfilled academic envi-
of
delegation of 100 Catholic school students, teachers and
"Values are of in-
creasing concern to parents in our mediacomplex driven,
and
Catholic schools to our country. In Washington, a
The purpose of
ents.
secondary education also
are available.
Week
ciation.
be personalized so
that educators can customize their
campaign and Catholic Schools
National Catholic Educational Asso-
may
sweatshirts
tion and the United States Catholic Conference. This year's logo features a bright starburst centered by the Bible. A cross is the nucleus of the design. "Recent themes for the national
2.6 million students are enrolled in Catholic schools. Enrollment increased
3,400 in 1997-98. Total enrollment growth since 1992-93 numbers 81,000.
paign For Catholic Schools was established by the National Catholic Educational Association and the
Source: National Catholic Educational Association 1998
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14 The Catholic News & Herald
January 29, 1999
Catholic Schools Week
the event so vividly. I Atremember the time was a ninth-grade
upon the person and teaching of Jesus Christ. The vision, values and
student at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross High School in Boston. At the conclusion of a school day Sister Dionysia, my homeroom teacher, asked me to remain in the classroom. Naturally I was curious as to why I was being held hostage as my friends exited excitedly the confines of the building. Shortly thereafter, however, I understood and appreciated her re-
virtues proclaimed and lived by them must be explained and experienced within the school. Its aim is not simply to educate but to form the participants into the likeness of the Lord. Pope John Paul II has reminded us that they must be assisted not only to know about Jesus but to become intimate with him. As we celebrate Catholic Schools Week there is a timely emphasis on the
I
The Catholic School: Locus of Faith
quest.
FATHER JAMES HAWKER
from the convent with a beautiful Boston cream pie protected by Saran Wrap as it rested on a plate. "Jimmy," she said, "take this home to your family in the housing project. You'll all enjoy it." Sister Dionysia returned
I reached for the prize, somehow or another, the delightful dish slipped from my grasp and plummeted to the
As
floor.
Shocked by the
stunt,
looked at
I
awkwardly thinking, "What could I do for an encore?" While Sister
slowly stooping to retrieve the pieces of my pathetic plight she stated sympathetically, "Don't worry, Jimmy, I'll get you another." In reviewing the experience of my Catholic schooling, there is no doubt that the most impressive event etched
my memory was
in
mean-
that truly
moment
with Sister Dionysia. Her care and compassion, empathy and encouragement, faithfulness and forgiveness on the occasion spoke volumes about the foundational meaning and ultimate purpose of Catholic eduingful
cation. It's true.
and English. she assisted
She did teach me Latin There's no doubt that
me
to cultivate
my
tal-
my
employ
ents and
skills.
Without
question she enabled me to assimilate and appropriate the contents of the Baltimore Catechism. Most important, however, she exemplified the veracity of the sentiment shared by Pope Paul VI: "People today don't believe teachers. They believe witnesses. If they do believe teachers it is because they are witnesses." The story I've shared is symbolic of the enriching atmosphere within
which I was enveloped as a student. Both the broader curriculum of the environment and the narrower curriculum of the course of studies were essential. Because of their interconnection I was touched and transformed by the schools' participation in
the church's fourfold educational
Each Catholic school context
in
every
Dr.
is
in-
ness of Jesus Christ. Second, it affirms that each person has been and is being gifted; that one's talents and skills are to be cultivated; that all are responsible and can make a positive difference. Third, it guides in its
delegated to reveal, to affirm, to guide and to heal. First, it reveals the love of the Father; that every person is unique and valuable; that all, as children of the Father, are
school, then, is not simply another private school. Its mission can neither be
understood nor
apart from
community of the church. During this week, we celebrate the contribution of Catholic schools to human and Christian formation; we
teaching
how to live and how to die; pray and how to play; how to relate and how to respond to the Father and to others. Fourth, it teaches what is good or bad; right or wrong;
acknowledge with gratitude the dedi-
how
cation of those
true or false.
pray for the participants being nurtured and nourished within these
to
Without doubt, children and youth who attend a Catholic school are to be assisted to cultivate effective
study habits, exemplify self-discipline, manifest respect for others and do so in a safe, enabling environment. tives
is,
the setting
must be founded
who serve within those we applaud the commitment of caring parents who sacrifice selflessly for the sake of their children; we settings;
grace-filled missions.
