March 1, 1996

xwvsen NOSH*

0C6£ so

N0IiS311

C3(,3<

^

"*«»?,ATHOLIC

News & Herald

Volume 5 Number 23 • March

Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

Belmont Parishioners Honor Retiring Pastor

Own

Morganton, Waynesville, Charlotte,

Spencer Mountain and Belmont were among his stops, but Msgr. Burke

By CINDY WOODEN VATICAN CITY (CNS) —

Paul

first

initiatives are outdated," the

He was

meeting of Cuban Catholics.

instrumental in

formation of a permanent diaconate in the diocese, was active the

Cursillo

movement, and was one of the first priests to establish an RCIA

program in the diocese.

He was also active in the Charismatic movement.

At Queen of the Photo by MIKE KROKOS Apostles, Msgr. Burke Sister Mary Thomas Burke was among the guests at helped establish a the surprise retirement dinner for her brother, Msgr. perpetual adoration Thomas Burke. chapel and was instrumental in setting up the "Meals on Wheels" program. He was also the first priest to serve the

MIKE KROKOS Editor

BELMONT— Monsignor

at St.

Thomas

Thomas

But does that mean the only alternative

Mercy Sister Mary Thomas Burke,

and his younger brother, Dominic Burke of Fairfield, Conn., were also on hand for the celebration.

"This was done with such love," added Msgr. Burke afterward.

Msgr. Burke, who retires March 4, arrived in the diocese of Charlotte in

1973 after being invited by then Bishop Michael J. Begley. Bishop Begley was looking for priests to lead his new diocese

and heard of Father Burke through his sister. "Msgr. Burke is one of the greatest men we've had in the priesthood in the Diocese of Charlotte," retired Bishop Begley said at last week's dinner. "His good sister, Sister Mary Thomas, brought him to North Carolina, Thank you, sister."

Msgr. Burke, 71, spent the next 23 years serving the diocese. Churches in

many years of service to the Church. He has truly enriched my gratitude for his

bishop and

I

thank him."

No one knows Msgr. Burke better than his sister. "We came from a very Our mother had a profound influence on all of us," said Sister Mary Thomas, who has served as chair of the Department of Human Resources at UNC-Charlotte for the past 26 years. "We lived by her example as we were growing up."

According to Sister Mary Thomas, religious family.

was a strong "He impressed the

value of education on us and the need to grow," she said. "He often said, 'An education is something you can't have taken away from you.'"

A native of Westport County Mayo, Ireland, Msgr.

Thomas Burke was

ordained to the priesthood in 1953. "I became a priest because I wanted to be a missionary," he explained. "I joined the

Holy

Spirit Fathers in Ireland."

His

as a missionary led

life

world to "fall under

frustrates the aspirations of the

the

him

poor?"

pope asked.

In the letter, read Feb. 25 at the meeting in Havana and released Feb. 26 at the Vatican, the pope urged Cubans to look toward the future with hope and

century be like?" he said they should

ask themselves.

"Will we be able to learn from the experiences of the past and build peaceful coexistence in the heart of each national community and among nations?

Can appropriate channels be found for the longings for freedom of so many individuals and peoples of the earth?" he asked.

The mission of the church, he said, is to preach the Good News that Jesus Christ is the savior of the world. But its message also has implications for the way people live, treat each other and organize themselves.

The church reminds everyone of "the greatness and pre-eminence of human work and just wages. In the same

See Future, page 12

DSA Funds Programs To Evangelize Catholicism MAYBACH

just

MONROE

— The

one of the many programs run by

the Diocesan Support Appeal-sponsored

Staff Writer results are in,

and for Catholics in the Diocese of Charlotte, the prognosis is good.

According to statistics from the 1995 October Count, a diocesan-wide survey of parishes, the diocese surpassed the national average in terms of parishioners attending Mass.

Count results, taken from four consecutive Sundays in October, show that the number of registered parishioners attending Mass has risen to 54.3 percent,

Evangelization Commission.*In 1994, the

commission sponsored an outreach

program called "Outreach on the of Life," that attracted

more than 1,500 responses.

Invitations

find out more about Catholicism were placed in the pews of 50 parishes, and parishioners were asked to

to

SA f|^L S

}

distribute

them

acquaintances

to friends

who

and

expressed

an interest in the faith. In addition,

advertisements were run in area newspapers, and a toll-free number was set up to answer calls resulting from radio promotions.

parishioners has risen 2.5 percent.

outreach was the individual contact,

Holy Ghost Father Ed Vilkauskas,

The most

successful aspect of the

Father Vilkauskas said.

"We got

from the

1

,060

personally-

director of evangelization for the diocese

responses

and pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, said the survey results were encouraging. "This is really good news," he said. "The Diocese of Charlotte has consistently been above national averages with attendance figures and continues to support that trend. Although

distributed invitations," he said. "I think

we the

are a small population as a diocese,

number of new members

in the

See DSA, page 16

Inside Friendship blossoms in

merit

badge quest

page 2

parishes and the percent of people to

attending

Mass

indicates real spiritual

Priest reflection

growth."

The October Count, implemented

See Pastor, page 16

Way

Catholic

an increase of 4.5 percent since 1994.

Also, the number of registered

the children's father influence as well.

for the

By ELIZABETH

see in him such gentleness, priestliness, and goodness. I offer my heartfelt

life as

is

mechanisms of a type of heartless economic organization that does not take into account the weakest and

blind

in the

Bishop Curlin said Msgr. Burke has been a good servant of the diocese. "In the two years I've been here, Msgr.

Burke has affected my life," he said. "I

pope said

21-25 national

in a letter to a Feb.

U.S. Virgin Islands.

Burke admits he should have seen it coming, but didn't.

"I should have become suspicious when I heard the phone ringing again and again and again this week," he joked.

Instead, Msgr. Burke was the most astounded person at Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont when he was honored with a surprise retirement dinner on Feb. 23. Among the guests were retired Bishop Michael J. Begley, Bishop William G. Curlin, and a church hall packed with more than 150 parishioners and friends. Msgr. Burke's sister,

diocesan mission

that

suffocated valid individual and group

the

By

II said.

"The collective systems

new ideas for living their faith.

"What will the world of the 21st

with

With the fall of Marxist political and economic systems, the Catholics of Cuba must ask themselves what kind of a religious and political future they want, Pope John

a parish the

Religious, Political Future

administrator at Holy Spirit Church in Denver.

in

1996

Pope: Cubans Must Determine

Greensboro, Denver,

was more than priest. He was

1,

four years ago by Father Vilkauskas,

is

series

page 6

2 The Catholic

News

& Herald

March

Friendship Blossoms In Quest For Merit Badge

By STEVE

MATTHEWS

UZZELL

—

She was a

your illnesses, you look nice." Josephine said a sick person would appreciate your honesty and feel that they didn't look too bad.

"What do you think people who are very sick are most afraid of?" Josephine asked Timothy.

"Dying?" Timothy braved an answer.

"No, but you're very close," Josephine told him. "They're most afraid without anyone there." of dying alone Josephine told Timothy that she always tries to laugh about things to make them better. As she talked about her son who used to earn merit badges, Timothy began to feel more at ease. to say,

bit

nervous when they settled on a date to meet each other.

He was, too, but he agreed to the scheduled time. He brought a plant with red blossoms. When he shook her hand,

he held the pot "Those are pretty flowers," she said.

"Are they for me?"

"Oh, yes!" He remembered his gift and gave it to her.

They were both unsure about what to talk about or what to say to each other, until she began to speak about things they had in common. Soon they began to find friendship and a mutual respect.

They quickly gained knowledge about and admiration for each other. at his side.

These two parishioners from St. Luke parish have found new friendship, but they are separated by several years.

Josephine Koenig is an older woman confined to her bed with osteoporosis and breathing difficulties. She must

"For

By JULIE ASHER WASHINGTON (CNS)

condemned the action. President Clinton also announced new economic and

men who were

political sanctions against the island-

Cuban-American

community of south Florida.

"The tragic events of this past weekend involving the loss of lives and the emotional stress

who are suffering at this time as we

those

this

pray for patients, telephone them or

continue to ask for

time

liberty

Cuban people,"

The two planes were from a Cuban

Howell is a nine-year-old Cub Scout. He

Timothy's parents, John and Ellen Howell said he learned many things

by a Cuban identified as

laugh easily.

They too. it

is

talked about serious topics,

Josephine explained to Timothy that better not to tell a patient "you look

wonderful" because a sick person knows that' s just not true.

It' s

better,

she advised,

learn."

could learn from Timothy and Josephine's commitment during Lent. The hope and faith that they have gathered from one another will last well beyond the Easter season.

Josephine sums up with a simple philosophy.

"We

are here for others,"

she said.

May

1991 to patrol waters

died when their aircraft were shot down

Josephine and Timothy continue to stay in contact and Timothy visited again just after Valentine's Day. Timothy said that Josephine had helped him change the way he thinks

Many

in

made

Den

you

founded

The Brothers organization was

off the coast of Florida for rafts of

Ellen Howell said.

about older people. "They've gone through a lot in life and they can help

permission for the flight, they decided to look for rafters.

________

group called Brothers to the

through scouting. "He has developed a respect for church, family, self and others and has gained a lot of self-confidence,"

and his mother, Ellen, first called on Josephine, the double generation gap was no obstacle.

Josephine let Timothy know immediately that she thought he was polite and told him that his mother had done a good job teaching him manners. Timothy discovered that Josephine had a great sense of humor and could make him

government refused

Rescue, based in Opa-Locka, just north of Miami.

Four men were believed to have

Dei (Children of God) pin and Bear Badge. Part of his merit responsibility was to visit someone who was sick and share his experiences with Pack 108,

When Timothy

When

Bahamian

and justice for

— Archbishop John C. Favalora

breathe oxygen constantly from a machine attached to an air tube. Timothy

All Saints School.

interned the

rafters

Cuban people.

the

liberty and justice for

exile

relief

Cuban

there.

we

as

deliver

supplies to

to

continue to ask for

he added.

6, at

to fly to the Bahamas

are suffering at

someone his own age, with visits and as

third-grade rank earning his Parvuli

A statement from the group said the planes were originally supposed

deepest sympathy go to

our deepest sympathy go to those

the

A former member of the group who showed up on Havana TV claimed Brothers to the Rescue was planning to smuggle arms to

Our thoughts and our

"Our thoughts

who

nation.

Cubans.

of our community have urged me to join in prayer," Archbishop John C. Favalora said in a Feb. 26 statement.

the idea to support a sick person, even

is at

civilian planes

in the aircraft, their

families and the

in addition to visitation, friends could

a pen pal during Lent this year.

The

Feb. 24, called for prayers for the four

downing of two U.S.

and

them regularly.

From Josephine, Timothy also got

within their country s 1 2-mile air-space boundary, while U.S. officials said they were in international air space and '

—

archbishop of Miami, reacting to Cuba'

Through his experience, Timothy said he realized that visitation is wonderful for a bed-ridden patient and

write cards or letters to

1996

Miami Archbishop Prays For Downed Pilots, Cuban People

all

—

1,

jet fighter. They were Armando Alejandre Jr.,

45; Carlos Costa, 29; Mario de la Pena, third plane 24; and Pablo Morales, 29.

A

flown by the co-founder and president of Brothers to the Rescue, Joe Basulto, returned safely.

After word reached the Miami Archdiocese of the shoot-down, Auxiliary Bishop Agustin A. Roman led a prayer service at the Shrine of Our

Lady of Charity.

The Miami Herald quoted statement from

a

Havana Cardinal Jaime

Ortega lamenting the loss of life and calling for "sanity and calm so that tempers do not flare."

Cuban officials said the planes were

Cubans

fleeing the regime of Fidel

More

recently the group has over Havana to drop antiCastro leaflets, and Cuban officials have Castro.

flights

would be shot

warned

that their planes

down

they did not stop.

if

Since the shoot-down, Archbishop Favalora has been "reaching out to the families," said Mary Ross Agosta, communications director for the archdiocese, in a telephone interview

Feb. 27.

"The families

are so entwined with

the Catholic Church.

We feel when such

a traumatic incident occurs, it's a time people will turn to the church. The

archbishop is very conscious of that and ... wants to be soothing, comforting and let

them know they

are not alone."

See Cuba, page 13

John of God for

tl)c toeelt

Sunday:

Josephine Koenig and Timothy Howell pose

of

aWorch 3

JKBy

17: 1-9

Deuteronomy Luke

6:

9:

4-10

36-38

together during one of Timothy's

Tuesday:

They became

Wednesday: Jeremiah 18: 18-20

visits.

Isaiah 1:

10,16-20 23: 1-12

Matthew

20: 17-28

Matthew

friends while

Timothy

Jeremiah 17: 5-10 Luke 16: 19-31

needed his assistance. After experiencing a manic episode, John was calmed by the advice and consolations of John of Avila and set himself to aiding the poor and

Friday:

Qenesis 37: 3-4, 12-13, 17-28

the sick. He is the founder of the order of the Brothers

Matthew

21: 33-43,

45-46 Saturday:

Matthew Luke 15:

Photo by

STEVE UZZELL

John was born in Portugal in the 1500s.

He served as a soldier until the age of 40, when he vowed to make amends for his dissolute life. He decided to sell religious articles and books and help those who

Thursday:

was earning a merit badge.

1 Ull!" """'"""/,,,

Qenesis 12: 1-4 2 Timothy 1: 8-10

Matthew Monday:

9

-

7:

14-15,18-20 11-32

1-3,

Hospitallers.

