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News & Herald
Volume? Number 33
Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte
•
May
1,
1998
Teens Celebrate Cultural Diversity At Youth Conference By
MIKE KROKOS Editor
CLOVER,
—
never really gave cultural heritage much thought until today," said Brian Heaton. The IrishGerman-English senior from Bishop McGuinness High School responded to a workshop on cultural diversity in much the
same way
S.C.
"I
as other teens in atten-
dance. Cultural diversity was but one
workshop conducted during the 21st Annual Diocesan Youth Conference April 24-26 at
"A
lot
Camp
of times,
someone, you can't
Thunderbird.
when you look tell
at
where they are
from," said 16-year old Ricardo Martinez
of St. Barnabas Church. "This (workshop) gave us the opportunity to learn more about each other. It is important to try to understand everyone's cultures and
Student responses demonstrated
day."
a cultural diversity that
of the teen-
North Carolina. Logan, an African- American who is also part Cherokee Indian, added every culture makes up God's family. Members of the Diocesan Youth the advisory board of Council (DYC) teens for diocesan youth activities chose "Were our hearts not burning within us?" as this year's conference theme. Taken from Luke 24:12-35, the theme focuses on the "Road to Emmaus" passage, where Cleopas and another dis-
—
moved
—
immewas with
ciple of Jesus did not recognize
United States four years ago, and the first two
them on
years here, I was in a shell," added Martinez, describing life as a Cuban immigrant. Slowly, the St. Barnabas parishioner adjusted to life in a new country and made friends at school and in church. Now, he is an active llth-grader who takes pride in sharing his heritage and learning about others. "We're all one body in Christ and part of the church," said workshop leader
roads
family
many
agers did not realize existed in western
diately that the risen Christ
traditions.
"My
Andrea Logan, youth minister at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Winston-Salem. "We've got to love all people for who they are every day, not just on Sun-
to the
their journey.
"Jesus walks with each of us on the
we travel daily. Yet how often does 'something prevent us from recognizing
DYC
him?,'" members said in their 1998 mission statement. "Like Cleopas and the others,
we
are invited to find
him
Andrea Logan, youth minister at Our Lady of Mercy Church, demonstrates a Cherokee dance during a workshop entitled "Cultural Explosion." More than 400 teens attended the 21 st annual Diocesan Youth Conference last weekend. one another, prayerful expressions, and workshops designed to deepen their faith. Workshop presenters focused on
is unique because is totally run by teens, said Paul Kotlowski, diocesan director of youth
the youth conference it
in the
various subjects, including the Trinity;
ministry.
breaking of bread and by overcoming our
Appartions; Saints AHve!; Jesus Behind
prejudices and opening our hearts."
Bars; Myths;
Kerry Waldrep, a parishioner at Our Lady of Fatima parish in Winston-Salem, was presented the Bishop Begley Award.
As
special people of Christ, the
420
teens taking part in the conference were
Heaven
Hell,
&
In Be-
tween; The Right Choice; and
Would
offered opportunities for exchange with
Jesus
The
What
Do?
See Youth Conference, page
largest annual diocesan event.
1
Bishop Who Led Quest For Truth Found Murdered By PAUL JEFFREY GUATEMALA CITY (CNS) — The
who
Guatemala's Catholic Church in a quest for the truth of what happened during this country's civil war was murdered April 26. Auxiliary Bishop Juan Gerardi Conedera of Guatemala City was killed by an unknown assailant at about 10 p.m. bishop
led
as he returned to his
home at St.
Sebastian
1,400-page final report,
Guatemala during
36-year
civil
its
war.
Ronald Ochaeta, director of the Archdiocesan Human Rights Office, said he had "no idea about a motive" for Bishop Gerardi's killing. "We can't conclude yet tliat it came as a result of the historic
memory
project,
and speak the truth." Alfonso Portillo, runner-up
in
1996
presidential elections, said: "Logic says this
was not common crime. I hope I'm wrong about this, but it's obvious that some sectors are not very happy about the truth." Ochaeta said Bishop Gerardi's ing "strengthens our rights office.
His
work
spirit
in the
kill-
human
of conciliation will
continue to inspire our work, inspire us to
Ochaeta said, acknowledging that the style
the bishop
His killer reportedly struck the bishop twice
of the killing was similar to the assassina-
tinue our work."
tion of political activists during the war.
Bishop Gerardi was bom in Guatemala Dec. 27, 1922. He was ordained a priest in 1 946 and first served in the Diocese of Vera Paz, from 1967-74. There he laid the groundwork for the Indigenous Pastorate. He was transferred to the Diocese of Santa Cruz del Quiche, where he helped shepherd the Guatemalan church through the worst attacks on religious during the war. He escaped an assassination attempt in 1980, and in June of that year closed his diocese to protect priests and religious who were in danger. At least 20 priests and hundreds of religious were killed during the violence. After government authorifies denied him re-entry to the country in 1982, Bishop Gerardi lived in exile for two
head with a chunk of cement,
disfig-
uring his face. Church officials said the killer left the
scene of the killing, changed
and returned to a site near the crime 10 minutes later. The bishop's body was found around 1 1 p.m. by the parish vicar, Father Mario Orantes, whose suspicion was aroused when he saw that the house lights were
his bloodied clothes,
still
on
at that hour. laid in the
metropolitan cathedral for public viewing until his funeral April 29.
be buried
in the crypt
The bishop was to
under the cathedral.
Bishop Gerardi coordinated the activities
of the
Human Rights Office of the
Archdiocese of Guatemala, as well as the church's Project for the Recovery of Historic
Memory. On
Ochaeta said his office had received of support from throughout the world. Guatemalan bishops were to meet April 27, and that the bishops would
calls
He
said the
"decide how the church
is
going to respond.
This is too grave a case for the human rights office to handle alone."
Many
Guatemalans, accustomed to way of life,
political assassination as a
Bishop Gerardi's body was
Guatemala City.
its
that characterized
but public opinion could be saying that,"
in the
during presentation of a human rights report on Guatemala's civil war. The bishop was brutally murdered April 26 in
public
assigning blame for the rampant violence
downtown Guatemala City. The 75-year-old archbishop was alone.
Parish in
Guatemala City Auxiliary Bishop Juan Gerardi Conedera is shown April 24
made
April 24, the project
believed the timing of the killing
— two
days after release of the rights report, was more "Guatemala: Never Again"
—
than a coincidence. "It seems like some people haven't changed their way of thinking or acting," said Carmen Pena, a lawyer for the Conference of Guatemalan Religious. "Death still follows those who denounce violence
work for peace. The martyred blood of is
an incentive for us to con-
years, before returning to
as archbishop in 1984.
Guatemala City