Forty years have passed since my days at Cathedral High School in Boston. The Catholic schools, instruments of the teaching church, will continue to be valuable and vital agencies of education and formation, t
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The Catholic News & Herald 15
January 29, 1999
Catholic Schools Week
Living the Faith
Local educator receives accolades as distinguished principal By
group of kindergarten students at the location on school's former Shenandoah Avenue. "I have a lot of memories of her
CONSTANCE HOLLOWAY Correspondent
CHARLOTTE
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
Long before she became an educator, Pat Murphy always liked working with children. For this elementary school principal, "watching the children learn and grow and do things is all so exciting and energizing." Now, Murphy, principal of Our Lady of the Assumption School, has been recognized for her work. In December, she received the 1998 NaEducational
Catholic
tional
Association's Distinguished Principal
Award. "Excellent choice," says Dr. Michael Skube, superintendent of Catholic schools of the Charlotte Diocese, "in terms of what she's contributed to our diocese and Our Lady of Assumption." Jesuit Father Francis Gillespie,
OLA's
pastor, agrees.
competent and proand a wonderful collaborator between the parish and "She's a very
Photo by Joann Keane
Our Lady of the Assumption School principal Pat Murphy takes time work out a class assignment with third grade student Joshua Powell.
to
fessional principal
the school."
News
of the honor surprised
Murphy. "I
says.
really couldn't believe
"You get
a
phone
call
it,"
she
and you
don't think I heard that.'" Last year, the Charlotte Diocese principals' association nominated think,
'I
Murphy
them in the awards competition. She competed to represent
against principals from 1 1 states and took top honors in the South Atlantic region. She was among 7,100 principals across the country considered by the for 12 regional awards.
NCEA
What makes Murphy and her colleagues so special? An NCEA press release credits the winners with being
leaders in their dioceses and "a lasting imprint
elementary school."
making
on their Catholic
The
association's
he recalls. "She always had time to spend with us. She always spent it at our level. Slie would always get down on one knee at eye level and have discussions with us." Murphy later taught Chase in middle school. The 29-year-old credits her with guiding his career choice. "Some of the lessons I learned from her (about environmental issues), I guarantee that's why I'm in the environmental consulting field now," he says. These days. Murphy and her staff of 36 are shaping the lives of more than 300 preschool through fifthgrade students at OLA's current location on Sharnrock Drive. Though the school has grown tremendously since 1988, its burgeoning enrollment and Murphy's 10-hour work days don't prevent her from greeting students every day. "Every single morning, she meets every single car that pulls up to that
(as a kindergartner),"
Murphy,
press release notes that
rolled their four children at the
hired as OLA's principal in 1987, "arrived to find a school where morale was low, the building was in need of
school.
were not being paid, and teachers were receiving an unjust wage. She began at once to rejuvenate Under the Spirit of Assumption her guidance and inspiration. Assumption, which had been weeks from
asked if I in the kindergarten," she says, so she became an assistant
being closed, came to
her chemistry degree, she was asked to teach science courses at the middle school. Murphy earned her
repair, bills
.
...
life."
embarked on her academic career by accident. As a stu-
Murphy,
58,
dent at the University of Central Oklahoma, she spent time with kids as a swimming instructor for the parks and recreation department. In the classroom, however, she worked toward a degree in chemistry. After she and her husband, John, moved to Charlotte from Oklahoma City in 1966, they joined OLA and later en-
"When my school,
in
1
1974.
children were in
school and greets all the children that get out," says Mary Pat Busker, mother stuof two "Every single morning, she dents. "That just strikes me so beautimeets every single car that fully. ... She says hi pulls up to that school and to all the children. She knows their
volunteered (there). would help
And once
the staff learned of
teaching credentials at the University of
They
OLA
greets
all
the children that
On
get out," says Mary Pat Busker, mother of two
names.
Murphy
OLA
students. "That just strikes
April
6,
will receive
her principal's award during the NCEA's convention in New
Orleans. Central Oklahoma me so beautifully. ... She am really "I and UNC Charlotte, grateful for the recand a master's desays hi to all the children. ognition," says gree at the UniverMurphy, "and I resity of Central OklaShe knows their names." ally feel that the parhoma. She was also ents, the students, principal of St. the teachers are part Michael School in of that. We are all being recognized. Gastonia from 1982 to 1987. It's a joint venture here." Scot Chase was among her first
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16 The Catholic News & Herald
January 29, 1999
Catholic Schools Week
Assistant superintendent says Catholic
Research on Technology in Catholic Schools
schools cultivate faith for the future
70%
By
jimmy ROSTAR
"People
ones
Associate Editor
—
CHARLOTTE
For 13 years,
who
faith
make our
does
As one of
Catholic schools in the Diocese of Charlotte. The experience, she says, reveals in great detail how faith and education en-
people
in
we
really believe,
future brighter."
the leading administra-
tors of Catholic schools in
the diocese, Sister Mona devotes many hours to directing curriculum, testing and teacher certifica-
courage the full potential of young people across western North Carolina. "The mission of the is
don't have hope are the
are discouraged and despon-
dent," she adds. "If
Franciscan Sister Mona Wingert has served as assistant superintendent of
church
who
tion.