He

is

patron of heart patients, the sick, nurses and hospitals. His feast is

March

8.

®

1

996

CNS Gra P hics

March

1,

The Catholic News

1996

Giving

& Herald

3

Market" And "The KELLEY

By JIM

Today's economic environment provides powerful incentives to plan gifts to Catholic causes in the most effective manner possible.

How can you make a gift, enjoy tax savings and conserve your cash for other uses?

Let's say you have a stock that was purchased years ago for $1,000 that is now worth $5,000. You would like to

We've seen one record high after another as the Dow Jones industrial

average continues to climb year.

this

Some

make

market

making a gift of $5,000 worth of you receive the same charitable deduction you would have received by making a gift of cash and you do not have to pay capital gains tax on the

analysts

stock,

predict the

Dow

will

surpass 10,000 by the year 2000!

$4,000 increase in value. Experts agree that the outright gift of appreciated property is more advantageous from a tax savings standpoint than the simple cash gift because of the combined benefits of the charitable deduction and not having to pay a capital gains tax on

Jim Kelley

While many

a gift to your parish.

In

investors are jubilant about the

financial market's performance, each

new

record high also adds to anxiety over the likelihood of these trends continuing. Many do not question if there will be a significant market correction, but rather when that

Want

keep the stock?

If you would like to make

a gift but

consider another technique.

time when federal capital gains tax rates are as high as 28 percent? Or do you risk loss of your increase in value in a "correction" that may come any day?

the

You

at this

cash to repurchase shares in

in

same company on the open market.

You would acquire a new "cost

basis" in the stock of $5,000. If

it

continues to increase in value, you will

At the same time, lawmakers have been discussing reducing the federal

have

less gain to report if the stock is

sold.

Or if the stock goes down

and

Do you wait for a

is

sold,

you

will

in value

have a capital loss

for tax purposes.

For information Today's economic environment

also select that time to sell?

provides powerful incentives for you as

Perhaps a better choice

a faithful steward to plan your gifts to favorite Catholic causes, your parish, or

If such are

your concerns as a faithful steward of God's many gifts, consider conserving cash and using appreciated assets to

make

your diocese

manner

a carefully planned gift

I

most effective

will

be pleased to help with

The Development

Office, Diocese 524 East Morehead Street, Charlotte, N.C. 28207 or call (704) 3311709 or (704) 377-6871.

Jim Kelley is the Diocesan Director of Development. at:

of Charlotte,

appreciated assets.

HisWll

the

possible.

information and assistance. Write to me

your parish, or the diocese. Now may be the best time since 1986 (when another change in federal law took place) to make planned gifts of appreciated stocks, bonds, mutual funds and many other to favorite Catholic causes,

Remember

in

1

"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."

In Yours.

these sixth graders.

By

Bishop William G. Curlin

GREENSBORO

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

The Main

Branch of the Greensboro Public Library buzzed with quiet excitement as 42 students invaded its premises in their quest for knowledge.

It was no ordinary visit to the library, however. This was the annual Our Lady of Grace School scavenger hunt for

The

event, held Feb. 20,

was coordinated by teacher Patty Schram and Cindy Griggs.

The hunt in the library was the final step in a project which builds the students'

skills

at

finding research

materials.

"Next week these students will be doing a paper on Bosnia and I expect current information.

You

can't get that

from textbooks," said Schram. Rather than hope they know how and where to gather the information, she taught them

The scavenger hunt has been a Our Lady of Grace School for the past seven years. The annual winners receive trophies and their names tradition at

are engraved

on a plaque

that

hangs

the school. This year, every student

were Brandon Frederick and Rikki Smith. In Schram' s class they were Emily Cupito and Blair Vocci.

Schram coordinated the first library scavenger hunt several years ago while teaching in Sarasota, Florida. "The first time

I

assigned a research paper to a

how he was expected to find the right information if I didn't teach him how to do it. I thought class,

a student asked

was a fair question."

Schram also encourages her students to do research via the Internet. A recent assignment on World War II yielded oral histories from Holocaust survivors and veterans of that war from interviews conducted on the World Wide Web. Between the library and the latest computer technology, the sixth graders

that

of

OLG will be well prepared to tackle

definitely an exciting time

we

"This

is

live in,"

said Schram.

in

who

participated received a blue ribbon.

"Many of these students know all about this event because their older siblings

competed

in past years," said

Schram. "They look forward to

it."

Several weeks before the library the students studied about library

ou can express your commitment to your Church by making a bequest to the Diocese of Charlotte

research

or to your parish. Simply have the following

tour of the library's departments.

statement included in your Will:

skills.

On

the day of the hunt,

library staff members

gave them a brief

"The more they pay attention during do in the hunt because the staff takes them past all the materials they'll be searching for," Schram explained.

On the most recent hunt, the first group of students gathered in the library lobby for final instructions from Schram.

(The second group would arrive later that day with Griggs in charge.) The hunt began when the volunteer parents the tour, the better they'll

"/ leave to the

Charlotte (or

Roman

Catholic Diocese of

parish, city) the

sum of$

percent of the residue of my estate) for religious, educational and charitable works."

(or

For more information on

how

to

make

its

a Will that works, contact

Jim Kelley, Diocese of Charlotte, Office of Development, 1524 East Morehead

most correct answers won the top

awards. In Grigg's class, the winners

their next research project.

the research process.

visit,

Hi

important. Students who finished with the

MARY COYNE WESSLING

sixth graders.

you may be trampled

in the rush for the exit as other investors

ogy makes learning an adventure for

could

give the $5,000 worth of stock and use

$5,000

broke the seals on the scavenger questionnaires. While time was a factor in the hunt, accuracy was more

tools along with the latest technol-

you own securities, you may be facing a dilemma. Do you sell your highly appreciated stock and "cash in" If

reduction, though

Build Skills

With Hunt For Knowledge Hands on experience with research

to

strongly believe in that particular stock,

capital gains tax rate.

OLG Students

the increased value of the stock.

correction will occur.

your gains

Photo by MARY COYNE WESSLING Mary Robbins and Eileen Goddard search the bookshelves for clues.

St.,

Charlotte,

NC 28207,

(704) 331-1709 or 377-6871.

Susan McGrath and Amanda Cheney are ready to start their search with questionaires from teacher, Patty

Schram.

Photos by MARY COYNE WESSLING

4 The Catholic

News

& Herald

March

1996

1,

The Pope Speaks

Tro-Life Corner

Pope John Paul II

Lent Gives Christians Opportunity To Faith, Hope, Love, Pope Says

Renew

fewer* VATICAN CITY (CNS) Carolina Gutierrez,

Dear brothers and sisters, Today, Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of Lent. During these 40 days of spiritual preparation for the celebration of the paschal mystery, Christ's

thank the

followers are called to rediscover the meaning of our

in song.

redemption and to be renewed in faith, hope and love.

Lent reminds us of the grace offered to us as a sign of God' s merciful love, which invites sinners to conversion and salvation. Lent is a reminder of the emptiness of the sinful life and is an incentive to live joyfully our Christian vocation as sons and daughters of God our

especially the pilgrims

Pope John Paul

II' s

weekly general audience Feb. 21.

21 -year-old mother of three from Miami, Florida, lost the third child, yet unborn, on December 19, 1995 and her own life on February 5, 1996.

Cause of death a "safe and legal abortion."

from Life Issues Forum February 9, 1996 Diocese of Charlotte

The Respect Life Office

—

Here is the Vatican remarks in English at his

from the Diocese of Niigata and to the students and faculty of Immaculate Heart College in Kagoshima. I am grateful to the young Tarumi violinists for their inspiring music. I likewise

text of

(704) 377-6871

to

God"

(2

Cor

5:20). This exhortation of St. Paul,

taken from today's liturgy, points to the true meaning

we receive at the beginning of this season of conversion and reconciliation. We are invited

honor you can give Almighty God, greater than all your

our savior.

Pope Asks Tanzanian Bishops To Continue To Help Refugees VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope John Paul

II

asked the bishops of Tanzania to continue assisting the thousands of refugees seeking safety in their country, even though it has heavily taxed the resources of their dioceses.

welcome God's gift of salvation by listening to his word, by prayer and by mortification, especially fasting and works of mercy. As the church begins the first phase of her preparation for the great jubilee of the year 2000, I pray that during this Lenten season all Christians will be inspired to follow the Lord more

of peace and security will return to those troubled countries, thus permitting the return of the refugees to

closely and to promote the

new evangelization by their

personal witness to the Gospel.

May Mary,

mother of

hope, guide us on our journey through Lent toward the

joy of Easter.

I extend a warm welcome to the Japanese pilgrims

sacrifices and mortifications, is to

from England and the United invoke the joy and peace of Christ

of the ashes which to

"The greatest

States, I cordially

father.

"We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled

many choirs present for their praise of God Upon all the English-speaking visitors,

"The poorest of the poor among you are the more than 700,000 refugees from Rwanda and Burundi," the pope told Tanzania's bishops Feb. 20 at the end of their "ad limina" visits to Rome. "Please God, conditions

and lands," the pope said. Waves of refugees began flooding into Tanzania in the spring of 1994 when ethnic violence turned Rwanda and Burundi into slaughter grounds. While groups of refugees periodically have returned to their homelands, new outbursts of violence have sent them and others back over the borders. their homes

LIVE JOYFULLY because of the knowledge of His love.

Vatican

II

Advanced

Laity's

There' s an old saying that the more things change,

Juliana of Norwich

more they

the

m

^News & Herald March 1, 1996 Volume 5 • Number 23

the truth of the adage.

participate actively in this great Sacrament.

Well, a lot of things have changed in the Roman Catholic Church since Pope John Paul XXIII convened

of the lay ministry take the place of the apostles when we distribute the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass, to

Staff Writer: Elizabeth

Maybach

Hispanic Editor: Luis Wolf Advertising Manager: Editorial Assistant:

Gene

the

Second Vatican Council more than 30 years ago.

It's

not

Sullivan

an

Sheree McDermott

1524 East Morehead

PO Box

St.,

Charlotte,

37267, Charlotte,

NC

NC 28207

The Catholic News

<&

Herald,

USPC

007-393,

is

NC

published by the St.,

28207, 44 times a year, weekly except for Christmas

July and $15 per year for enrol lees in parishes of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte and $ 1 8 per year for all other subscribers.

for

Second-class postage paid

at

Charlotte

NC

POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to The Herald, PO Box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237.

and other Catholic

made

God and one

at

cities.

News &

.

It's

I

Members

homes and shut-ins. an awesome opportunity, not to be taken

lightly.

The Ministry of

the Eucharist

is

not the only

ministry opened to the laity after the Second Vatican

Council. The opportunity to serve God and one another is as large as the minds of the Church can take us.

Serving one another doesn't have to be within St. own parish. The Catholic youth group Joseph in East Tawas and Immaculate Heart of Mary spends one day a month working at a soup in Tawas

—

one's

—

kitchen in Alpena, 60-plus miles north of town.

The Knights of Columbus have councils

when I

receive the host in

my

communion or drink from the priest' s chalice

this in

— you and — can now

residents in nursing

after all.

and the cup to His apostles

Do

Laymen and women

easier.

weekday Mass. The urge to marvel at the change is strong, until I remember that Christ handed the bread

week and Easter week and every two weeks during June, August

the laity's role in serving

at a

Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, 1524 East Morehead

Charlotte,

how

think of that often

hands

28237

Phone: (704) 331-1713 FAX: (704) 377-0842 Roman

intention to review all the changes, but to

boy

altar I

Mail:

my

Nearly 60 years ago, when Sister Marie Edward trained me to be an altar boy (her term was acolyte) at St. Mary' s of Redford, she pounded home the idea that we had to watch our hands. "You must not touch the chalice or the ciborium," she said over and over again.

So chilling was her description of what might happen if I didn't heed her frequent warnings, that I told my mother I didn't know if I really wanted to be

Most Reverend William G. Curlin Michael Krokos Associate Editor: Joann Keane

a return to the actual events as they unfolded in the death.

another has been

Editor:

The Church

sometimes takes a lot of study to decide whether that is true or not, but eventually a case can be made for

highlight

Publisher:

In

upper room on the night Christ began His passion and

stay the same.

It

The Catholic

Role

at the first Eucharist.

memory of me,

Christ said at the Last

Supper. The priest repeats that sentence

at

every

over

ministries.

A ministry is a lot like giving up something that is bad for you during Lent. Be honest, many of us give up something more for ourselves than for God. A ministry and we end up feeling better than is the same way

—

those to

whom we minister.

This editorial originally appeared in The Michigan

Eucharist.

I'm sure Christ didn't only mean the miracle of changing bread and wine into His Body and Blood, but also the passing of the bread and the cup to one another.

The "change" then really isn't a change at all, but

all

the state, and are involved in myriad charities and

newspaper of the Archdiocese of Detroit. It Herb Boldt, former executive sports editor for The Detroit News.

Catholic,

was

written by

March

The Catholic News

1996

1,

Light

& Herald

5

One Candle

Father John Catoir

Blessed Are The Merciful God, be merciful. Mercy is love's other name. When love confronts

to

misery,

called mercy.

is

it

Mercy

is

compassionate, sensitive and kind.

God abound

is

merciful.