She leads in-service
sessions with educators to outline new state policies. With Dr. Michael Skube,
develop holiness, and
to address issues calized level.
says Sister Mona. She adds that Catholic Schools Week, celebrated Jan. 31-
Sister
6, is a
The
Through Franciscan Sister
Mona
on a
lo-
on technology
in
Catholic schools can be found
in
Today's Catholic Teacher, October
1
998, Vol. 32, No.
all
she does.
focuses
"When we
on edu-
think of
the whole child,
goal.
we
think
14 el-
spiritually, academically, morally,
ementary, one middle and two high schools in the diocese are planning a variety of activities to commemorate this year's theme, "Catholic Schools: Faith for a Brighter Future." Masses, school spirit days, and service programs highlight the week, which celebrates education that prepares students for a Christian life. "Having this theme, Taith for a Brighter Future,' makes us look at what our faith does for us," says Sister
physically and emotionally," she says.
Mona. "Although we
in the diocese's 15
17 Catholic schools
—
"Catholic schools stress the spiritual
dimension to the others." Sister Mona says an important amenity Catholic school families enjoy is the passing on of values in the classroom. "I know that some parents come to our schools because of the discipline and the academic ratings," she explains. "But I thipk the basic reason is, and should be, values."
There are currently 5,883 students
stress faith
A total of 1,185 students compose the student bodies of the diocese's two
coming more rigorous.
high schools, Charlotte Catholic High School and Bishop McGuinness Memorial High School in Winston-Salem. From the mountains to the Triad, Catholic schools assume the responsibility for nurturing these thousands of students
see that
in
in the Christian
example, says Sister Mona.
"Academically, our schools are doing
very well," she adds, giving as an example the diocesan results of this year's Iowa Test of Basic Skills for grades 3 through 8, which were 30 percentage points higher than the national average. Specialized education music, art, computer training, foreign language, physical education has be-
— —
come
a
more common element
in dioc-
"Along with
we
that, then,
we
try to
don't forget the religious
dimension," Sister Mona says. In addition to weekly or monthly school Masses, schools regularly partake in outreach and service programs in the community. Families are en-
couraged to participate in many student activities. The result of such com-
munal is
interaction. Sister
Mona
hopes,
a heightened sense of spirituality.
The beyond
school
community extends
the kinder-
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2.
the state's only Catholic school for sixth- seventh- and eighth-graders. ,
cating the "whole chUd."
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perfect time to
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people for that mission,"
reflect
The complete
superintendent, she meets
to
Catholic schools educate
Feb.
of Catholic schools have technology plans in place.
CimlM
Cdtitoh
The Catholic News & Herald 17
January 29, 1999
In
Ihc News
Guns melted down
Rebels in Sierra Leone liiii
News (CNS)
Catholic
ROME ^
left
—
A
remaining captive nuns and a Brother missionary. Xaverian Guglielmo Zambiasi, remained unknown. Pope John Paul II decried the shootings Jan. 24 after Sunday noon
five
of events on arrival at
cluding Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the Feast of the Three Kings and Ramadan.
the hospital, the rebels
barous murder" and said "no motive can justify such carnage against persons and
And the police department announced it was conducting a second "Guns for Bells" program to collect guns through the end of
institutions that for
January.
many
"We didn't really have enough metal to make the whole bell from the recovered guns,"
were abandoning their provisional
headquarters
in
the
area of the capital
years have worked for the
in
good of all."
in
a disorderly manner,"
An archbishop and four Xaverian
the agency said.
"They decided to 'get
Xaverian FaGirolamo ther
rid'
Pistoni, 43, taken from the same com-
of some of the
was
them
reportedly hospitalized but out of dan-
ger in Freetown with a gunshot wound to the
in
chest.
MISNA
reported that the nun had been executed, and the priest apparently was injured in a botched execution attempt.