The

Scriptures

in quotations about His wonderful mercy and He asks us to be merciful, too. We are the carriers of His love. / desire steadfast love

man who fell into the hands of the robbers? he said, "The one who showed him mercy. " Jesus said to him, 'Go and do likewise. (Luke 10: 36-37) That is the challenge we all face. It doesn't take much imagination to see that the corporal and spiritual works of mercy are specific illustrations of the Golden Rule in action. Here then are the works of mercy spoken of in the Gospel.

As a meditation of God' s love, they speak for themselves. to the

want to be especially pleasing

If you

and not

knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6) In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus taught us how we can be merciful, when He asked, Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor sacrifice, the

'

4. Visiting

3.

Admonishing

prisoners;

4.

Comforting the

5.

Giving

1.

3.

afflicted;

shelter to the

6.

Forgiving of injuries; Bearing wrongs patiently;

homeless;

7.

Praying for the living and the dead.

6. Visiting the

If you were in spiritual need, how would you want to be treated?

5.

sick; 7.

Burying the

Pray for the grace to be merciful.

Jesus said, "Blessed are the merciful

dead.

If you

were

for they shall obtain mercy."

physical need, how would you want others to treat you?

For a free copy of the Christopher

in

The Seven Corporal Works of Mercy 2.

sinners;

The Seven

Feeding the hungry; Giving drink to the thirsty;

1

Clothing the naked;

2.

Spiritual

stamped, self-addressed envelope to The Christophers, 12 East 48th Street, New

Works

NY.

York,

of Mercy .

News Note, "The Golden Rule, " send a

10017.

Instructing the ignorant;

Counseling the doubtful;

Family Reflections Andrew

Choosing A Family Lenten Project Will Deepen Faith Our family is looking for some way to walk closer with God

during Lent this year. Past practices

have been about what each person will "give up." Personal sacrifices can be a way to connect with the suffering of others, part of our Christian identity.

However,

this

year we're looking for a

serious project that will help deepen our faith as a family. Perhaps we can tend to the needs of elderly neighbor or

participate in a food drive. Two problems

for us are finding time to

finding an activity

do

it

and

we all have an interest

in doing.

The

current culture of "busyness"

has definitely affected our

life-style.

The hours of each day seem too few

to

all the things we want to do. If part of our family Lenten project was to just get rid of a few extraneous activities (or

do

Terri Lyke

"family

whenever possible. Combine a service

might find more time to attend to a family

friendly."

service project.

should provide

involvement with a fun event.

Seek out projects where you can join with other families in service.

Joining with other families makes service more attractive and provides

we

"in-activities") that absorb our time,

special

&

Yes,

it's

about giving something up,

but not just for the sake of suffering.

It's

about saying "no" to lesser values so we can more readily say "yes" to something more important. For example: Though we aren't ardent TV viewers, we could watch less. If we cut our family viewing time in half we would save about five hours each week. With the basketball season in high gear (we're big Bulls fans!), this might be too big a sacrifice for us. Still, it's one way to find time for our Lenten family project.

As far as finding a family service activity, we found a wonderful resource

It

opportunities for every family

member

to

support for nurturing a commitment to

serve.

Weigh the commitment of

km

justice

time, resources

and energy that your family has available at this time.

Select service opportunities that

are within the capabilities of the children/teens in the family.

Make

sure the project matches the needs,

interests,

skills,

knowledge and

the following guidelines for selecting a

member.

Seek out opportunities in which children/teens can have an active role

family service project.

and

called "Family

Works" which suggests

responsibilities of every family

real responsibilities.

Make

sure

they can be actively engaged in the

Make

sure the service project is well organized and designed to be

service project.

Integrate fun with

and service.

Most importantly, remember

that

involvement in service has the potential to promote the self-esteem and selfconfidence of children/teens and help them develop as caring persons. Be sure to select service projects that

promote

these qualities.

We'll decide in a few days what Lenten family service project we'll do.

Maybe the Bulls will still make it to the championship without the

NBA

cheering section of our family

room for

few games. Whatever we choose to do this Lent, we will do it prayerfully, humbly and together. a

service

Question Box Father John Dietzen In Vitro Fertilization

many more of these than we

there are thought.

Is the church still against this way

of conceiving babies? I know it's different, but if it helps couples conceive, what is so bad about it?

A. I

You raise many huge questions;

will try to respond briefly to a few.

Technologies of

human

life

in the

reproduction

are developing rapidly,

but at least until

now nothing

has happened to diminish our serious Catholic moral concerns about in vitro

what we're talking

one of the methods now possible to conceive a child without sexual relations between a man and woman. In this procedure, the gametes (woman's ovum and the male sperm) is

in a

involve

first

producing

new human growth occur.

Soon the new embryo is transferred

stages of

to another

environment, usually the

mother's (or other woman's) continuing development.

Such

fertilization

womb,

for

number

zygotes (fertilized ova).

Some

or

all

are

is

called

womb;

in a

First,

from the time the ovum

new

is

human life has own identity and

separate its

dignity.

life.

fertilization, of course, brings in the additional questions of marriage fidelity and

Heterologous

all

of them usually

fertilized a

human

usually placed

people who are not married to each other, and homologous if the cells come from a husband and wife married to one another.

The church considers in vitro, literally "in glass," fertilization morally unacceptable for at least three fundamental reasons.

the gametes

majority of human social traditions through history, sexual relations in the context of the marriage relationship are the only setting worthy of bringing into existence and nurturing new

of

but one or a few

if

the church, as well as in the vast

a

come from

heterologous

way or the other. some procedures this would involve direct killing of human life; in others it may not. At very least it wrongly places new human beings in

parental identity and responsibility.

high risk of death.

procreation of the dignity which is proper

And third, this process for initiating human life is seen as a subversion of

and natural

die one

In

the dignity and unity of marriage,

and

But even

if

the fertilization

is

homologous (husband and wife providing the cells for the new life of their

child),

The

to

it

deprives

human

it.

fullest explanation of the

church's teachings on these matters

of the integrity of natural and necessary

in the

parental relationships with children as

March 1987,

"Instruction

is

on

procedures often performed on lives begun in vitro violate "the respect and physical and spiritual reverence owed to

they

of IVF

Respect for Human Life in Its Origin and on the Dignity of Procreation," issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

these lives.

an important and profound one.

In the tradition and teachings of

See Dietzen, page 16

Commercial,

about.

IVF

laboratory container, where the

begun which has

fertilization.

First, let's clarify

and conception occurs,

are united,

A

magazine we receive had a long article recently about in vitro fertilization. According to the author, Q.

scientific

and other

Second, IVF methods normally

come

into the world.

This aspect of the moral character may seem less tangible, but it is

6 The Catholic

News

& Herald

March

1,

1996

American Affairs Lenten Reflection Ministry Gets DSA Support my whom my African

Father Vincent Donovan

"This

By

beloved Son on

is

MIKE KROKOS

Mark

favor

rests.

17

3:

Editor

was inadvertently not included in its entirety last week. We apologize to the African American Affairs Ministry and to our readers.

CHARLOTTE— Like many other it. "Too many people are unaware of its agencies, the Diocese of Charlotte's

content, purpose and direction," he said.

African American Affairs Ministry depends on funding from the annual Diocesan Support Appeal to implement its programs. In fact, 20 percent of the

The primary purpose of "the plan, Rev. Mr. Todd said, is to evangelize and educate. "For example, black saints are cited in Eucharist prayers; there have been African popes and we have black bishops," he said. "We also need to reach out to fallenaway black Catholics as well

ministry events are directly

funded by the DSA. Since 1987 the African

American Affairs Ministry has received a percentage

others

of its operating budget from

faith."

the

DSA. This

ministry used

Another goal

year, the

DSA

who are interested in the

capital in several

ways, including a grant to start the Kabuka dancers and drummers program, and money to refurbish St. Benedict's Cemetery, an African American cemetery

Belmont.

"We have had three workshops with experts to help us understand the National Black Catholic Pastoral Plan and what we need to do to implement it in our own parishes and diocese," said Rev. Mr. Curtiss Todd, Vicar for African American Affairs Ministry. "We used money to in

is

to increase

among African Americans, Rev. Mr. Todd added. vocations

The multi-faceted plan

taking steps in recent years to recognize

African heritage. Approximately 99

percent of the church's

members

are

African Americans. "Every fifth Sunday,

defray the cost of hosting the regional meeting of the National Black Catholic

we hold a Harambee celebration. People from

all

Congress, and to plan for the 1997 Congress in Baltimore. We also used some of the funding for the combined Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History

take part in

it,"

Month

celebration

we

hosted."

DSA funding has been used for other

travel

The Harambee celebration, which is based on the practices and beliefs of

African American slaves, includes traditional music and several symbolic performances. It was developed through

is

celebrate that.

at the

IT

it

chance in our lifetime to celebrate Lent and Holy Week and Easter. Then we might be able to understand it more clearly, appreciate it more dearly and experience it, step by step, more

now

that

intensely.

given a glimpse of glory that awaited him at the end of his passage, before it even began. Before the blood, sweat, tears and fears of the Garden and the frightening feeling of being abandoned

by God on the Friday that was to be called "Good," he needed that vision on the mountaintop. So did Peter.

Maybe we would

Some money was

the mountaintop to see the

meaning of what was going to happen to him, the "passage which he was about to fulfill in Jerusalem." He saw the fulfillment of the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah) being worked out in himself.

He

The celebration allows African Americans

to reach out

and touch

"We wear

culture,

Baker

clothing,

and experience the

said.

the

and grow

Church

Our Lady of Consolation Charlotte, said DSA money

at

in

—

and St. Benedict in Winstonhave actively begun implementing part of the National Black

provided has been well-spent. Both point

in Charlotte,

meeting in Charlotte where the National Black Catholic Congress' Pastoral Plan was discussed.

Salem

to the recent regional

"The workshop increased the number of people aware of the Congress' plan and its intent," Baker said. "I think it helped

many of us."

"They've been good meetings," added DeWalt. "They've made us aware of what we' ve got to do in our parishes as the Congress' plan suggested."

According to Rev. Mr. Todd, the workshops have been a "concerted effort" to make more people in the diocese aware of the pastoral plan and how to implement

—

Catholic Congress' Pastoral Plan.

"We

need to take those three and build on that.

We want to have the ministry active in some aspect of every parish and mission in the diocese," Rev. Mr. Todd said.

Although there is still plenty of work to be done, Rev. Mr. Todd said things are

moving

"This ministry is helping in giving a great sense of credibility. It's helping us say that ours is a culture which has and will

f

We need that

light of Easter

might give

meaning to the sometimes grim and gloomy 40 days of penance, passion and suffering. We need that vision in our lives so often

with

filled

inexplicable suffering, loss,

disappointment and betrayal. We need that vision in our church for the. times of listlessness and downright chaos.

We Easter people need that view from the top to see all the way to the end.

We should celebrate the Lent of 1996 as if we are never going to celebrate

it

again.

Father Vincent Donovan is associate pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe.

make

positive contributions

church and to society."

Catholics

/ CAMP

^

I

FOR GIRLS

<

CAMP

Chosatonga FOR BOYS

A

place where a child can explore, build self-confidence and self-esteem.

Two

and challenging environment where our youth can play, learn

in faith together.

mountain camps,

in the heart of the

Blue Ridge, surrounded by

national forest, Whitewater rivers and waterfalls offering:

Rock climbing riding

•

archery

gymnastics

•

•

•

swimming

backpacking

tennis

•

•

nature study

•

drama* Whitewater canoeing

arts •

and

riflery

.crafts • •

mountain biking

team sports

•

• •

horseback kayaking

and more...

Please, call to review a

VIDEO_

in a positive direction.

continue to to the

so do we.

and Directed by

Consolation and Our Lady of Assumption

Ministry

And

He was

In the Blue Ridge Mountains of

A wholesome

Diane Baker and Freddie DeWalt, American Affairs

co-chairs of the African

my beloved Son on whom my

is

favor rests. Listen to him."

NORTH CAROLINA Owned Roman

traditional

Tice added. "Everyone is feeling the presence of this group. I credit this ministry with a lot of that, where the parish is starting to lay claim to itself."

The success of the African American ministry has other churches turning to Our Lady of Consolation when looking for a model program to follow. "We can now share with them and also say, 'What are you doing?'" Father Tice noted.

Our Lady of Only three parishes

diocese.

"This

CHRISTIAN SUMMER CAMPS

their

year' s National Black Catholic Congress.

goes to 110 households and includes articles of interest and information pertinent to African Americans in the

to the end.

church.

great deal of diocesan interest, Father

was also created for the African American Affairs Ministry.

Called "The Griot, " the monthly letter

understood that the

promise made to Abraham that "all the communities of the earth would find blessing in him" would be realized through him, a true son of Abraham.

Jesus needed to hear that reassuring voice which he had heard across the waters of the Jordan at the beginning of his saving ministry. He

for people interested in attending next

newsletter

for us

Jesus of Nazareth went one day

The African American ministry at Our Lady of Consolation has generated a

A

good

he

was coming

vision early in Lent so that the

aside to provide training later this year

set

is

be here" on the mountaintop on this second stop in the Lenten journey.

Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of being on the mountain top and seeing a vision of America in which the value and worth of a person would not be judged by the color of his skin. to

Mass." projects as well.

share with St.

Peter the feeling that "it

again

American Affairs Ministry

the African

an attempt to share who we are and have the whole Church recognize and "This

over the diocese just to he said.

to

hear

also focuses

on the church family. "This is an attempt to share who we are and have the whole Church recognize and celebrate that," Rev. Mr. Todd noted.