"According to Father Pistoni's
ArchJoseph Ganda of Freetown and Bo fled Jan. 20
and were found by Nigerian-led peacekeeping forces two days later. Bishop George Biguzzi of Makeni, Sierra Leone, told MISNA were in "satisfac"They were not mishe added, "though the
that the escapees
tory" health. treated,"
were not able
some of them in cold
to 'get rid' of
blood."
to
wash
for t\
weeks."
The agency
ters in the area of the capital in a
the prisoners, shooting
re-
bishop
the hospital, the rebels were abandoning their provisional headquar-
"They decided
makes the
rebel kidnap-
priests and
descriptions of events on arrival at
disorderly manner," the agency said.
same
ported that the four
cold blood."
said the four es-
caped captives found their getaway opportunity in the confusion caused by the rebels' sudden relocation to avoid the peacekeeping troops, r
A young Indian boy among the hostages was shot in the mouth and
Serving Charlotte with integrity for
Merry, pastor
priests escaped the
MISNA
prisoners, shooting
said Father Paul F.
of Blessed Sacrament in Bridgeport. "But the clapper, which
pers unharmed.
over
noise,
is
made
434 Charlotte Avenue, Rock'
Hill,
Dealerships Member of St.
Gabriel Chui
1
R O. Box
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CNS
PHOTO BY John Glover, Fairfield County Catholic
A
bell cast from the metal of guns surrendered to the Bridgeport, Conn., Police Department was delivered to Blessed Sacrament Parish in December. The twofoot-high bell was made from 35 guns that were melted down. An anonymous donor
nium."
T
1586
SC 29731 -1586
(803)
LaPointe, President,
entirely
1998
from the guns we recovered durpaid to have the bell cast. ing our concentrated drive." An anonymous donor prodonor puts it in a secure container and vided $26,000 to pay casting expenses. is on the way to turn it in at police The bell is 24 inches in diameter and headquarters. Donors were being two feet high, approximately the size awarded a voucher for up to $200 that of the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. can be used for clothing, food or elec"The design of the bell is interesttronic equipment. ing," Father Merry added in an interThe impetus for the "Guns for Bells" view for the January issue of the program came from Father Merry, who Fairfield County Catholic, monthly newspaper of the Bridgeport Diocese. brought the idea to Bridgeport after he "It is covered with something that had attended the Eighth Annual Black Conference in Baltimore in 1997, where looks like a little steeple, and it has a kind of prayer well surrounding it," he the concept was introduced. With donations from friends, comsaid. "It is completely portable, and we munity groups. Catholic parishes and are happy that congregations of all faiths will be able to use it to promote others, the priest organized a steering committee that included the police dean awareness of gun violence in the Greater Bridgeport area." partment, the Bridgeport Council of Churches, an area interfaith committee When the second gun drive was announced, the prosecutor's office said and an interfaith ministerial alliance. "There was great cooperation it agreed not to charge anyone who surrenders a gun with possession if the among people of many faiths who worked hard to make the bell a reality and a symbol of peace," Father Merry said, adding that he hoped the new year rung in by the bell would "lead us to God's peace in the new millen-
THEOMORY
37 years!
cuns T rmoRv flno ;m3Ri connE
communities for
called the nun's killing a "bar-
City.
He
of Freetown.
^
mental "Guns for Bells" program. In December, a bronze and nickel bell and clapper cast from 34 guns surrendered to the Bridgeport Police Department and other metal traveled around
Mexico
to Father
Pistoni's descriptions
Kissy, east of the Sierra Leonese capital
,
ebrating the result of an experi-
use in their religious services, in-
kidnapped with five other members of her order Jan. 14 from the Xaverian
Jan. 12,
Conn. (CNS)
Catholic and other faith communities in Bridgeport are cel-
to various faith
The nun was
community
—
Service
pastoral visit to
MISNA re-
News
BRIDGEPORT,
prayers during his
order founded by Mother Teresa, was shot to
news service ported Jan. 23.
to be
The whereabouts of the rebels, the
nun held
Charity
death, the
was reported
for dead, but
By dee MAGGIORI Catholic
recovering.