Father Cecil Tice, pastor at Our Lady of Consolation, said his church has been its

needed

HAS BEEN SAID THAT PERHAPS IT would be better if we had just one

Editor's Note: The following article

Ages 8-17 "I will lift

up

my

• Session lengths available 2,3,4,5,6,9

eyes to the mountains, from whence comes

weeks

my help."

-

Psalms 121:1

Route 2 Box 389, Brevard, North Carolina 28712 (704) 884-6834

•

March

1,

The Catholic News

1996

epiainme nt Entert

Call'

ence Office for Film and Broadcasting. Each videocason VHS format. Theatrical movies on video have a U.S. Catholic Conference classification and Motion Picture Association of America rating. All reviews indicate the appropriate age group for the

suitable for adults,

sette is available

video audience.

"The Easter Story" (1989) Half-hour animated version of

St.

Mark's Gospel, recounting events from Christ's entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday through his passion, death, resurrection and ascension. Intended for young children, the Hanna-Barbera animation is on the same basic level as Saturday-morning cartoons, the treatment is reverential and the violence of Holy Week is shown off-screen or from a distance. Appropriate for preschoolers and those in the early grades.

(Videos with Values, (800) 233-4629) that of

an entertaining combination of folk culture, popular art and spiritual insight.

(Videos with Values, (800) 233-4629, $14.99)

"Jesus of Nazareth" (1977) television Award-winning dramatization of the

life

of Christ from

the Nativity through the Resurrection,

with British actor Robert Powell giving an appropriately intense performance as

by Franco Zeffirelli, the 37 1 -minute production is mounted on an

Jesus. Directed

epic scale in a realistic setting rich in

period detail that enhances the drama's

"The Fourth Wise Man" (1985) Television adaptation of Henry Van Dyke's vintage short

Wise Man,"

tells

story,

"The Other

of a fourth Magi

(Martin Sheen) who's delayed in following the star to Bethlehem, then finally catches up with it in Jerusalem some 33 years later in an encounter which fulfills his life's search for truth.

Produced by Paulist Father Ellwood Kieser and directed by Michael Rhodes, the 52-minute dramatization effectively amplifies the religious dimension of the original while adding some light humor from Alan Arkin as the Magi's servant. Family entertainment with the universal theme of bettering oneself by helping others. (Ignatius Press, (800)

651- 1531, $14.95)

"God's Trombones

A Trilogy" is

credibility while being entirely faithful

nomination of a family-oriented film from Australia as best picture of 1995 "ought to be a wake-up call to Hollywood," according to the U.S. bishops' movie expert, Henry Herx.

Herx, who has been reviewing movies for the bishops since 1964, made the

comment Feb.

13 after the

death penalty.

family, and it had to come from Australia," he said.

Herx, director of the U.S. Catholic Conference Office for Film and Broadcasting, was especially critical of The Disney Co., saying that its late

to launch a nationwide toll-free

founder Walt Disney built up the company by "consistently producing

The result achieves

quality family entertainment."

a spiritual dimension

uncommon in most

"The current leadership is diluting the Disney name by playing around with the animation form and incorporating adult themes and references," he said.

Herx commended the academy, however, for nominating three other quality movies as best picture despite his belief that "Hollywood has turned movies into an overwhelmingly adult medium."

"The Postman," "Sense and Sensibility" and "Apollo 13" each

such works For all members of the family (Ignatius Press, (800) 65 1-1531, $49.95) .

"Shadowlands" (1986)

BBC television drama about Oxford professor and Christian author C.S.Lewis (Joss Ackland), a confirmed bachelor

who

late in life falls in

love and marries

American poet and admirer Joy Gresham (Claire Bloom) who is dying of cancer.

Beautifully produced and warmly acted, William Nicholson's dramatization of a deeply religious love story is at times amusing, often quite moving and entirely

outlook on life, love and death. Worthwhile, meaningful viewing for all but the youngest members of the Christian in

its

$19.95)

received a classification of A-II suitable for adults and adolescents

from the

USCC film office.

classified A-I

—

educator James Weldon Johnson

( 1 87 1 938) in the oratorical style of the black preachers he heard as a youth, three of which are given dramatic readings here

by James Earl Jones and Dorian Harewood. Imaginatively visualized in

clay animation,

"The Creation" conveys

the wonderments of Genesis,

"Go Down

Death" finds consolation in "going home" to Jesus and the zestful retelling of "The Prodigal Son" includes the memorable line, "Young man, your arm's too short to box with God." Ideal family viewing, the 30-minute video

—

1996 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEES (clockwise) Massimo and Maria Grazia Cucionotta star in "The Postman." The film was nominated for best picture and Troisi,

Troisi, Philippe Noiret

who died shortly after the filming,

received a nomination for best

Susan Sarandon received a nomination for best actress for her role in "Dead Man Walking." The movie's director, Tim Robbins, was also nominated for an award. The film "Sense and Sensibility," based on the Jane Austen novel, received a

actor.

nomination for best picture.

is

The fmncl$can Center

V [910] 273-2554

Mon.-Fri 9AM - 5PM

BOOKS & GIFTS for ALL occasions.

Bibles, Statues, Rosaries, Medals, Reii 9 ious Plaques, Cards

&

more!

[We welcome SPECIAL ORDERS.] 233 N. Greene St.* Greensboro, NC 27401

j|j

|[j=Hn

— —

all.

"The academy seems to be hearing the cry for movies to which you can take the family," Herx said.

The fifth nominee for best picture, "Braveheart," was classified A-IV

poems

—

It

was classified A-III

—

suitable for adults.

Concern for movie

fare

prompted

the Catholic Communication Campaign, the U.S. bishops' media-funding effort,

movie

review line to assist parents in choosing movies and videos for the family. The toll-free

number

is

(800) 31 1-4CCC.

"The movie review important

line puts

information moviegoing choices right

about at

the

fingertips of Catholic parents," said

Auxiliary Bishop Thomas J. Costello of

"Babe" was

suitable for

written by African-American author-

1

reservations

because of its scenes of violence. Oscar winners will be announced March 25.

Another movie with Catholic themes, "Dead Man Walking," received Oscar nominations for best actor, best actress and best director but was not nominated for best picture. It is based on a Catholic nun's book about her experiences with inmates facing the

announced that "Babe," an Australian movie about a pig, was among the five films nominated for best picture of 1 995. "'Babe' was one of the few quality movies that theaters offered for the entire

1927, "God's

a collection of

Academy

of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

to the Gospel account.

family. (Vision Video, (800) 588-8474,

(1994)

First published in

Trombones"

—

On

Family Entertainment WASHINGTON (CNS) — The with

NEW YORK (CNS) — The following are home

Vid GOS

7

Oscar Nominations 'Wake-Up

videocassette reviews from the U.S. Catholic Confer-

_

& Herald

—

Syracuse, N. Y., chairman of the bishops'

Communications Committee. "When there are quality movies, the movie line broadcasts that fact."

He called the movie line "one of the best services the church offers families."

The movie

drew 100,000 calls months, prompting the bishops to vote to continue the service at least through February 1997.

In 1995, the USCC film and broadcasting office reviewed 240 films.

Only 14 of them were classified A-I or suitable for the entire family, while 45 morally offensive were classified O line

in its first four

—

for

all.

Of the rest, 38 were classified A-II, 109 were A-III and 34 were A-IV, primarily because of violent or sexually explicit scenes.

8

The Catholic News

& Herald

March

All

™@death®(? violence

By Father Lawrence Catholic

News

Mick Service

hatred

— —

sin in our lives).

All the focus

on sin and evil takes place against the background of the resurrection. We already know the end

more powerful than

of the story: Life is

death. Even the experience of great violence and deep loss will not defeat us or impel us to respond in kind if we cling to the mystery of Christ's death and resurrection.

He never gave in to the temptation to respond to violence with violence, to return hate for hate.

So we are able to sing out our joy and our hope even in the face of death!

—

smell of death.

Celebrating in the midst of a Christian community can and should offer such an experience. We celebrate the power of the God who is the Lord of life who gives life and sustains our lives every day.

The values the liturgy reflects stand in marked contrast to the values that often rule elsewhere. The liturgy, though, is not intended as an escape from "real life," as if going to church meant entering another world distinct from our daily existence.

Good liturgy confronts the reality of evil and the forces of death in our world.

—

—

(Father Mick is a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Ohio, and a freelance writer in Dayton.)

FAITH IN THE

MARKETPLACE

What single element of your values system would you

most

The

core of Christian worship is the mystery of Christ's death and resurrec-

like to insert into the

world around you?

the paschal mystery. Both dimensions of that mystery death and resurrection receive sustained attention.

The crucifixion of the Lord stands as one of the clearest examples of injustice and violence in history. This totally innocent person suffered greatly and died as a victim of death's forces.

All who suffer injustice and violence

—

can identify with the crucified Lord and know that he is with them.

However, Christ's suffering and death is only the first half of the story.

It is the stunning fact of the resurrection that sustains our celebration.

Death is not the victor that it seemed.

Life triumphs. No force can ultimately conquer the power of the living Lord, who dies no more.

Christ's resurrection is the basis for Christian hope in the face of life's difficulties. We who follow the crucified and risen One know that God brings life out of death.

Life has the final word.

We first entered into the mystery of Christ's death and resurrection in our baptism. As this mystery is the core of our worship, so it should be the core of our daily living.

This mystery of death and resurrection forms the pattern of our lives.

—

—

an oasis of peace. For residents of troubled neighborhoods, going to church may offer a respite from the daily struggle to survive, an opportunity to experience safety and warmth in a life marked by danger and the cold

—

—

the catechumens' coming baptism; others' past baptisms and the conversion of life this celebrates.

We hear the stories of: The woman at the well (calling us to slake our own thirst with the living water that only Jesus gives).

The man born blind (calling us to see ourselves as God sees us).

The raising of Lazarus from the dead (calling us to allow God's grace to raise us up from the deadly power of

like

tion:

©1 996 by CNS

are especially appropriate for a focus on

baptism

E.

Angry words punctuate the air. Sirens and flashing lights cut through the darkness. The weeping of mothers over the deaths of children resonates through the night.

This scenario is repeated over and over in many big cities and is not uncommon even in smaller towns. Often, a grand old church building stands in the midst of the chaos.

To some, this church space seems

contents copyright

1996

1,

"Honesty, because think the world in general would be a better place if everyone were a little more Jeanne Fadel, Brooklyn, honest."

N.Y. I

—

"A sense of appreciation of each other's gifts, and with each other.

a

civility in

dealing

We need to listen

without cynicism to each other, with a sense of what the other person

has CNS

"Good death

in

liturgy confronts the reality of evil

our world."

It

escape violence and kind

"if

we

photo by The Crosiers,

we do

we may

not

and

resurrection."

found in the death of sin and selfishness within us: the death of the hatred within; the death of violence.

The

forces of evil

and

and death are not just around us. We find them within us as violence

well.

When sin and self-

ishness die within, can grow in love.

Jesus'

we

example

teaches us that love, not violence, is the most

powerful force

when

it

— Ed

Stieritz,

"Caring, because if you care, everything else falls into place one Francis Olson, way or another."

Fargo, N.D.

—

not have to respond in

cling to the mystery of Christ's death

We are called to embrace the cross repeatedly, knowing that God can and will draw us through suffering and even death to fullness of life.

But what dying are we called to embrace? Much of the answer to that is

to offer."

Erlanger, Ky. Plaisted

and the forces of

helps us to see that while

hostility,

Gene

comes to countering evil and death.

Even on the cross he prays for those

"Conscience. think if you have a conscience, you know the difference between right and wrong, and if more decisions were made on that basis it would be a better Francy Mullen, Green world."

I

—

Bay, Wis.

who

crucify him, loving to the end. is a time to honestly face the want the power of evil inside us.

Christ's love to purify us and enable us to overcome the forces of death.

Lent

We

There are good opportunities to focus on this in parishes during events those involving the catechumens preparing for baptism at Easter.

There are, for example, what we call the three "scrutinies" with the catechumens on the third, fourth and fifth Sundays of Lent. These events invite the whole assembly to scrutinize their lives.

We pray that God will help us root out whatever is sinful in us and

—

strengthen what is good.

The readings for these Sundays in 1996, especially the Gospel passages,

"Love, because I've seen that give people love, they

when you return

it

to you....

And

When you

respect.

respect somebody, then respect comes back to you."

Connie Hidalgo, Houston, Texas

—

An upcoming edition asks: Tell of one way to be a true peacemaker at home.

If

you would

like to

respond for

possible publication, please write: Faith Alive! 3211 Fourth St. N.E., Washington, D.C. 20017- 1100.

March

1,

1996

The Catholic News

A prayer on

"Safety for the people

a dark night

& Herald

I

most love seems an illusion tonight in the face

Jesus,

gangs, and racial violence, and loss of meaning for young people, and I lose

TV news

is over, and I have switched the lamp to sit in the quiet of a sleeping house.

Most nights I find this a comforting darkness, opening me to solitude and a sense of your presence. But tonight is different. Tonight the darkness is oppressive and chilled.

hope of a solution.

It makes me weary, Lord, and inclined to bad choices.

Protect me in your mercy from despairing isolation. Tonight, in the dark, I can feel myself wanting to live

off

The warm beacon

like the comical statue of the three

of

puny tonight, its weakness making the darkness more menacing.

my

night took

I

to-

breath

here

sit

It

...

makes me

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

weary, Lord, and inclined

bad choices. Protect me in your mercy from

to

During a solar eclipse, sunlight extinguished, it is blocked from

isn't

view.

despairing isolation."