Service
hostage by rebels in Sierra Leone was killed, and at least one other kidnapped missionary was injured, according to reports from an Italian Catholic missionary news agency. Sister Aloysius Maria, a member of the Missionaries of "According
munity
cast interfaith church bell
nun, injure missionary By LYNNE WEIL
to
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18 The Catholic News & Herald
January 29, 1999
March for Life
Annual march seen as sign of people's love for human WASHINGTON Romanoski,
a
(CNS)
sophomore
— John at
these babies," said Darlene, a mother nine times over and grandmother to 1 with another grandchild expected soon. all
the
Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio, called the annual March for Life
Washington "inspiring." "This shows me the love that is innate to our humanity for human life," he 22
Jan.
in
said.
A contingent of about 70 students from the Steubenville school and about 30 from Franciscan-run Quincy University in Quincy, 111., carried the lead banner in the march from the pro-life rally at
the Ellipse up Constitution
Avenue
to
the Supreme Court. Their yellow ponchos provided a sharp contrast to the gray skies overhead.
Tens of thousands of people gathered for the event that marked the 26th anniversary of the Supreme Court's 1 973 Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolton deciwhich legalized abortion in the United States. No estimate of crowd size was given by march officials, and neither Washington Metropolitan police nor U.S. Park Police give crowd estimates. Among the slogans on the placards and banners many carried were: "Supsions,
port the Life Principles"; "No More ChOdren Die No More Women Cry"; "It's
—
Not ral
the Baby's Choice"; and
Choice
is
"The Natu-
Life."
Marchers of all faiths walked together and rosaries could be heard alongside traditional Christian hymns. Rev. Jim Lamb, executive director of Lutherans for Life, a national and international organization promoting the
Photo courtesy of Belmont Abbey College
Students from Belmont Abbey College join thousands in Washington, D.C., for the 26th annual March for Life. "It is an amazing sight to see thousands of people converge in one area, all joined together to support such an important cause," said Belmont Abbey Student Patrick Toole.
man
through education based on the word of God." As they geared up to walk the route, the marchers a great number of whom were college-age or younger seemed hopeful about their cause. Many wished this would be the last year they had to march to end abortion. Gloria Zibilich of Smethport, Pa., said, "There is a great sense of community and unity to be with so many who have the same pro-life views." Martin Guldener, a senior at Florida State University, came 16 hours by bus with about 40 classmates. "We want to change the country's mind about abortion," he said. Dominican Sister Jeanne Monahan from Long Island in N.Y, said she wanted to lend a presence to the march life
—
—
because "the cause of
life is
the biggest
issue in our times."
tremendous opportunity for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ," Lamb said. 'We desire to witness to the sanctity of hu-
Belmont, N.C., Benedictine college. "As
"We
feel that life issues
presents a
This was the
watched people singing and praying together,
first
important
I
two parishioners from Holy Cross Parish in Garrett Park, Md., a Washington
March
suburb, the
for Life not only
marks the anniversary of Roe but a happier occasion for the couple as well.
The
couple was celebrating their 44th wedding anniversary.
'We've been here every year believe in
— we
Darlene Michalik
life,"
said.
John K. O'Keefe, a Catholic from Manassas, Va., said he came to the march to remind others that the pro-life movement's causes keep expanding with the latest scientific breakthroughs. "Pro-lifers and others need to be made more keenly aware of human cloning with human embryos," said O'Keefe "This is something that should matter
many people who
greatly to
believe that
embryonic human beings are still our brothers and sisters, regardless of their size."
Students from The Catholic UniverAmerica hosted youth groups from across the country for an all-night prayer vigil Jan. 21, followed the next sity of
day with the march.
The director of the Office of Campus Ministry, Franciscan Father Bob Schlageter, said 1,360 high school students and their chaperones attended the
and march in addition to 150 students from Catholic University. Another 90 students from the university volunteered to assist with the high school visivigil
tors in various ways. "I came because people should be more aware of what's going on," said
William Lucina, a freshman from Chicago. "Abortion is not right," he added. Freshman Alyson Hansell, from
Her husband, who was holding a banner
Philadelphia, also stressed another as-
began par-
pect of supporting the dignity of life. "Pro-life means you are against the death
for the parish, said the couple
mov-
ing to the area. They have made a ritual of attending the march, returning home
penalty," Hansell said,
and going out
terrible they are killing
were Joann Leonard, Lynnea Pruzinsky Muniola and Lou Panarale.
was accepted
four colleges and
for their anniversary in
the evening. "I
think
it is
universities,
in
Contributing to
Keane,
"I
us
life
they are unified under one cause." For Darlene and Thomas Michalik,
God calls
how
realized
I
must be for all people." Toole was particularly impressed by the sheer number of marchers. "The March for Life is an amazing event and it shows how strong people can be when
ticipating in the event in 1974 after
march for Patrick Toole, a student from Belmont Abbey College. He was part of the contingency of more than 50 students from the
sanctity of life, attended this year's event.
life
at
but once
was
really
this story
Maureen
saw
I
Belmont Abbey College had
many ways.^
t
all
to offer, there
no comparison. The Abbey
w^as
the right decision."
is
God
callins if
you are
you?
thinkins of the
priesthood, please write
or
call
Patrick Cahill, Class of 2002
to find out
about servins
in
more the
Diocese of Charlotte.