Another kind of eclipse

way monkeys, with eyes, ears and mouth covered: "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil."

Help me remember your passion,

Help

me with such a

weight that

crime....

brutal

me remember

that you

faced death and torture, and human cruelty, and the treachery of your friends, and the abuse of power by those entrusted with the public welfare. Give me the gift of your courage, Jesus. Walk with me in this dark time, and other dark times to

away. Two stories about children have covered

such a

Jesus. Death's stranglehold must have seemed to you, at some level, beyond shaking.

the night light at the top of the stairs seems

The TV news

of

and apparent

am in the dark tonight. The

I

am

confounded by the complexity insolubility of the social problems that contribute to the rise of I

By Dan Luby Catholic News Service

a

Lead me not simply away from the

story about the discovery of the body of a

darkness, but through it. Give me the courage to confront the power of death, as you did. Give me a heart to forgive hurts and to embrace those who wound the world. Move me to act

It

little

opened with

who was

girl

snatched while riding her bike. That hit close to home, Lord. It happened right here, in my

under II

an eclipse of life's value. In The Gospel of Life, a 1995

believes:

pope

encyclical, the

blocking

life's

cited factors

value from view and

creating a culture of death that

denies the "solidarity" of the human family's members and values people only for their "efficiency, functionality

and usefulness."

In this culture:

—

"A

life

which would require

greater acceptance, love and care is

considered useless or held to be an intolerable burden."

— "A

come.

frozen.

is

Pope John Paul

today,

illness,

just

by

person who, because of handicap or, more simply, existing,

compromises the

well-being or lifestyle of those

who

are more favored tends to be looked

upon as an enemy to be resisted

or

eliminated."

and

For the pope, the forces of death are forms of violence, whether the

Especially in this Lenten time of renewal and repentance, Jesus, lead

violence of abortion or that which

friendly, familiar town.

She was only a year

me

town

—

my

younger than

for

safe,

my son.

me

to

(Luby is the director of the Division of Christian Formation for the Diocese of Forth Worth, Texas, and a

an instant to

place. Sorrow, despair, grief, rage,

Help

me to bring peace.

imagine myself in their

nial:

to the resurrection.

and mercy and truth over greed and coldness of heart and lies.

Bless those who are hurting. Use

parents walking the gauntlet of cameras, glassy-eyed with grief and regret. It was the of

for healing, for justice

drives children into poverty and malnutrition.

trust in the ultimate victory of grace

They showed her

work

life,

peace and communion.

CNS

guilt, de-

photo by Mary Ann Evans

The pope encourages awareness

of the culture of death, but

doesn't encourage despair. "A

journey of love, openness and service to human life can begin," he writes.

He calls for a "mobilization new culture of life."

for

a

David Gibson

free-lance writer.)

They would be

Editor, Faith Alive!

9

my heart, Lord.

Safety for the people I most love seems an illusion tonight in the face of such a brutal and sinister crime.

The next story was about a teenager killed in a gang shooting in another city. It shocked me to recognize her mother on the screen, a woman I met last spring. I remember her talking about her daughter with pride and affection. Again, I imagined the hole that will be left in her heart.

Jesus, I am beside myself. I am stunned by the incomprehensibility of a life so without boundaries, so empty of capacity for human connection and sympathy that it could undertake the abduction and murder of a 9-year-old child.

he

new

like a boiling volcano in

A Biblical panorama

of Jesus'

particular is that the value of

defilement....

enty-fold" (Genesis 4:23-24).

By Father John J. Castelot Catholic News Service

Murder

the topic in one of the

is

forces.

Cain was envious of Abel's success and killed him (Genesis 4:8). Not to be

Consider warfare. It is heinous enough, but already in ancient times it was aggravated by senseless brutality: the wiping out of whole populations men, women, children, even livestock.

What is even worse, people tried to justify it by invoking the sanction of the deity. The author of life was made to bear the burden of others' total lack

Lamech boasted

to his wives:

have killed a man for wounding me, a boy for bruising me. If Cain is avenged seven-fold, then Lamech sev-

"I

Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk

general and of his passion and death

life

depends on

of Cincinnati in his

Anthony Messenger Press, 1615 Republic

giving

it

book, Lenten Lunches

St., Cincinnati,

in

away," writes

OH 45210.

(St.

1995.

Paperback, $7.95). The book's reflections are based on weekday Lenten Mass life wasn't comfortable or easy, the archbishop says. Jesus "wanted to make clear through his life that our worth is not in what we get but in readings. Jesus'

what we

give."

Reflection:

Cain's resentment and Lamech's vicious brutality are just two examples of the forces of death in our world. These are not abstractions, but very real

Bible's very first stories.

outdone,

life in

human

the males....

"Then the other sons of Jacob followed up the slaughter and sacked the city in reprisal for their sister Dinah's

forces of death

FAITH IN ACTION The most basic lesson

of the

"Why did the contemporaries of Jesus want to put him

to

death?

Because he wasn't just like everybody else, " writes Archbishop Pilarczyk. If Jesus was rejected, his followers may be rejected at times too, since they share his life, the archbishop observes. He asks pointedly: "If it were a statutory crime to be a follower of Christ, would there be enough evidence to convict us?"

—

of respect for

The

life!

real causes

were the forces of

death: greed and inhuman savagery.

In the Book of Genesis, unbridled lust led Shechem to rape Dinah, daughter of Jacob. When later, now out

asked to marry Dinah, her brothers agreed, but on condition that all the men of Shechem's tribe be circumcised.

The condition was accepted and, when the pain of the operation was at of real love for her, he

its fiercest, Simeon and Levi avenged the family honor. They "took their swords, advanced against the city without any trouble, and massacred all

They

carried off all their

wealth, their women and their children, and took for loot whatever was in the houses" (Genesis 34:25-29).

The forces of death: lust, revenge, offended honor, cruelty, lack of respect for human life. Jesus countered such forces of death

by striking at their root

causes.

"But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.... Therefore, if you bring your gift to

the altar and there recall that

your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift"

(Matthew

5:23-24).

Jesus opposed the forces of death by encouraging the forces of life: thoughtful reconciliation, love. "Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).

The forces of death are not abstractions, and they cannot be conquered by by becoming retaliating in kind forces of death ourselves. Violence only begets further violence, and a culture of death thrives thereby.

—

(Father Castelot

is

scholar, author, teacher

a Scripture

and

lecturer.)

9

10 The Catholic

News

& Herald

March

People David Brinkley Tapped For Christophers' Life

diocese, is

Achievement Award

NEW YORK (CNS) — Two Oscarnominated Christopher

movies were named Award winners this year,

In

Regis Philbin Treasures His Catholic Education BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (CNS)

which he has headed since 1 990,

—

— 56,000 square miles compared

with Maine's 32,500 square miles. He covers that area without an auxiliary

Regis Philbin

bishop and with fewer than 100

one.

priests.

isn't just

proud of

Catholic schools. He's also named after

The

co-star of the popular "Live

with Regis and Kathie Lee" television

and veteran television newscaster and commentator David Brinkley was named

show was named

after his father's

— Regis High School,

recipient of this year' s Christophers' Life

Father Byrne, Former

alma mater

Achievement Award. In all, three films, six TV specials, seven books for adults and four books for young people were

Head Of Dominicans,

Catholic boys' school in New York. "I

Dies Of Heart Attack

think everything I am is the result of 1

named winners of Christopher awards.

The awards ceremony was scheduled for Feb. 29 in

New

honored for

five

York. Brinkley is being decades of outstanding

Dominican Founder Of Israeli Peace Village Dies NEVE SHALOM/WAHAT AL-

SALAM,

Israel

(CNS)

— Dominican

Father Bruno Hussar, a convert from Judaism who sought to promote peace among Jews and Palestinians, died at age 84 following a short illness. Father Hussar was the founder of Oasis of Peace, a

community designed coexistence

among

ROME

(CNS)

—

Irish Father

Damian Byrne, head of the Dominicans from 1983

to 1992, died of a heart attack

in Dublin, Ireland, Feb. 18 at

age 67, said

a statement issued by the order's

Rome

headquarters. During his term as master-

broadcast journalism.

to foster peaceful

the people of Israel.

general, Father Byrne had to handle touchy situations regarding two Dominican theologians at odds with the Vatican: Belgian-born Father Edward Schillebeeckx and U.S. Father Matthew Fox. Overall, there were "good relations

with the Vatican," during Father Byrne's term, said Father Oscar Mayorga,

Dominican press

years of Catholic education," Philbin

The Catholic Transcript, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Hartford. Growing up in the Bronx, he attended Our Lady of Solace Grammar School and Cardinal Hayes High told

School.

He completed

his Catholic

schooling at the University of Notre

Dame in South Bend, Ind. "The values that you learn as a kid stay with you the

of your life. Certainly, those nuns and brothers and priests drummed enough of those values into us that it

rest

helped us tremendously," said Philbin, 62, an Irish-Italian Catholic

secretary.

a

in

who lives

Greenwich.

Goal Of Catholic Editorial Cartoonist

To Make

71,

still is

one of the best

at stirring the

hot

pot of political and social issues. Over a

45-year career, the

artist

has received

three Pulitzer Prizes for editorial

cartooning and published six books of cartoons. His work is syndicated by the Los Angeles Times and appears twice

at the village.

Bishop Describes Challenges Of Heading Nation's Poorest Diocese PORTLAND, Maine (CNS)

weekly in its opinion pages. Conrad The Tidings, newspaper of the Los

told

Angeles Archdiocese, that his goal is "to make people think. I don't give a damn if you agree or disagree (with the cartoon).

The problem is people aren't reading enough today and so they don't know

—

Bishop Donald E. Pelotte of Gallup, N.M., may not be able to visit with his fellow Abnaki Indians in his native Maine very often, but that doesn't

— At

Catholic editorial cartoonist Paul Conrad

Jewish and Christian members. Father Hussar and the village, known also by its combined Hebrew and Arabic names, Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam, were nominated five times for the Nobel Peace Prize. Father Hussar was buried on Feb.

mean there is

any shortage of Native Americans in his life. "I have contact with fellow Native Americans perhaps daily in the Gallup Diocese in New Mexico and Arizona, where hundreds of thousands of them live," Bishop Pelotte said in an interview with The Church World, Portland diocesan newspaper. The New Mexico

People Think'

LOS ANGELES (CNS)

The community was built by its Muslim,

1 1

1996

The News

nearly twice the size of the state of

Maine

1,

anything."

CNS

photo by Tod Tamberg, The Tidings

Editorial cartoonist Paul Conrad sketches out a concept in his Los Angeles studio. The artist said he wants his work to give a voice to the common

man.

Celebrating

15 years

of Serving the Carolinas

Lenten devotions, prayers,

pamphlets, journals,

&

1996

1981

the

best in Spiritual reading.

Nine Choirs Asheville,

g%jl°

NC

740 Haywood Rd. (704) 254-5905

oks

Catl

°P en Tues.-Sat.

—STEEPLES— KIVETT'S INC.

ITALIAN

MARKET

ma/uifadwer offine church

furniture

TELEPHONE—

2912 SELWYN AVENUE CHARLOTTE, NC 28209

704-343-9095

4410-7 (Monroe Kpad Charlotte, OiC

28205 (704)342-2878

9:30 a.m.-5:30p.m

PEWS AN

Carolina CatfwCic 'Bool^sfiovve

N C.

-800-416-0945 1-800-334-1 139 I

Clinton. Flo/th Carolina

REFINISHING

Join us on Friday,

March

— Patron of 15% OFF 6a\e

(Feaet of St. John of God

Special

3 3ookeel\ere)

Gifts Refresh ments Children's

Story

Teller

at 3:30

March

The Catholic News

1996

1,

Minnesota Nun Recalls Her 'Orphan —

interview with the St. Cloud Cloud diocesan newspaper.

Northern Railroad train pulled into Avon, a tiny whistle-stop in central Minnesota, to the delight of the crowd gathered at

the orphan train wasn't unique.

the depot.

were sent from

Visitor, St.

Sister Bieganek' s experience with

Of nearly 1 50,000 children in need of families who

New York to other states

orphaned and

across the country between 1854 and

homeless children from

New York City

nearly 3,300 ended up in Minnesota, she said.

The Children's Aid Society in New York started the orphan trains in response to the growing number of homeless and orphaned immigrant children wandering the city s streets and straining the capacity

filed off the train into the waiting

arms of their new foster parents.

Two-year-old Edith Peterson was among them. She was met by John and Mary Bieganek, a farm family from Holdingford. The Bieganeks had contacted the New York Foundling Hospital three weeks earlier asking for a little girl with blond hair and blue eyes.

That little girl grew up to become a

member of Little Falls

the Franciscan Sisters of

—

Sister Justina Bieganek.

"My foster father said later that when they took me off the train, I walked directly

1929,

'

of

warehouse-style orphanages.

Society secretary Charles Brace

its

believed the best place for children was

open country with farm families, she said. The arrangement gave the children food, shelter and the stability of family life, and the farmers received an extra pair of helping hands for the chores. in the

who

Sister Bieganek,

toward him," she said in an

is

at the St.

Train' Past

a secretary

Francis Music Center in Little

New York

researched her

Falls,

—

—

1

By JOE TOWALSKI

LITTLE FALLS, Minn. (CNS) On a cool November day in 1 9 1 3 a Great

The passengers

& Herald

in the 1960s,

among

origins

and her personal account

is

those in a three-volume series,

"Orphan Train Riders."