Patrick
Cahill
—
who
excelled in
tors
high school sports and musical productions, his
and served
student
—
body
as president
Abbey College is the perfect fit him, for many reasons. "The Abbey has so much offer. The campus is beautiful and
fit
for
to
the
warm and welcoming. visited, I just knew I would
environment
When
of
Belmont
says
I
is
in here."
Patrick claims
it is
"the right peo-
Charlotte,
NC
Charlotte Catholic
High School Major: Undecided
try out for the baseball team.
also continue the
NC 28203 (704)370-3353
so unfor-
"You Catholic
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know what
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they're
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ask
identity
Benedictine
I
for
a
than College,
Belmont,
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•
in
instructors
stronger
here yet
don't
at
our really
what denomination you're fi^om; they just want the opportunity to care
teach you. In
fact, a fair
percentage of
our students are not Catholic, and are welcome with open arms."
The Catholic College of the CaroHnas
Charlotte,
will
Charity.
"The hearts of the people are genuine and caring; that's one of the personal attention firom people
He
work he began
high school helping underprivileged children in downtown Charlotte with Mother Theresa's Missionaries of
Belmont Abbey
really
Director of Vocations ! 123 South Church St.
Abbey experience
—
gettable.
things
Rev. Eric Hoiiseknecht
his
range fi-om just 15 to 30 stu-
dents which is really ideal ... I've been so impressed." Patrick is leaning toward a major in philosophy or history and plans to
ple in the right positions" that has
made
My
have their doctorate degrees.
classes
belmontabbeycollege.edu • Toll-Free 888.BAC.0110
all
January 29, 1999
By
nancy HARTNAGEL
Catholic
The Catholic News & Herald 19
March for Life
News
Service
WASHINGTON (CNS) — At the
U.S. bishops' pro-life
promoted at March
March for Life Jan. 22 in Washington, March founder Nellie Gray and Bos-
of
President Clinton took a toll on speaker turnout, as only five members of Confar fewer than in recent years gress
— — addressed
"We are moving in
the right direc-
tion with this statement,"
Gray
said,
adding that she intends to work with the bi.shops in a united effort. But, she said the statement had
been "reported with various spins," and she encouraged marchers to "read that statement totally." Gray then introduced Boston Cardinal Bernard F. Law, former chairman of the bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities. The cardinal said he was proud of the body of U.S. bishops, also represented at the rally by Cardinal John J.
O'Connor of
New York
and 15 other
.
CNS
PHOTO BY Marty Lueders
Posters supporting legal abortion and supporting pro-life positions express the sentiments of both sides of a crowd at the Supreme Court Jan. 22 during the annual
March
for Life.
"There
is
no body
States that has been
in the
more
United
consistently
and effectively pro-life through the years than has the National Conference of Catholic Bishops," he said. "It's very important that in the
movement we understand who with us and who is against us, and that we stand united for life," he said. After introducing the bishops present. Cardinal Law also urged marchers, "Read the bishops' statement." In this nation, he said, "we are becoming desensitized to the needs of the poor, the vulnerable, the weak." The "chickens of abortion" had come home to roost in changes in welfare
pro-life is
and
"in
ignore genocide in the Sudan," he said. 'We need to make a change," he continued. "And don't think that the change is going to be excommunicating this one or that one. That's not going to do it. "The change is going to be with every Catholic citizen assuming his or her responsibility to vote for life across the board," he said. "That's what's going to make the difference." No estimate of crowd size was given by march officials, though Gray
promised even more would come in 2000. Neither Washington Metropolitan police nor U.S. Park Police give
crowd
estimates.
Toce FUNRRAl.
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"You are the heroes
he
in a
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said, "fighting for the future
and the soul of this great nation." Gray, also president of the March for Life Fund, stressed several times that the goal of the
March
for Life
with no exceptions, no compromises." Also during the rally, representatives of more than two dozen pro-life organizations and religious bodies around the United States introduced themselves. And march officials recognized winners in the student contest for essays and poetry, t
Catholic Funeral Directors •
John Prock
Pre-arrangements and obituaries on-line
Assistant Teachers: St. Patrick's School in Charlotte is accepting applications tor part-time Assistant
terview. Positions available immediately. pai-ish of 600 faminear Raleigh, Nortli Carolina in process of building
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ence Center
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desires qualified person knowledgeable in
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Roman
to:
music and keyboard proficiency. Full-time; salary of 30K with benefits. Job description on request. Send inquiries/resume by March 15 to: Search Committee, St. Ann Church, 1 13 N. 7th St, Smithfield, NC 27577.
resume Cjuest Services Position, Catholic Conference
NC
28602.
calls please.
Full-time Music Director: St. Michael the Archangel is a new, fast growing parish located north of Atlanta in Cherokee County. The parish is seeking a full-time music director. The position will involve planning and coordinating music and choirs for Sunday and Holy Day liturgies. Applicants
must possess good working knowledge of Catholic and music, play organ/keyboard, work well with people and be open to a diverse music program. Send resumes with references to: St. Michael the Archangel, 490 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock, OA 30188 or fax to 770-5 16-4664.
Catholic liturgy. Candidate will have
B.A
in
Director of Pastoral Care: St. Joseph of the Pines has an opening for a Director of Pastoral Care to work at the Southern Pines Health Center location. Provides counsel, guidance and support to residents, patients, employees, and families. Must ha\-e CPE certification, a mastei''s degree in Pastoral Ministry, Psychology, or Theology. Three to five years' experience as a Chaplain a plus! Send resume to St. Joseph of the Pines, Administration, Attn: Lorena Moree, 95 Aviemore Drive, Pinehurst, NC 28374. EOE.
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Guest Services Assistant: The Catholic Confer-
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Center, 1551 Trinity Lane, Hickory,
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Classifieds
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Brownback thanked marchers
raising the consciousness of their fellow
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abortion for birth control." Pitts said the truth that abortion is
punishment the callousness with which we
law, in debates on capital
archbishops and bishops.
Sam -5pm
233 N. Greene
Other members of Congress addressing the rally were Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., and Reps. Roscoe G. Bartlett, R-Md., Todd Tiahrt, RKan., and Joseph R. Pitts, R-Pa. As a result of the debates over partial-birth abortion, Bartlett said, 80 percent of Americans "do not support
violence
Medals, Tapes, CD's, Plaques,
(336) 273-2554'
to
istration," said Smith.
Titles, plus Bibles, Rosaries, Statues,
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Catholic Gift & Boo/c Store Over 700 Book
many
in
the noontime gathering
on the Ellipse near the White House. The rally and march to the U.S. Supreme Court marked the anniversary of the court's 1973 Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolton decisions, which legalized abortion in the United States. This year's theme was: "For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Near the end of the 80-minute rally, Gray told tens of thousands of marchers gathered under cloudy skies that the bishops' statement was printed in the march program. Titled "Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American Catholics," it was approved by the bishops last November at their general meeting in Washington.
Gray,
trial. "They have to deal with an issue they should not have to deal with," she said. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., a Catholic and chairman of the House Pro-Life Caucus, asked the crowd to pray for the Clintons and the Gores, "that they would cease their unseemly and aggressive persecution of children here
bishops' latest pro-life statement. trial
to
peachment
for Life
ton Cardinal Bernard F. Law urged marchers to read the U.S. Catholic
The ongoing impeachment
According
members of Congress were unable
attend the rally because of the im-
26th annual
rally kicking off the
statement
Youth Ministry:
is seeking youth minister for large parish of 3900+ families. This full-time position has responsibility for grades seven through twelve. Applicant must be practicing Catholic. Bachelor's degree in related field and experience working with youth preferred. Send resume, salary requirements and references to Youth Ministry Search, c/o Susan Krasniewski, DRE, 3016 Providence Rd., Charlotte, NC 2821 1.
St.
CJabriel Parish
creative, well-organized
Youth Minister: Growing
parish of 1900 families has immediate opening for full-time Youth Minister for established Total Youth Ministry program, youth grades 6-12, Candidate must be faithfiUed, enthusiastic, organized, creative and team-oriented. Successful candidate will have work experience and BA in Theology or related field. Salary commensurate with degree and expe-
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Greensboro,
NC
27410, or
FAX
(366)294-6149.