She said that the New York Foundling Hospital, run by the Sisters of Charity, began sponsoring orphan trains a few

more

like slaves and servants than sons and daughters.

She was one of the lucky ones. But when her foster mother died of cancer,

there was talk of sending 6-year-old Edith

back

their

The

sure the children in

program went to Catholic homes.

Minnesota region around St.

central

Cloud, with

its

many

farmsteads

owned

by Catholic immigrants like the Bieganeks, became a frequent stop on the orphan train route.

Like Sister Bieganek, most of the children were not legally adopted.

Instead, families signed indenture papers guaranteeing the children an upbringing in exchange for work.

Not every child found a loving home, Sister

Bieganek

said.

Some were treated

New

who became

"We

years after Brace inaugurated the practice.

The nuns made

to

York. She ended up living

with an older brother and his her

new

new

bride,

foster parents.

had a small farm, a beautiful

orchard and plenty of bees," she recounted

"Orphan Train Riders." "I literally grew up on honey. My new parents were

in

wonderful couple. Church, prayer and school were very important."

After eighth grade, Sister Bieganek stayed home for a few years to help care

truly a

for her foster siblings before enrolling at

a boarding school run by the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls.

Impressed with their tightly knit community, she joined the order in 1 929, the same year that child labor and welfare laws ended the era of the orphan trains.

It was only in 1969, with a search through the Foundling Hospital's records during a

visit to

New York, that she was

some information two years of her life. "Not knowing about your origins is more frustrating than anything that can happen able to piece together

about the

first

to a person," she told the Visitor.

From

hospital records she learned

that her father

was

a 28- year-old

New

Yorker who died six months before her birth. Her mother, Rebecca Peterson, was a 26-year-old Norwegian immigrant. In the certificate of surrender the mother listed "inability to care for the child" as

the reason for giving her up.

The records mentioned an older Bieganek was unable any blood relatives. Still, she is happy about what she could discover.

"Finding part of my history in those sibling, but Sister

to locate

documents was the most satisfying

my

experience of

entire life," she said.

She and other orphan

train riders

share such stories at yearly reunions.

About a dozen

states currently host

gatherings. Minnesota's CNS

Pilgrimage/Studkr Tour to

Greece and Turkey St.

John

Daily Masses ~ Morning and Evening Prayers ~ Scripture Study Sessions ~ Licensed Tour Guides ~ First Class Accommodations ~ All Entrance Fees ~ In-land Air and Water Transportation ~ Breakfast and Dinner Daily ~ All Taxes and Gratuities ~ Round-trip Airfare from Charlotte, NC

Father Phillip Leach and Sister Margaret Harig, SND, ministers at the Hill,

will

Newman

Catholic Student Center,

be Spiritual Directors. Arrangements by

Catholic Travel Centre.

Call (919) 929-3730 for information. Just four places

BLOOMFIELD, N.J.—Thousands

stay experience at religious houses have

visited the former family

Sinclair

Lewis

in

homes of

Massachusetts,

William Randolph Hearst in California, W.T. Grant in Connecticut, a London townhouse four blocks from Victoria Station or a house overlooking St. Peter' in Rome for as little as $30 per day.

A little but much used directory lists these and more than 2, 1 70 similar houses in Canada, Mexico, the United States and 60 other countries sponsored by 23

—

Total Cost: $3,849

Chapel

back

the

to the early 1960s.

AlternativeAccomodations of Catholic adults seeking the simple and budget-sparing overnight or short

June 10 -25, 1996

Campus

oldest, dating

Religious Directory Offers

on a

In the footsteps of St. Paul and

such

among

photo from Reulers

Thousands of people march along Dublin's O'Connell Street Feb. 25 in a rally urging the restoration of a ceasefire and further peace talks on Northern Ireland. Simultaneous rallies were held in London and throughout Ireland, as recent bombings brought renewed calls for peace.

Join us

is

denominations. left.

Religious houses provide good food

and safe, attractively furnished rooms and surroundings. Rooms can be single or double with baths that are private, shared or down the hall. Early reservations with a guest or retreat

recommended, since the number of rooms varies widely. Daily per person costs range from $30 to $65, registrar are

most including three meals.

The

directory, Overnight or Short

Stay at Religious Houses Around the World, lists the house name, address, zip code, telephone number, type of house

and denominational sponsor. It is available from Hugen Press, P.O. Box 2286, Bloomfield, N.J. 07003 at a cost of $19.95 postage paid.

12

The Catholic News

& Herald

March

Ways

Five

All Is

To Freshen

Night Vigil

Scheduled

HIGH POINT

Relationships WASHINGTON, D.C.— When is new, it's easy to be spontaneous and search out ways to please your partner, says Cathleen Gray, assistant

love

professor of social

work at The Catholic

University of America.

But after several years in a marriage,

spouses often lose the energy to

work at

romances.

"It's very hard after dealing with the mortgage, the baby and cleaning the house to put on our outside self, the person we are when we go to parties, the fun sides of ourselves," Gray says. "It's hard to be spontaneous with someone

Parishioners Offer

Easter vigil

is

— "He

March

Is

Farwell

Kollithanath, pastor of Christ the

High Point

King

will participate in

know because

really

it

feels

artificial."

specializes in marriage and

Gray

relationship issues and counsels couples.

When

their consider relationships stale and dull, it's a warning sign for more serious trouble

couples

down the road. "When people get stale, they get quiet. They stop asking questions and stop acting interested and curious about their partner."

She offers these five ways to freshen stale relationships: •

"Why

Instead of asking,

can't

my

spouse be more exciting?" take the initiative and launch something new in the relationship. Make it a surprise lunch date or rent a movie you saw on one of your first dates.

• When you're going home from work, have a plan. Think of a story, an idea, a compliment, something that will add to your partner's day. Women put lipstick on before they go out the door.

Men comb going

Do

their hair.

home

to

this before

your partner.

Never go two weeks without having time alone. That weekend getaway to a bed and breakfast might be out of reach now, but couples can always make time to take a walk, visit a museum, or find a pretty spot to watch the sun set.

• Send a love letter. Include a note •

in

your spouse's briefcase, purse or

gym

bag. All

it

has to say

is

that you'll

be thinking of him or her during the day.

• Make sure you give a hug every day. Not just hello and good-bye hugs,

warm embraces that remind you why you fell in love in the first place.

When Gray talks to individuals who

but

more life to the marriage, she asks them to put 100 percent into want

to bring

revitalizing the relationship instead of

always expecting their partners to meet halfway. "After several years of marriage, we sometimes forget we have to work at it to stay in love," Gray says.

"And we

forget

how

expecting something

to give without in

exchange."

Jude for Pra yers Answered

Blessed Virgin and

St.

D.M.V.

CARDOZA

St.

Redemptorist Father Daniel

until later."

Ordained

J.

James

St.

in

his doctorate in

responsibilities in the fields of politics

himself."

and economics," the pope said.

"The church and the state have their own independent spheres which are parallel, but not opposed to each other," he said. "The church and state must serve without one men and women

Nevertheless, "he

—

interfering or submitting to the other

—

way in order to serve

in a complementary

Sacred Theology in 1978. Noting that he ministered on both sides of the Second Vatican Council, Father Sharrock stated he not only accepted changes in the life and liturgy of the church introduced by the council but feels, "It (Vatican the II) was

Father Sharrock as, "a shy quiet

good."

Pope John Paul said he hoped that the Catholic Church in Cuba and the island' s government could begin "an open dialogue" that would not only help leaders of church and state outline their rights and responsibilities, but would lead to greater understanding and acceptance.

The February meeting in Cuba marked the 10th anniversary of an earlier

like

doesn't

draw

to

attention

to

and needs deserves to be thanked."

For his part, Redemptorist Father Daniel Sharrock Father Sharrock said he found the people of St. Joseph to be warm, generous greatest thing that has happened to the and friendly. "I want to emphasize how church in a long time. It made people much the people of Kannapolis have consciously aware of their responsibility

made them aware

meant to me and how much I'm going to

in the church. It

miss them."

they are to have a personal relationship

Born Sharrock six.

in Rochester, is

Though

his family

to his father's

most part schools.

NY,

Father

the fifth child in a family of

—

He

moved

a lot due

—

for the work, he said he attended parochial

recalls his call to the

national church gathering to discuss

priesthood at the age of 1 2 while serving

pastoral plans and priorities.

as altar

The world has changed

boy

at a

small parish in Sulfur

And that they have to do things enhance that relationship."

A seminary teacher for 20 years, Father Sharrock said, "to keep in touch" during the years he taught, he always took a parish during the summertime.

The next phase of his ministry was as a retreat director, a position he maintained to

Springs, Fla. "I spent a lot of time at the

for the next 15 years.

the transformations, one

church in those days," he recalled. "I got to know the priest real well and one day

amount of

might mention the fall in Eastern Europe of a political system based on Marxist philosophy, which had an influence on nations on other continents.

"This system, spreading atheism, brought great trials to the church in those

an inner sensing led me to believe that's what I was to do with my life, too. And I never changed my mind after that," he added with a smile. "I believe the Lord sets apart those he wants to serve him at an early age ... even if some don t respond

"Among

countries, since

it

that

with God.

greatly in

those 10 years, the pope said.

in

Father 1955, Sharrock earned

Carboy, pastor of

man who

common

— Members of

Joseph parish bid Redemptorist Father David J. Sharrock farewell Feb. 11, honoring the parochial vicar for two years of service as he leaves to become pastor of St. Ann Church in Sumpter, South Carolina.

way, the church feels an obligation to alert the consciences of those who exercise public office of their great

Reflecting that a considerable his ministry had been spent

giving spiritual direction to others, Father Sharrock said, "I feel the most important thing the Lord called me to do was to help

other people find their

way

to

God."

'

considered religious

profession and practice to be irrelevant

and even harmful," the pope said.

"Although the condition of the church among you was not exactly the same," he said, Cuban Catholics "have experienced difficult situations."

But attitudes toward faith are in Cuba, the pope said.

"The stage of atheism, mistakenly described as scientific, seems to have been overcome in your nation and, on the

changing

IN

THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA

part of the people as well as public

seems to be a recognition once again of the help which Christian faith can give to the social good.

"The church in your country aspires to full freedom in with every right its work of evangelization so that it can bring the message of Christ to all Cubans, using appropriate means which include those which technology offers today,"

officials, there

—

the

In Thanksgiving to the

KANNAPOLIS

Joseph, described

Future, from pagel

the

Priest

Concord and the mission, St.

the Vigil.

their

we

A Fond

To Departing

By MARION

8 at 8:30 p.m. and

Nursing Home in the Adoration Chapel.

Father John Murphy, pastor of Our Lady of the Highways Church in Thomasville, Father Peter Jugis, pastor of Holy Infant Church in Reidsville and Father Phillip in

1996

Risen," an

through March 9 at 6: 30 a.m. at Maryfield

Church

1,

—

pope said.

Pope John Paul closed his

a prayer that

letter

with

Cuban Catholics would be

untiring preachers of the truth about

God

would be shining witnesses of the power of love to

and humanity and transform society.

that they

TRADITIONAL CAMP

ADVENTURE CAMP

Cheerio's summer resident camp offers boys and girls 7-15 the chance

Adventure Camp is a coed wilderness program for those aged 10-17, and offers activities ranging from rock climbing, rappelling, and caving to mountain biking, rafting, and

to participate in activities.

many exciting camp

Horseback riding, swim-

ming, soccer, rappelling, arts and crafts, and dance are among over 20 activities available for selection

by

campers. Boys and girls attend separate one or two week camps, or they can select a 1 week coed camp.

kayaking. Trips offer a challenging experience, enhancing confidence, self-esteem. leadership, and Campers attend one or two week sessions; all

equipment

is

Camp Cheerio, PO Box 6258 High

Point,

NC

27262 (910) 869-0195

provided.

March

1,

1996

The Catholic News

Grant To Fund Mobile Health Services ASHEVILLE

— Mission +

St.

Joseph'

Health System have received a $225,000 grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust to help fund a joint project that will provide mobile health and pediatric dental services in Western North Carolina.

The project is designed to help overcome transportation and financial barriers that prevent people from getting needed health and dental services. The health

component of the project received $150,000 and the pediatric dental component received $75,000.

The project consists of traveling clinics that will provide medical services in Buncombe County and pediatric dental services in the 1 1 -county region of Western services

North Carolina. Social services and health education will be provided.

JERUSALEM BOMB AFTERMATH

24 and Paul

II

left is

dozens wounded. Pope John

among those

escalating violence

decrying the

in Israel.

CNS

photo from Reuters

Terminally In

III

Find Comfort

KNOW 6951 E. Independence

MITSUBISHI

531-3131

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Facing never easy, but terminally ill patients who can tap their spiritual beliefs and find comforting perspectives on their own deaths tend to experience less death

is

of their loved ones. Once diagnosed with terminal illnesses, most people explore

what death means, Smith said. "Often, their beliefs are thrown into the air like a

game of 'pick-up-stix' make sense of their own

as they try to

deaths."

This process of rethinking values

professor of social

work at The Catholic University of America, measured levels of anxiety and depression in 116 adult

and spiritual beliefs sometimes confuses family members and other loved ones.

But soul-searching is necessary and

cancer patients and assessed the depths of their spiritual beliefs.