20 The Catholic News & Herald
In
January 29, 1999
the News
Colombian bishop, pope urge soiidarity with earthqualie victims —
BOGOTA,
Colombia (CNS) The president of the Colombian bishops' conference and Pope John Paul II
"The help
gion.
"In this year devoted to God the Father and focused on the virtue of charity, the painful tragedy of our brothers and sisters in the coffee region is a test of our Christian fraternity," said Archbishop Alberto Giraldo Jaramillo of Medellin.
victims of the earthquake.
"We show
Services said this
week
that
in soli-
are suf-
According to
official reports, half
of the city of Armenia was destroyed. "It's a complete catastrophe, and we will take years to rebuild the city. We're finding more bodies every minute," said
Gov. Henry Gomez. Armenia's mayor, Alvaro Patino, called the earthquake a "horrific tragstate
edy.^'
way to measure this need everything medi-
"There's no crisis.
CNS
PHOTO FROM Reuters
Entire neighborhoods in Armenia, Columbia, were flattened by a Jan. 25 earthquake, measured at a preliminary magnitude of 6.0. Early estimates were that at least 500 were killed and 2,000 injured.
Archbishop Giraldo established a special collection for the victims, say-
ing
money would be
collected in par-
and in other Catholic insuch as schools, colleges
ishes Jan. 31 stitutions,
and hospitals, Feb.
1.
pledges to assist Colombian earthquake victims
mov-
ing forward immediately to provide support to the victims of the Jan. 25 earthquake in Colombia. The earthquake affected the western portion of the country in the Quindio and Risaralda regions, the major coffee producing areas of the country. Early reports indicate that the death toll will surpass 1,000 and could climb to 2,000.
"Catholic Relief Services has been working in Colombia for the past sev-
working on local human programs and developing ties
eral years
rights
who
fering at this time," he said.
Relief
it is
our love, being
darity with our brothers
"Once again, the pain of those who have lost their loved ones and are now homeless is knocking at the doors of our hearts," he said, referring to the earthquakes that hit Colombia in 1995, 1994 and 1992. The earthquake, with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0, struck Jan. 25, devastating 20 towns and villages in five provinces. Armenia, the capital city of Quindio province, experienced the worst damage, authorities said. Colombian officials said Jan. 26 that more than 500 people were dead and nearly 2,000 were injured, with the tolls expected to rise.
— Catholic
commun-
Archbishop Giraldo said. Speaking in Mexico City Jan. 25 near the end of a five-day visit. Pope John Paul expressed his sadness for the ion,"
earthquake that destroyed cities in the country's western coffee-growing re-
BALTIMORE
immediately
Armenia and
Pereira, as a sign of ecclesial
called for solidarity with victims of an
Catliollc Relief Services
will be sent
to our fellow bishops of
with the local Catholic dioceses.
Based on
this relationship. Catholic
uniquely qualified to assist our brothers and sisters who have been victimized by the earthquake," said Kenneth Hackett, executive director of Catholic Relief SerRelief Services
is
vices.
In Armenia, the capital city of the Quindio region the epicenter of the earthquake over 180,000 of the 220,000 residents have been left
—
—
homeless. Initial reports indicate that 60 percent of the buildings were destroyed. Armenia and other nearby cities are without electricity and potable water and hospitals are overflowing with the wounded.
According to Hackett, the is working with local coun-
agency
terparts in the region to determine
the magnitude of Catholic Relief Services assistance. "We are prepared," he declared, "to provide the local communities with the resources needed to begin to recover
from
this tragedy." Catholic Relief Services is the official overseas development and relief agency of the U.S. catholic
community. Founded in 1943, the agency provides assistance to families and communities in over 80 countries on the basis of need, not race, creed, or nationality,
...
We
cine, clothes
he
said,
...
...
electronic generators,"
encouraging Colombians
Archbishop Paolo Romeo, the Vatican nuncio to Colombia, said that according to initial assessments the seminary in Armenia and 15 parish churches were "seriously damaged" by the quake and as of Jan. 26, the cathedral in
Armenia was
inaccessible.
In a telephone interview with the Italian Catholic newspaper Avvenire, Archbishop Romeo said, "We were worried about 40 priests who began a retreat on the outskirts of Armenia Monday," the day the quake struck. "Fortunately the earthquake was weaker there, and all are well," he said. While the archbishop praised the quick action of the government, he said rescue efforts in Armenia were hampered by the fact that a main fire station was among the most severely
damaged buildings. "The emergency vehicles and equipment are buried under the rubble," he said.
t
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