Patients who never accepted death

appears to help terminally face death more peacefully.

as a natural part of their life cycles nor

found positive ways to view their deaths were more likely to be in despair and to experience high levels of anxiety and depression, she found.

Some patients

are able to find peace

in their beliefs in a higher

turmoil that will

after death, she said. Others are

comforted

memories

they'll live in the

patients

E.

Endependence

5354444

HYunooi

make

it

less effective,"

Based on her research, Smith developed a counseling plan to guide social workers as they help terminally ill

acknowledge death and resolve The model includes helping patients explore their own spiritual beliefs and find comfort rather their grief and fears.

PUT YOUR GIFTS at the

Consider

PRIESTHOOD

than threatening views of death.

P apoiN]E THE

^

DEALERSHIPS SERVING CHARLOTTE WITH INTEGRITY FOR OVER 33 YEARS! Frank LaPointe, President

Member of

St.

Gabriel Church

•

this

"It certainly will take time to see how plays itself out in our community and

in the lives

of the families

mourning the he

said.

who

are

now

loss of their loved ones,"

"There's no need for any more

in

The Diocese of Charlotte Contact Father Frank O'Rourke Vocation Director

1621 Dilworth Road East

28203 334-2283 (704)

Charlotte, N.C.

the Cuban people in the The Cuban people are one

ones on the island and the ones here against each other and that should not be.

"Their blood, the Cuban blood, is what unites them. Their faith is what unites them, that's always what has to be emphasized...."

As of late Feb. 27 the search was still on for the four men and the remains of their planes. No funeral plans had been made.

"Certainly there is continued hope they could be found," Ms. Agosta said.

Despite the circumstances surrounding the plane flights by Brothers

Miami

area

is

one of support for the

organization, especially in the aftermath

of such a tragedy.

"There is no mistake this association saved many, many lives" in its work to spot rafters and notify the U.S. Coast

Guard

as to their whereabouts,

Agosta

said.

"I think the pulse

down

here

is

Ms. that

having an unarmed airplane blown out of the air doesn't balance the scale in anybody's mind," she added. "It's a terrible, terrible tragedy."

Contributing to this story was Ana Rodriguez-Soto in Miami.

Employment Opportunities Director of Religious Education: New position beginning Summer, 1996, for parish of more than 1,100 families.

DRE

will administer a total

parish program, giving priority to

4100E. Independence

5354455

Archbishop Favalora blow" to the community of south Florida, especially for Cuban-Americans. called the incident a "terrible

to the Rescue, the general feeling in the

she said.

power and life

by thoughts

ill

"Nurses and social workers must think through their own beliefs about death before they begin working with terminally ill patients. Otherwise the experience is likely to produce inner

Service of Others 7001

In the transcript of an interview taped for radio broadcast,

people. Incidents like this tend to pit the

patients

MITSUBISHI

One of the missing men, Costa, is a 1984 graduate of Msgr. Edward Pace Catholic High School. He grew up in Miami.

De la Pena lived with his parents, Mario and Miriam, in South Miami. The couple are active members of St. Agatha Parish, where they counsel young couples in the parish. The elder de la Pena is the church's bookkeeper.

diaspora.

Their Spiritual Beliefs

who do not.

Elizabeth Smith, an assistant

to

from page 2

Cuba and

distress than those

FOUR GREAT NAMES

13

animosities between the Cuban people in

—

(Above) An Israeli policeman passes the covered bodies of four people who died in a powerful bus explosion in Jerusalem Feb. 25. Hamas militants claimed responsibility for the blast, which killed

Cuba,

& Herald

K-12

and vocal skills important for weekend Masses, school Masses, weddings, funerals and choirs using "Worship" and "Gather" hymnals. Oldest Catholic Church building in Georgia.

catechesis, youth ministry and adult

Romanesque

education. Master's degree or equivalent preferred. Faithful to the teachings of

1862 Jardine Tracker Pipe Organ on Organ Historical Society's

the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.

"exceptional historic merit" list. 1,100

style,

with fully restored

downtown

Salary based on experience. Send resume

family

Francis by the Sea Catholic Church, P.O. Box 22239, Hilton Head

Cathedral-like qualities, ethnically

to:

St.

Island, S.C.

29925 by

May

15.

parish

with

diverse. Competitive salary history

and

demo tape (if available) to Rev. Allan J. McDonald at above address. Position

Director of Music/Organist: Roman Catholic Church of the Most

available July

Holy

Trinity, 720 Telfair St., P.O. Box 2446, Augusta, Ga. 30903 (704) 7224944. Full-time position for skilled

Part-Time Child Care Worker: Room at the Inn needs someone to work Mon.-Fri. from 3-6 p.m.

Music degree with concentration on organ/keyboard preferred. Liturgical, choral direction

Experience with infants and toddlers

organist/choir director.

1,

1996.

is a must. To apply, 525-4673.

call Tricia at

(704)

14

The Catholic News

& Herald

March

1,

1996

Diocesan News Briefs Lenten Opportunities "Soup and

—

ARDEN

Girl

and bread with a presentation by a guest speaker, follows

Wednesday

Mass during Lent at St. Barnabas Church. Mass is at 7 p.m., supper is at

Scout Sunday

MONROE — A day of recollection

Substance," a simple meal of soup

for cadets, junior and senior girl scouts

Sunday, March 10 from 1-3 p.m.

Lady of Lourdes Church.

at

is

Our

BELMONT — A retreat designed to

help participants discover the spiritual

Barnabas Church are Fridays during Lent at 7 p.m. in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.

An ecumenical Lenten service is Friday, March 8 at 6 p.m. at the lake pavilion at Lutheridege on Highway

meaning of dreams, called "Dreams: Visions of the Night," is March 29-31 at Belmont Abbey College. Cost is $120 if

The

service consists of a simple

meal and meditation of the Stations of the Cross.For information call

Barnabas Church

—

CLEMMONS

Lenten

Scriptures and Faith Sharing is a five-

on Lenten

reflection series

Scriptures and

how

they relate to

Groups, sponsored by the Evangelization Commission of Holy Family Church, meet weekly through Lent at various homes.

Contact the church for information.

The Stations of the Cross at Holy Family Church are Fridays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Vespers are Tuesdays at 7

everyday

life.

by the church office

to register.

— The

Stations

March 20 at 7 p.m. at St. Philip Church. prayer service and reception will

follow.

WINSTON-SALEM Stations of the Cross at St.

—

The Leo the

Mission Weeks

— Mission Week

Apostle Church

is

March

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are at 12 noon and at 7 p.m.

CONCORD St. James Parish 9-14. Services on

—

—

CHARLOTTE A card party, sponsored by the Women' s Guild of Saint Vincent de Paul Church, is Wednesday, March 13 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 and must be purchased in advance. Call Doris Reinhardt at 552-2026 for tickets or more

Tuesday,

at

(704) 873-0166 for information and

The Paddy Noonan Show Noonan Show,

Fish Fry

7:30 p.m.

—

a performance presented

at St.

is

is

Friday,

and

will

March

8 from 5-8 p.m. at

be available

Our

—

Neumann Church 50+ Seniors Club St. Patrick's Day meeting and corned beef and cabbage luncheon is Wednesday, March 13. Lunch is $4.50 for members.

John Trexler will entertain with Irish music. Call Ann Mclntyre at (704) 5455046 for information.

Day

party with the Separated, Divorced

and Remarried Catholics (SDR) group in Greensboro is Saturday, March 16 at 6:30 p.m. at Brenda's. Bring a covered dish, a beverage (preferably green) and a $1 donation. For directions, call Brenda at (910) 292-41 14 or Lois at (910) 855-

—

historically-inspired clothing for girls.

young

For show times and ticket

information, contact Josh

Newton

at

Parish Center. All are invited to attend.

Charlotte beach trip to Myrtle Beach and

Call the church for information.

Charleston is April 9-12. The price includes motorcoach, meals, shows and hotel room. For information, call Lou Scharff at (704) 541-6855.

—

Parish Mission Joan of Arc Church are:

March 2 at 5 p.m., March 3 at 7 p.m., March 4 and 6 at 8:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. and March 5 at 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m.

with Jesus as he moves in

from the Hosanna

Silence; in the Resurrection," directed

by Rev. James Campbell. Cost is $225.

To registerfor these retreats, contact Living Waters Reflection Center, 1420 Soco Rd., Maggie Valley, JVC 28751. information, call (704) 926-3833.

CHARLOTTE — The Charismatic

Luke

—

HICKORY The Diocesan Scout Camporee Committee meets March 3 at at the Catholic Conference Center to discuss rescheduling camporee

2:30 p.m.

dates. All interested adult Scout leaders

and committee persons are encouraged For information call Frank

to attend.

Thompson

is celebrated March 10 and the second Sunday each month at 4 p.m. at St. Patrick Cathedral. Healing service is at 3 p.m. and a pot luck supper follows Mass.

at

(704) 359-5208.

Taize Prayer Services

BELMONT

— Taize

style prayer,

which consists of simple chants in English and Latin that are combined with short scripture readings and extended periods of silence, is featured at services March 6, March 27 and April 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the Sisters of Mercy Motherhouse Chapel. For information, call Sister Maria Goretti

Weldon

at

(704) 825-8832 or

(704) 829-5154.

Mass

Caring Hearts Series Begins

CHARLOTTE program

ARDEN— Catholic Young Adults, and single, meets the second Saturday each month at St. Barnabas Church in the St. Lawrence Crypt For information, call Julie Doyle at (704) 274-5142. .

Healing

CHARLOTTE

Mass

—

A Mass

for

March 6 Wednesday each month at

healing mind, body and spirit is

and the

first

7:30 p.m. at

St.

Peter Church.

Home Mass With Bishop Curlin CHARLOTTE — Catholic Singles of Charlotte, a group for singles ages 21

and older, invites all singles to attend a celebrated by Bishop William G. Curlin Saturday, March 16 at 7 p.m. For information, call Tim at (704) 549-4265 or Kathleen at (704) 544-1634.

home Mass

— Caring Hearts, a

for spouses

and significant

others ofpeople with heart disease, begins its

Young Adults Meet

(704) 825-4161.

Feb. 26-29 at 7:30 p.m. in the

at St.

Boy Scout Camporee Meeting

a group for people ages 20-40, married

Fashion Show To Benefit Holy Angels BELMONT The American Girls Fashion Show is April 1 9-2 1 at St. Gabriel

St. Valentine's

Tuesday, March 5

Charismatic Mass

SDR Saint Patrick's Day Party GREENSBORO — A Saint Patrick'

6

Church.

of Palm Sunday through the solemnities of the Triduum into the Alleluia of Easter at the March 31 -April 7 retreat, "In the

For

1

Day Banquet and Dance

Gabriel Church. For

silence and darkness

at the door.

50+ Seniors Meet The St. John

CHARLOTTE

Walk

Feb.

festivites at the

The Paddy

information, call (704) 543-2903.

GREENSBORO— A fish fry dinner

STEVE UZZELL

MINT HILL Al Swain and Sister Jay McCann enjoy the notoriety and the

CHARLOTTE at

Photo by

—

reservations.

by the Irish Society,

information.

CRISM Beach Trip The CRISM group of the Diocese of

at St.

is

will discuss

CRISM activities. Call Pat Pekarekat(704) 873-2783 or Ann DeRiso

Parish Center. The shows, which will benefit Holy Angels, will feature

ASHEVILLE

Joseph's Feast

Day luncheon for retirees March 19. Suzanne Bach upcoming

Card Party

8471.

Great Church are Fridays during Lent at 7 p.m. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will follow the stations.

Masses

St.

are $6.50 for adults and $4.50 for children

Apostle Church has invited members of St. John Lutheran Church to attend the Stations of the Cross Wednesday,

is

—

Church

the Apostle

Stations of

STATES VILLE— St. Philip the

Mission

Luncheon For Retirees STATESVILLE The St. Philip

Arc Church

of the Cross at Our Lady of Assumption Church are Fridays at 7 p.m. during Lent and are followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction.

STATESVILLE

Early

$80.

The Stations of the Cross at the Basilica of Saint Lawrence are Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and Fridays at 1 1 :30 a.m. and 6 p.m. through April 3. Lenten Reflections by Father Benedict Groeschel are Wednesdays Feb. 28-March 27 at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in the crypt.

at St. Philip the

AA.

For information or to register, call the Jesuit House of Prayer at (704) 622-7366.

Eat in or take out are available. Tickets

are Fridays during Lent at 7 p.m.

A

85. Call either of the presenters or stop

involved in

Lady of Grace Church. Proceeds will be used to build a Habitat for Humanity House. Baked fish will also be available.

ASHEVILLE — The

CHARLOTTE

1 1

for recovering

registration is requested.

March 8. Retreat D'Amato (704)

24 1 -4 1 43 and Eileen Riordan (423) 984-

men

alcoholic

"Twelve

retreat, is

Living Waters Retreats The March 22-24 retreat, "Critics' Choice," for those interested in media education, is directed by Gail Hunt Violette and Loretta Wnetrzak. Cost is

p.m.

the Cross at St. Joan of

Steps to Wholeness,"

presenters are Frances

St.

or Greg Carter at (704) 891-9658.

week

registered before

(704) 684-6098

at

"Listening to God in Dreams," is conducted by Dr. Eileen Riordan. Early retreat,

The March 15-16

Stations of the Cross at St.

25.

House Of Prayer Retreats

HOT SPRINGS — The March 8-10

registration is requested.

Dreams: Visions Of The Night

7:30 p.m. and the presentation is from 8-9 p.m.

The

Jesuit

spring session Wednesday,

March

6.

Meetings are each Wednesday through April from 7-8 30 p.m. at Mercy Hospital.

Cost is $10. To register, call Sister Therese Galligan at (704) 379-5000 :

St. Patrick's

SHELBY

—A

Day Benefit St.

Patrick's

Day

Bridge Benefit sponsored by the Ladie: Guild at St. Mary Church is Thursday March 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall Tickets cost $5. Other card games an< board games are welcome. Foi information, call Pat Mullen at (704 480-7678.

The Catholic News & H-erald welcomes parish news for the diocesan news briefs. Good photographs, preferably black and white, are also welcome. Please submit news releases and photos at least 10 days before thi date of publication.

March

1,

The Catholic News

1996

& Herald

15

World And National Briefs Women

ROCHESTER, Like

of giving up something for Lent, why not do something to help humanity and

Rural Ministry Find

In

Camaraderie Amid Isolation many who

Minn. (CNS)

—

make the world a better place by writing to our troops in Bosnia,"

minister to the faithful

Franciscan Sister Christelle Watercott visits with Marion Schultz at Stevens

Community Memorial

It has pitted the Democratic Revolutionary Party against the state petroleum company Petroleos

Mexicanos, oil

Wisconsin have formed a new health partnership with a local health maintenance organization and a 28-site system. The four health care

new the partnership called Aegishealth at a Feb. 14 press conference in Chippewa Falls.

"This is a joint venture not a merger

life

article in the

buyout," said David Fish, Aegishealth interim director and or

American Medical Association reported on a study involving 107 members of

Dame who

a

executive vice president of Hospital in

donate their brains to

Chippewa

Falls.

St.

Joseph

"No one

is

taking over anyone else. "Aegishealth

Most were from the Milwaukee Each of the 107 nuns had written a

science. area.

announced

—

Feb. 21 issue of the Journal of the

to

was developed

in

response to research demands of our

brief autobiography shortly before

outlining the needs and

professing final vows, and those writings

communities," Fish added. He said that

— kept congregation's archives — were analyzed both

Aegishealth has more than 500 physicians and more than 535 hospital

in the

idea density

for

and

grammatical

Researchers then compared the findings

beds for primary care, specialty care and tertiary care, and offers the region'

on

businesses and residents an alternative

complexity.

linguistic ability to assessments of

cognitive ability in the 93 nuns

who

formed three years ago by Minnesota' s famed Mayo Clinic and an Eau Claire hospital and clinic.

to an organization

were still living and to neuropathological examinations of the 14 who had died.

Catholic Hospitals Form New Health Care Partnership CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (CNS)

— Two Catholic

Meet Sister Guatemala BELLEVILLE, 111. (CNS)

Belleville Catholics

Parishioners

In

—

Sixteen people from the Belleville

hospitals in western'

TTITTTITfimiTTITTTITTITTTITTITTTITTITTTITTlTTT

Johannus Church Organs

*

America's best value in sound

hymns playeb

at

tl?e

of

journeyed to Guatemala to meet the people of their sister parishes there for the first time. The people represented 1 1 Belleville diocesan parishes involved in the sister parish effort. In all, 22 parishes are in the program. In addition to meeting Guatemalan Catholics from the Diocese of Jalapa, trip leaders Father Vincent Haselhorst and Colette Kennett brought medical supplies for distribution around the diocese.

Philadelphia Gets 'Missionary'

Nuns From Nigeria, Argentina PHILADELPHIA (CNS) Two foreign-based congregations of women

—

have agreed to send members Philadelphia for the first time, according to Father Alexander J.

religious to

Palmieri, vicar for religious in the

Tota((v; wireless

from the Daughters of Mary, Mother of Mercy in Nigeria and from the Servants of the Lord and Virgin of

archdiocese

—

more than any other

the important areas of Catholic

a great benefit to our people,

a button

witness of their consecrated

systems anb fearing impaired devices

all

in

and the be

life will

this

local

church," he added.

Massachusetts Priest Urges To Bosnia During Lent A REVERE, Mass. (CNS)

Letters

On All Makes

<

.MM .MM

to

join over 4,100 dedicated women religious presently serving in this

.MM .MM

,M M

—

Franciscan preacher from Massachusetts is

.,

happy

education and Hispanic ministry will be

1337 Central Ave. Charlotte, N.C. 28205 • . v r-i irJusic&Electronics.Inc. (704) 375-8108 1-800-331-0768 -

are

welcome these two new congregations whose sisters will

certainly

Quality pianos for aforbable prices

m

"We

Matara, based in Argentina.

a great blessing to

Electronic Organ Service

sisters

are coming

Church Pianos

*

The

Philadelphia Archdiocese.

urging Catholics to write to U.S.

soldiers in

Bosnia-Herzegovina during

And

for those looking for letter-

Lent.

writing tips, Franciscan Father

Ferrara has a suggestion letters

of the

New

Bede

— read

the

Testament. "Instead

wells since Jan. 29.

have been arrested and

as

PEMEX. PEMEX

More

than 100

jailed.

Vietnam Bishops Study State Approval Of Church Quarterly HANOI, Vietnam (CNS)

—

Vietnam's bishops are studying the government's decision to allow them to produce a quarterly publication on catechetical and moral matters. The state Religious Affairs Bureau gave that permission in a Feb. 2 letter, while noting that the publication must comply with government regulations on "publishing and circulation of printed materials," UC A News, an Asia church news agency based in Thailand, reported. Thus far, government-owned publishing houses have printed only a few Catholic titles.

Since modern printing and photocopying machines are now available, more titles, mostly translations of Western Catholic authors, have been published.

Planning Council For American Synod Meets At Vatican The VATICAN CITY (CNS) planning council for the special Synod of Bishops for America met at the

—

Vatican in mid-February to discuss the synod's preparatory document. A Feb. 2 1 Vatican announcement said the synod planners held their second meeting Feb. 13-15 to study an outline of the preparatory document and a suggested

of questions that would be distributed North and South American bishops, religious and church organizations.

Responses to the preparatory document and the questionnaire would be used for the drafting of the synod's working document. Pope John Paul II has called for a series of synods focusing on various regions of the world as part of the Catholic Church's preparation for the year 2000. Synods already have been held for Europe and for Africa. A date has not been set for the American synod, which the pope said should examine the status of church life, cooperation between North and South and questions dealing with social and economic justice. list

Sound Systems

*

when they

Palmieri said. "The sisters' apostolates

& price push

Cloud Visitor

Diocese became part of a historic peopleto-people meeting in January

in

Catholic

St.

diocese in the United States," Father

Synthia Music Systems

*

known

Protesters have been blocking

increases the chance of Alzheimer's

had agreed

Ochoa

the confrontation.

providers

the School Sisters of Notre

parties

involved in a conflict over oil pollution in his diocese to peacefully come to

the part of everyone involved to resolve

low

An

—A

of Tabasco called for collaboration on

clinic

life.

Mexican bishop has asked the

terms. Bishop Florencio Olvera

WASHINGTON (CNS) — A study

disease later in

"A

said.

Peaceful Solution To Environmental Crisis TABASCO, Mexico (CNS)

Watercott finds it a challenge to keep people spiritually tied to the land and to their communities.

involving elderly nuns has found that in early

said.

Mexican Bishop Calls For

rural ministers, Sister

Study Involving Nuns Finds Early Clue To Alzheimer's

ability

Operation Joint Endeavor, he

Hospital in Morris, Minn, before offering Communion. Like other

CNS photo by Dianne Nordquist,

linguistic

he

from home would lift the spirits of our service people." There are more than 20,000 Americans serving in letter

Michele Rein spends a lot of her time on the road. She frequently drives the 20 miles between Harrison and Bloomville, Wis., where she performs pastoral administration duties for the Catholic parish in each town.

She visits ill parishioners in hospitals up to 60 miles away. Recently, she drove 75 miles to attend a wake. "You learn to take a lot of snacks along for the ride," she said. "Time spent in the car can also be a good time for reflection." Ms. Rein' story was typical of those told by women serving rural congregations in the upper Midwest who attended a two-day conference in Rochester, "The Land and the People: Journeys of Women in Rural Ministry." About 50 women attended the ecumenical gathering.

Similar programs were held in Crookston and in Marvin, S.D. in rural areas,

to

& Herald Pastor At Queen Of The Apostles Church,

The Catholic News

16

Msgr. Burke,

March Retires, from

page

"I

where he lived for 17 years teaching the was a wonderful experience seeing first generation Christians meeting the Lord for the first time," he said. "You begin to see how the power of grace works in one another."

"That work was very important to him," added Sister Mary Thomas. "He was a missionary at heart.

Things of this world have never meant much to "It

so great."

Msgr. Burke will still reside in Belmont. How will he spend his free time? Thanks to parishioners at Queen of the Apostles, the Msgr. can watch nearly anything on the satellite dish they presented him at last week's farewell dinner.

him."

When

"With he arrived

1996

can't go on forever," he said.

"However, the needs of the Church are

1

Nigeria,

Gospel.

1,

United States, then Father Burke served the Diocese of Brooklyn, N. Y., and did relief work in Massachusetts He also worked in Michigan before being invited to the Diocese of in the

.

EWTN

"One

is

the

response of people (in Nigeria) to the Gospel and the acceptance of God as the Good Spirit. Also, how they always gave thanks. They were a very grateful

now watch

Word

Television

we

local cable," said

Chuck Martin, who

emceed

don't get on our

the event.

Sister

out from his years as a missionary.

he can

Network), which

Charlotte.

His 43 years in the priesthood have produced many memories, but Msgr. Burke said a few stand

this,

(Eternal

Mary Thomas

said she

was

not surprised by the outpouring of love

her brother received dinner. "This

at the farewell

what I've experienced

is

in every parish he's served," she said.

"His whole life has been the church and reaching out to others."

people."

Photo by MIKE

Msgr. Burke has mixed emotions about retiring.

KROKOS

Msgr. Thomas Burke, retired bishop Michael J. Begley and Bishop William G. Curlin share a laugh at last week's retirement dinner for Msgr. Burke.

whereby

Dietzen, from page 5

all this

And each says of this procedure, "In conformity with the traditional doctrine relating to the goods of marriage and the dignity of the person, the church remains opposed from the moral point of view to It

DSA Funds

Evangelization

page

Efforts, from

1

that says a lot about the effects of getting

people to take an active part in reaching

homologous

out to others."

Other evangelization programs are

.

opposition to the dignity of procreation

planning stages. In May, a series called "Landings" begins that will teach church leaders new methods of reaching out to inactive Catholics and will provide in

resources for parishes to start their

and of the conjugal union" (II, 5).

It needs to be clearly stated here that when IVF or any other kind of artificial human fertilization does happen, the resulting life is no less human and no less to be accepted and cared for with love.

own

evangelization classes. Another program that the

weekend

commission

planning

is

institute called

is

a

"Creating an

Evangelizing Parish" that will be a means of teaching people about evangelization efforts that can be conducted through Father Ed Vilkauskas

individual parishes.

Father Vilkauskas said the heart of evangelization

always trying in

is

to

"What we're develop leadership

awareness.

do

is

parishes, provide training for those

leaders and animating people to get

involved

in the

evangelization process."

The evangelization program is almost entirely supported

by the DSA.

"We

get

about 80-90 percent of our funds from the DSA," Father Vilkauskas said. "The money is spent on speaker fees, materials for

Such and in

'in vitro' fertilization.

fertilization is in itself illicit

for a newsletter called

intended for people

away from

is

the heart of the

of the

moral, questions.

For the reasons given, the church's

concerns about IVF and related procedures remain basically the same as they have been. They are not likely to change unless future technological developments somehow address and mitigate them.

A free brochure answering questions Catholics ask about annulments is available by sending a stamped self-addressed envelope to Father John Dietzen, Holy Trinity Church, 704 N. Main St., Bloomington, III.

61701.

Questions should be sent to Father

Dietzen at the same address.

we love. we most

f CS1III|Âť

CAAIP

iiicrri-mac

TIAIIWKLAIU2

cherish?"

-MORE THAN JUST A CAMP"

reach out to deepen our

"We

SUMMER OF FUN. BUILDING CONFIDENCE & MOTIVATION"

'A

programs and reference materials for

parishes. Also,

we

subsidize

many of the

programs and workshops, so participants won't have large registration fees."

The

DSA

also helps provide funds

Advertise

AN EASTER RETREAT FOR MEN The Catholic News

&

Herald

with the

has the right spot to

MONKS OF BELMONT ABBEY

reach your customers A Summer Camp For

Girls

A Summer Camp For Boys

Ages 6-16

April 4-7, 1996 contact:

Rev. Placid Solari,

OSB

Belmont Abbey H

Belmont, NC 28012 (704) 825-6702 or 825-6848

array of

own faith and to How could we not

Gospels," Father Vilkauskas said.

share what

own

who have dropped

way of life and the heart

share what

its

and human, and therefore

the faith.

"Evangelization Catholic

"Another Look."

This, of course, underlies the first and second points I made above.

For us who were raised when there was only one way for a baby to be conceived and carried to term in the womb of its own mother, it boggles the mind to realize that today there are at least 30 different combinations of methods

religious

can happen.

has

In the

Ages 6-15

Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina For brochure and infcmation write or call Spencer or Dorothy Boyd 1229 Montreat Road â&#x20AC;˘ Black Mountain, N.C. 28711

(704) 669-8766